Holiday Hangover

On Saturday night we went to a beer festival. It was all for charity, as they reminded us in the programme:

(the next bit of that sentence was "...of Dunfermline Rugby Club.")

You get a glass on arrival then you get stuck right in to your choice of 77 different ales. I reckon the best strategy is to go for the one's with the funniest names, such as Enter the Flagon, Sheepshagger's Gold, Old Fecker and Laughing Gravy.

Only problem is I can't stand beer in any strength or shade, so I sampled the ciders instead. I'm not much good with cider either but the words of the programme haunted me:

"I know this is difficult but please keep fighting those drinks down, as every pint is more money for the lifesaving work of The Anthony Nolan Trust..."

So in this photie I am absolutely shitfaced from a wimpy pair of pints, right before the dancing began and I knocked Gareth's glass of Farmer's Pale Ale all over his head with my stylish moves.

No alcohol-related hangover on Sunday, just one of those reality hangovers. I did really well in New York with my food - the now tried-and-true tactic of being choosy then savouring the goods. But when we got home it was a week of back to school blues - we both picked up rotten colds so moped around having a Who's The Most Unwell contest with multiple takeaways and minimal vegetables. On Friday I ate cake for breakfast on the premise that I'd forgotten to bring a spoon to work for my yogurt and muesli... ignoring the seventy spoons in the office kitchen... hmm hmm.

I made a Comeback Curry last night - packed with spinach, butternut squash and black beans - with the aim of starting the new week as I mean to go on. I'm still barking and snottery so had to bail on kickboxing tonight, but I'm determined to have a healthier week. It's taken a long, long time to accept that this maintenance lark means that you will go through unsettled periods. The only way to prevent them would be to live like a robot - never going anywhere or doing anything or interacting with the humans. That doesn't sound very good, so I'll dust off the dumbells and veggies and get back to it.

Comments

[1 · Posted by Rachel · October 07, 2008 at 12:10 AM]

My goodness, be happy you don't like beer! Those types of festivals are Death by Calories for me - I can't stand to think of the quantity I could imbibe if allowed to roam free.

[2 · Posted by Ash · October 07, 2008 at 12:26 AM]

A hoi hoi...

I love beer... I have started drinking Pure Blonde to cope with drinking my weight in points!

We had a yummy pasta sauce last night you might like to try (I ate 2 portions so it must've been good)

It had 1 can of lentils, a can of whole peeled tomatoes, 1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 1 cup water, lots of tomato paste, chopped zucchini, asparigus, onions, loads of spinach and grated carrot.

MMMM! Yum!!

There were leftovers, so it's a happy week!

[3 · Posted by LBTEPA · October 07, 2008 at 12:32 AM]

I am taking heart and inspiration from this post! I too can crawl back to some semblance of fitness and sane eating! I can! Thanks DG, you've saved the day :)

[4 · Posted by Gabrielle H · October 07, 2008 at 01:36 AM]

Beer... I think I'll go to the pub tonight. I blame you.

[5 · Posted by Sagan · October 07, 2008 at 03:39 AM]

Beer festivals and curry, yum! Cute photo:)

[6 · Posted by monica · October 07, 2008 at 05:37 AM]

Cider is good but it goes down fast and STRONG. Tastes just like juice! I love beer, though. Wish I didn't. Won't touch a beer-fest though. Two pints give me a hangover. A beer fest would probably kill me. (That, and I hate the thought of mass quantities of drunk people congregated in once place - there's enough at my local as is!)

[7 · Posted by CatsPuke · October 07, 2008 at 10:09 AM]

Hi Shona,

I have a bottle of Sheepshaggers on my shelf, waiting for a special occasion. I'm suffering from a cold too, but I've just posted a good recipe for Hot Toddy on my blog. After one last night I feel a wee bit better this morning.

CP x

[8 · Posted by DutchCat · October 07, 2008 at 10:21 AM]

Heee what a cute photo! Hope you're feelin 100% again soon :)

[9 · Posted by LaLa · October 07, 2008 at 10:23 AM]

Ahh. As long as it was for charity ey?

Hope you feel better soon x

[10 · Posted by MizFit · October 07, 2008 at 12:12 PM]

how cure are you, Missy!
My sh*tfaced pics are invariably crosseyed.

[11 · Posted by Loth · October 07, 2008 at 12:35 PM]

2 pints? Your citizenship of Dunfermline is being revoked as we speak!

[12 · Posted by Jen · October 07, 2008 at 12:37 PM]

I love the whole "drink to save the world" motif and think that I could get into that kind of philanthropy!

I don't know why the food thing always has to be so hard, but it never does seem to get much easier.

[13 · Posted by Claire · October 07, 2008 at 02:03 PM]

Cider is evil! The way is slips innoculously down and then gangs up on you during the night so you wake with one god awful headache and a fervant wish to die! stear clear!

May try that pasta sauce recipe though, I currently have all those things hanging out in my kitchen, hurrah!

[14 · Posted by Patricia · October 07, 2008 at 02:33 PM]

This post came at just the right time- I have really fallen slack over the past 10 days or so. Still working out but really half-heartedly and haven't done pilates in nearly 2 weeks. Also I am eating healthy, but I am eating A LOT- so that basically cancels out the healthy part of it!! Just need to realize this is a blip and get back to it. PS. very nice picture!!

[15 · Posted by Anne Marie · October 07, 2008 at 06:15 PM]

I can relate exactly! I also went to a beer festival on saturday, but unlike you, I love a good pint. I woke up Sunday feeling hellishly bloated, and the scale said that I weight eight(!!) pounds more than I did 24 hrs before (amazing trick, huh?). This week is dedicated to getting back on track!

