Alcoholic drinks: 0.

Alcoholic drinks wanted but denied due to self-control: 3.

Cups of coffee: somewhere around 9000.

Chocolate biscuits: ditto.

Money raised for Brain Tumour Research: £275.07.

The first two days of my sobriety challenge were remarkably easy to survive, since at about 2am on the 1st I finally caught the holiday lurgy that had already struck down the rest of my family at various points over Christmas. Having shivered with fever through the first six hours of 2017, I never wanted to see a glass of prosecco again.

Returning to Leeds, I was at first too busy with bar shifts and unpacking to really notice the lack of libation in my life. The kicker came on the day I pulled a double shift at work: when I dropped into Old Bar for a Hot ‘n’ Kickin Chicken Burger, aka the King of all burgers (thanks to Melz Owusu for this wonderful creation), there was nothing I craved more during my break than a pint of Symonds to accompany it. Although I resisted temptation, I fear there will be many a similar craving before this month is out.

I’d expected another challenge when one of my best buds came round for dinner and our usual wine-and-whinge catch up, but instead I was reprieved when she was kind enough to bring a bottle of Co-op’s finest posh fizz. Ahem, I mean “Irresistible British Fruit: Sparkling Apple & Raspberry with a hint of Rose Pressé” (oooOOOOOOoooh…). This was actually very pleasant, and at £1.85 for 750ml, makes a bargain alternative to our usual bottle of red.

So the verdict on alcohol alternatives so far is:

Sparkling Apple and Raspberry whatsit: 8/10. Feels more sophisticated than squash or lemonade, bargain price, good for home drinking but unavailable in pubs.

Lime and Soda: 7.5/10. The classic. Available in pubs everywhere, usually the cheapest option since it tends to range from 20p-80p, but can get very boring after a while and not one for home drinking.

Coffee: 10/10. Coffee is life. ’Nuff said. I’d rather give up alcohol than coffee any day of the year, because frankly I’d cease to function without it.

Coke: 7/10. Good for the energy, bad for the teeth, pricier than lime and soda.

That’s it for now, until next week!

 

Kathryn Kaiser

(Image: Imagesbuddy.com)