I'm sorry that you didn't have fun because others were pushing their conventions on you. That's not a group I would be traveling with again. I rarely drink. I don't mind an occasional margarita with Mexican food or good champagne for a celebration, but in general, I'd rather drink water. My friends are used to it and never say anything nor do they feel the need to abstain when they are with me.

The older I get, the less tolerance I have. I find that I get a little soft "buzz" going after one drink, and really don't NEED any more than that. That's not to say I always stop at one (when out with friends), but I no longer feel compelled to keep at it like I did in my younger years. Too, the empty calories are something I most definitely don't need or want!

I'm sorry that your trip was soured. I think it IS possible to be around drinkers if you aren't drinking, so long as neither side makes an issue of what's passing from glasses or bottles to lips. The problem I have is in being around people who have passed their threshold when I'm not drinking. Loud and obnoxious becomes amplified to unbearable levels when others have over-imbibed and I'm sober.

I don't drink at all. I used to when I was younger but I quit completely because 100% of the rest of my immediate family were alcoholics and I thought I was high risk because of that. People were kind of weird about it at first but it's been so long now that people are used to it. I don't care if other people drink but I do find myself less tolerant of people who drink too much and become obnoxious. Fortunately that doesn't happen very often. We did go on a sailing trip in the Caribbean once where a lot of our friends activity revolved around drinking too much. I would never go on another vacation like that. I just don't enjoy being around drunk, obnoxious people.

Anyone who forces drinks on another person has a serious alcohol problem. A normal, mature adult does not insist others adopt their habits. It's not funny, it's not cute, it's actually pathetic.

I drink wine, an occasional beer, a rare gin&tonic, but I don't expect others to drink. I always offer a non-alcohol choice when listing the options - to me they all have equal weight. I don't make judgements or comments about drinking or not drinking. To each their own. There are a thousand reasons people choose not to imbibe and they don't have to explain it to me.

Fortunately, I don't know anyone who drinks to excess. I know plenty of people who don't drink at all so it doesn't seem the least bit odd or fuddy-duddy to me.

I love a glass or two of wine with my dinner or in the evening, an occasional cold beer in the summer (I usually buy non-alcohol beer in hot weather because I find it more refreshing) and for one or two parties per summer I make a mean mojito - and love drinking them.

I was raised in a family where alcohol was the norm for hospitality and entertaining - it was a shock in my young adulthood to move from the city to a small rural community where no one seemed to ever drink at all. I really had to readjust my views about what was hospitable - to offer tea instead of a drink!

I seldom drink. I was the typical party/drink person in my more social 20's and single (never interfered with daily life) but once I had kids I pretty much stopped drinking...just had 3 babies in quick succession so wasnt out on the town anymore. I will have an occasional drink if we go out. Never liked wine or beer--even in my 20's. DH doesn't drink much either...a beer once in a while at home, sometimes a mixed drink when we go out. He likes wine more than me....that is occasional too.

I probably even drink less than my parents did. They would always have a drink or two when out to dinner and mom loved having people over so there was always liquor in the house...but they always limited themselves to two drinks.

Yes, your friend should have left you alone once you made it clear you were not interested. She was feeling guilty because she knew she and the others were overdoing it and you sitting there with water was a constant reminder. Sorry you did not enjoy your trip!

Yes. Unfortunately, I like my food and wine/beer pairings. At least DH and I have cut out any alcohol during the week with dinner. It pretty likely affects my/our weight.

Between the two of us, we have Polish, Irish, and German descent, so we come from families where a lot of celebrations involve alcohol. Huge alcohol bill for open bar at our wedding and rehearsal dinner!

I have nothing against alcohol....I just don't enjoy it. I have had an occasional half glass of wine, but that is about it.

I have never been influenced by what others do. I am a child of he sixties and most of my friends indulged in, hum, in more than alcohol but no one ever made me feel bad because I didn't. It was their choice to do what they wanted to and left me alone.

I am sorry your friend ruined your trip. I wouldn't care to be with someone like that.

sure, moderately -- but I would never pressure a friend to drink. very insensitive thing to do, especially as many people have serious problems in their lives due to alcohol.

Very moderately and you are right, much less so as I have gotten older. Same effect. I didn't drink much when I was younger either. Now it's one glass of wine or one beer, two at the most if it's a it's a long party or if we are sharing a bottle of wine with friends at dinner. DH doesn't drink wine at all, so I rarely open a bottle at home just for me. Occasionally we'll have a margarita or a cocktail when we go out (love a good martini or bloody). Just depends on the setting. I also take a med that intensifies the effects of alcohol, so I have to be careful. It generally doesn't bother me but I stop at 2 and do not have a problem. I also make one drink last a long time.

That's awful that your 'friends' behaved that way - disturbing on many levels and I can certainly understand how that impacted your ability to enjoy yourself. What a shame.

I drink very little - a glass of wine with a meal a few times/month or as someone else mentioned a Margarita at a Mexican restaurant sometimes. On the rare occasions where we've been at an event like a wedding where I might have a glass of champagne and a glass of wine over the course of the evening, I do feel it the next morning - a bit sluggish, puffy face - that kind of thing. But I'm not sure it's age related for me as I've never had a real tolerance.