[16 · Posted by Andrew is getting fit · October 07, 2008 at 06:20 PM]

Funnily enough I can't stand the taste of beer either.

Hope you are both feeling better.

[17 · Posted by · October 07, 2008 at 09:17 PM]

On behalf of a fabulous young friend in london - thank you. He is currently waiting for a bone marrow donation after a match was found by the antony nolan trust. His future was almost non existent without it. You drank your way to his better health and future!!

P.s, beer is pretty yuck but cider rules - the hangover is totally worth it!

[18 · Posted by dg · October 07, 2008 at 10:07 PM]

that is so good to hear, anon... Wishing your friend all the best.

Thanks for your comments folks :)

[19 · Posted by Philippa · October 07, 2008 at 10:54 PM]

Ooops, meant to put my name rather than being all anonymous and cryptic!

[20 · Posted by K · October 07, 2008 at 11:21 PM]

I've had the barking cough myself lately, so you have my sympathy...

Poor G getting Farmer's Pale Ale tipped over his head... still, at least he should dry off fairly easily?

[21 · Posted by Marla · October 07, 2008 at 11:27 PM]

I have never seen anyone look as drunk as you do in that photo. EVER.

My favorite beer in the universe is Caffrey's Cream Ale. They sold it in the U.S. for only a few glorious months and then took it off the market. I did my bit to make it popular by drinking as much as I possibly could, but alas it wasn't enough.

[22 · Posted by maureen · October 08, 2008 at 01:46 AM]

God, you're so mature now!

[23 · Posted by judy · October 08, 2008 at 02:45 AM]

Brilliant! I get back from my holidays to find your Holiday Hangover post. How freakishly Twilight Zone. I keep trying to push the Haigh's chocolate frogs, dark chocolate mint thins and coconut rough to the back of the pantry but they mysteriously make their way back to the front, crying 'Eat Me'. They give out free samples in the Haigh's shops too. Why is that the most memorable part of my trip? :)

[24 · Posted by Elvira · October 08, 2008 at 03:25 AM]

beautiful couple! so cute together...

[25 · Posted by Amber · October 08, 2008 at 09:14 AM]

Hey Shauna, just noticed the US edition of your book in the side bar... is there are reason it doesn't have you on it ? how strange ..

[26 · Posted by dg · October 08, 2008 at 09:41 AM]

morning folks :)

@judy - i hear ya buddy! i think i just accept that 9 times out of 10 the food is going to be the highlight of my trip... i just have to remember when people ask me about my hols to say "oh yeah! museum of modern art was brilliant" as opposed to blurting "OMG let me tell you about this PIZZA i ate" so they don't think i'm a freak :P

@Amber - no reason in particular, just a different cover for a different market :)

[27 · Posted by Crabby McSlacker · October 08, 2008 at 05:17 PM]

How can one NOT drink if it's going to help leukemia patients? One MUST get snockered! Likewise, it's impossible to eat yogurt instead of cake when you have the wrong kind of utensil.

These are much better than the rationalizations I use. And I totally agree, you gotta live life, have fun sometimes, then climb back on the veggie virtue wagon when the party's over.

[28 · Posted by Laura N · October 08, 2008 at 07:01 PM]

What a great picture of the two of you. You guys are really cute together. :)

Love that statement about maintenance. Too freaking true.

Get well soon & keep up the good fight!

[29 · Posted by M. · October 09, 2008 at 12:45 AM]

One absolutely MUST imbibe in the name of charity. Finish that drink, think of all the sober people in Africa*!

*I realize that I'll inevitably insult someone with whatever country I put there, but I was trying to echo the cry of mothers the world over who urged us to finish our sprouts/broccoli/peas/spinach as a token of gratefulness for having so much more than the starving children in Ethiopia/Africa/China/etc....

[30 · Posted by Jac · October 10, 2008 at 09:04 AM]

Hi DG.

Nice to hear that even cake beating super heroes have off days!! What I've learned is that we must dust ourselves down, and jump back on the pony!! (and its a smaller pony than would I would once have managed!)

jaclyn x

[31 · Posted by M · October 13, 2008 at 01:10 AM]

Hey Shauna, just wanted to say I came across your blog (I don't even remember how) and have just spent the past couple of days reading through the archive. Congratulations on everything you've achieved - I only hope I'm as successful! One bit that really resonated with me was when you spoke about the men situation. I definitely feel with where I'm at now that if a guy (who is not a complete sleaze) is hitting on me then it must be for a joke. Depressing, huh?

As far as beer goes, I too think it's disgusting. But hey, calories saved, no?

[32 · Posted by Sam in Perth, Western Australia · October 14, 2008 at 08:56 AM]

Mmmmm beer. L love Aussie beer! I love Red Back Beer... it's made by Matilda Bay Brewery in Perth (the West Aust. one one)
http://www.matildabay.com.au/ourbeers/redback.html

[33 · Posted by Heather · October 14, 2008 at 11:56 AM]

Well, isn't this perfect? I was just finishing my breakfast of, well, cake. It's called "zucchini bread," but let me be real - it's cake. Luckily, the last piece. On the upside, I made my first "ratatouille" this week, and we had homeade veggie soup for dinner last night. I am walking a fine line between disaster and veggies. So, I crossed off the ice cream on the ole grocery list, and will start anew, without cake! Off to the treadmill... Good to see what you're up to, Shauna.

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[35 · Posted by sasas · October 15, 2008 at 01:47 PM]

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[36 · Posted by Lynn Haraldson · October 16, 2008 at 01:26 AM]

Screw the beer...I want the recipe for "Comeback Curry." LOL! You crack me up :) Love the way you write.