So I went for lunch by myself to a French restaurant - I'm practising for Paris! The plan was for a small, fixed-menu lunch, the kind that I might have while on holiday, and then a salad or some fruit in the evening.
I had a small Pernod as an aperitif.
I had a salad starter.
A small main.
A small dessert.
With the starter I had a small glass of red wine, it lasted me throughout the meal.
By the end of the meal I was sooooooo um puddled. It was like BAM! One minute I was fine, the next I could feel my eyes rolling in my head.
I took a double expresso. I still felt very um
I took a long black. I still felt very um
I thought my head would fall off. I was worried I might have burped (or worse) out loud.
I paid the bill and left. I didn't dare go to the ladies' room, it was through a forest of tables and chairs, and I didn't trust my navigational skills.
I felt a bit better in the fresh air but still definitely concentrating. The worst thing was that a former colleague of mine has, regrettably, hit the front page of the local newspaper, and not for good reasons. His face was all over the paper in the metal box dispenser. My biggest fear was that I'd be found collapsed over said box!
Set off to walk home but really, really needed a comfort stop, so had to duck into another cafe. It's one I patronize, so I didn't want to just duck into the ladies' and out, so bought another coffee and a piece of cake, to keep trying to soak it all up. The coffee was so grande I had to leave it and I did make it home safely. Honeys, it was 5 hours before I finally felt normal again.
I am annoyed, because I had a ton of stuff to do today, that I didn't get done - but I'm not mad at myself because, believe me, I did not go into town in the middle of the day to get drunk! I don't really drink ever - I guess that was the issue today but I truly thought it would soak up in a 3 course meal.
And I am SO glad that I discovered here in England that I have zero capacity! Can you imagine finding it out in the middle of a foreign city?!?
A practice meal is a great idea. I am so sorry that you discovered you can't take red wine. I think that if you have a chance you should maybe try practicing again without the wine before you leave for vacation.
One glass of red wine shouldn't do that... maybe the Pernod with wine on top? It does seem pretty unusual. Maybe it wasn't either of those but some other kind of reaction.
what is parnod? is it liquor? if so, every time I mix liquor and wine I get half swacked. I'd just stick with the red wine, it is always my safety drink because I know I can drink one glass and it'll last me through a meal (cause I don't really like the way it tastes).
Forgive me for giggling at this story. I know I would be exactly the same way as I rarely drink alcohol. As a matter of fact, we went to Paris for 8 days in June and I had exactly one drink, a very small Kir. And I could feel that. Lol!
I can't help but giggle! I dont' drink, or well I rarely drink... like less than once a year. When I was 21, I got so drunk on New Year's Eve that I ended up with alcohol poisoning, so I stopped then and there. I haven't been drunk since... now last year on vacation, hubby and I bought a bottle of wine and enjoyed it once the kids were snuggled into their hotel beds.. we sat outside our door on the hotel sidewalk for fear they would wake and catch us with it..lol.
My advice is to stay away from the liquers, a glass of wine can also pack a wollop, so just make sure to only have one and to take it slow.
All I could think was - if I don't make it home, I'll get fired! And actually, by the time I went to bed, around 1 a.m., that's 12 hours after the drink, I still didn't feel absolutely right, in my head and in my skin.
Well, lesson learned. I always did say I was a cheap date!
I've never been much of a drinker (my parents are high functioning alcoholics and it's always been a turn-off for me) so my tolerance despite my weight is lower than low! Half a glass of wine and I am looking for a place to nap. So I would have been sloshed right along with you!
I bet it was the Pernod. Whenever I have pastis, it hits me like nothing else. The stuff is super strong, even though it's diluted with water. So maybe try it next time without an aperatif, and just the glass of wine during the meal. Or, if you really want to have the aperatif, try a kir instead, which is certainly weaker than a Pernod.
Today's unexpected life lesson!
That might have me zig-zagging home as well!