My DH doesn't drink at all - never has - and that's really the bigger deal for some people. They understand someone who quits drinking but the idea that someone has never tasted alcohol of any kind, at any time, and not for religious reasons bothers some people and I don't understand it. They feel compelled to grill him about his choice and all he wants to do is have his ice water in peace. He doesn't object to someone else having a drink (unless they over-do) but he's made to feel like an anomaly. At 56, he gets to make these decisions, doncha think??!!

As I'm getting older, I'm imbibing less, for health reasons and simply because I witnessed too many of my parents' generation of social drinkers at the club evolve into alcoholics. So many lost their dignity, as well as their health, to alcohol.

Olliesmom, I've had 2 experiences similar to yours. The first involved reunions of my college friends. They would become so drunk and share TMI about just... too many details of their lives that I realized that, even though I had chosen these women as friends in college, I would not choose them as friends today. I no longer keep in touch, and I don't really miss them. This was an easy decision, though, as we only visited occasionally because we're dispersed throughout the country.

The second involves a close friend here in my town. She loves to "party" to an extent that I find embarrassing. But when she's not drinking, I really like her and value our friendship. We've slowly evolved into an understanding that we get together for non-drinking situations (shopping, exercise, lunches, etc.) and an occasional dinner get-together. But I no longer go out socially with her to bars and clubs.

If you value the friendships of those with whom you were on vacation, perhaps you can limit future get-togethers to events where you know alcohol won't be involved.

I am also in the camp of one glass of wine a day, it has to be white, I can't tolerate red anymore. Everyone around me knows I hardly drink so they don't make a big deal out of it and I always pay my share of the bar bill when we dine out as a group.

I used to drink a tad more but the last 10 years or so my tolerance has lowered immensely. Some days I can't finish my glass of wine, I'll feel it making me too sluggish.

DH drinks more than me but has curbed his intake because his sugar levels come out high at his annual physical exam.
Since we're often just the 2 of us, it helps him that we can't order a bottle and share. Most restaurants now have a pretty good selection of wines by the glass, I like a good wine even if it's just one glass !

I was never a fan of any drink I tasted so I just didn't bother with it. My DH who comes from Italy doesn't drink at all and never did. He doesn't even like the smell of it. We have no problem with other friends drinking although, in years gone by, we were the ones who had to drive them home. Most of our friends imbibe a bit. We're the odd ones.

I drink the occasional glass of wine with friends or at a family dinner but that's it. I can't drink red wine, never could.

I can't stand the smell of alcohol nor can I stand being around someone who has had too much to drink but that comes from having had an alcoholic father. If my kids have people over and some drinking is involved they know that all the empties have to be taken outside before going out or to bed. The smell of alcohol in the morning makes me want to throw up.

I have been very honest with my kids about the fact that their grandpa, as well as two uncles and an aunt (from different parts of both sides of our families) were/are alcoholics. They are also aware that I will not be enabling or excusing or covering up that situation nor will I allow it to ruin my life - again.

Have to admit an occasional couple of drinks really helps with the stress of building a house. :-)

Your "friend," ordering you drinks, may have a problem with alcohol and feel less guilty about it - if you are drinking as well.

Love my non-drinking friends. Recently did a trip visiting wineries, she was the designated driver for the group, so the rest of us could enjoy the wine tasting. What a fun experience, found wines I loved and others that I really disliked.

I like the taste of many types of alcoholic beverages so I drink and enjoy it but not all the time and always in a safe way.

I sometimes drink a little too much or sometimes attend parties where I choose not to drink at all. I have friends from non-drinkers to some who drink a lot. It sucks when people don't respect you either way.

So here's my way to deal with it. When I'm in a social situation where I don't feel like drinking, I walk around with the same drink that is 3/4 full so it's "too soon for another one". I do this at business events all the time.

Another non-drinker. And another who can't take the smell. LOL

No. I don't like the taste or smell of any of it. It also doesn't agree with me AT ALL in even small amounts. Because of this, in my early 20's the few times I would drink, I really made it count and would spend the entire next day unable to function. It wasn't worth it.

My choice does seem to bother some people. DH will have one or two a few times a year, but we don't have any at the house. This seems to have hindered a few of our (used to be) friendships for those who focus their gatherings around drinking.

Our families aren't drinkers either and I wasn't around it growing up.

This post was edited by sheesharee on Sat, Jun 21, 14 at 1:54

I don't. blfenton, you said you don't like to be around someone who has had too much to drink. Same here. And for the same reason.

Both of my parent's drank, I even inherited the fancy mixed drink/champagne/wine glasses. My favorite are the Hummel brandy glasses. lol.

However, I cannot stand the taste of alcohol. I silently become angry when someone has cooked a dish with alcohol in it, because it ruins the flavor for me.

OTOH, I do like a cold beer in a glass on a hot summer day! But I do that maybe once a year. lol.

I never started drinking until I got married. Even at that, I'd have one glass of white wine cut with seltzer. Now, due to calorie considerations, I've cut that back too. I will still have a glass of wine on occasion. Once in a great while I'll have a blackberry brandy (esp good for upset tummies) or a southern comfort.

DH on the other hand has to have his drinks at night before and with dinner...sometimes it's wine or blackberry brandy, but most often it's manhattans.

When you get to be our age though, many of my friends have cut back or quit due to calorie concerns, medications or they find they no longer like how it makes them feel. I also have a recovering alcoholic in the family (20 yrs sober) and am extremely careful that I don't cook with any alcohol when he's around. No one abuses anyone though over their choice to drink or not to drink. That's just wrong.

I stopped drinking alcohol last December after a long but fraught relationship with drinking. Aside from some misspent years in my youth, as an adult I've never been a big drinker. Don't care for liquor or beer so my drink of choice was always and only white wine, 99.9 % chardonnay and I never drank a lot; a couple of glasses on the weekend was pretty much my limit. Yep, SUCH a cliche suburban mom white woman drinker!.

Like several others in this conversation, I found as I got older that alcohol in any amount was affecting my sleep and that it left me feeling yucky the next day.

And there had long been an undercurrent of guilt and worry in my drinking. There is a strong alcoholism/addiction predilection in my immediate family, and two of my sisters have battled the disease for many years. In one case alcoholism has truly blighted a promising and beautiful soul. My husband doesn't drink alcohol at all-he describes himself as a 'prohibitionist'. Too, my drinking was definitely linked to a sense that I needed it to relax and relieve the stress that overwhelms me on a regular basis.

All of which meant I was always drinking alone, and drinking with a worry that I was setting a bad example for my kids, and drinking with a fear that even those couple of glasses a couple of times weekly were a symptom of unhealthy dependence. So as I moved into my fifties and my body started telling me clearly 'this isn't working for you' I decided to listen to it and just stop drinking to see how I felt.

Answer: fine. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that once I stopped my little wine habit I haven't been all that interested in restarting. I had a glass of wine at my daughter's graduation celebration and it was nice to have that relaxing feeling that it yielded. But yep, next day after only that one drink I had that logy, headachy feeling so it wasn't very tempting to want to have any more any time soon.

As for the sleep disruption, I still don't sleep too well all the time. But I figure that's just part of getting older and I have seen some improvement, at least I know that I'm doing everything I can to try for that good night's rest!

My kids are now both young adults who seem to have very healthy and sane attitudes toward drinking. Neither has ever had any issues with doing dumb alcohol-related things, at least not to the degree that they involved us :). My daughter has absorbed one of the most important lessons I did impart: as soon as you raise that glass to your lips you have made the ironclad decision you aren't driving anymore that night or whenever time period you're drinking. My son is a federal law enforcement agent so he also knows quite well what alcohol abuse can do. He's worked alcohol related accidents that involved violent death, and of course he knows what getting caught driving while intoxicated could do to his own career. I'm so proud and relieved they don't seem to have any issues with alcohol. It actually may have helped that they saw pretty clearly what it did to their aunt and they watched me agonize and despair when I had to deal with repeated bouts of rehab, relapse and disastrous consequences of her drinking.

I've still got a few bottles of Chardonnay from my last foray to Total Wine before Christmas. And I am not in any sense making judgments about anybody else and their drinking. For me though, I'm off the wagon for now and probably for good.

Oops, I mean I'm ON the wagon! Shows what happens when you are hopped up on coffee while writing about alcohol :).

Ann

So many of you feel the same way I do, and I'm so glad to hear!

I do feel that my age has a lot to do with it also. I just can't handle it, and haven't been able to for quite a while now, like I use to. Even if I have a couple of drinks, the next day is ruined by my feeling sluggish, and I'm just too busy for that. It also affects my sleep.

I guess I say it doesn't matter if other people drink, but, if I'm being truthful, it really does matter to me, as far as I can hardly bear to be around someone drunk. Yes, and the smell. People drinking a couple of drinks doesn't bother me at all though.

We were in Mexico with two couples, one of the couples are very good friends of ours, and the other couple, we have never traveled with, and have known for quite some time, but through my husbands work, and they had a New Year's party at their house a couple of years ago, and didn't stay but an hour. The last couple are the ones' that drove me crazy on our trip! She was slurring her words and sending the waiter over to the table with tequila shots, etc. UGH! We had our kids at the resort too, and I just felt it was a family trip, not a get drunk every night trip. I'm looking at the couple, thinking...how do you get up the next day and function??? But, the funny thing is, they did! Anyway, that's the short story.

Our problem is, we are older than most of our friends, due to the fact that we waited a long, long time to become parents. Our son is 11, so most of our friend's with kids now are about early forties, and I feel that 10 years makes a difference. The couple I got irritated with doesn't hang around with my normal group of friends, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing that they could even go on the trip and they had kids the same age as mine and the other couple.

Maybe some of my friends will start feeling like I do in about 10 years! Ha!

I enjoy drinking, especially the drink/food pairings as another poster mentioned.

I do realize now as I get more sense, a few things.

1-yes like you it seems to affect me more than others. Solution is much like food. Don't feel compelled to empty the glass. It is OK to order a drink and only drink ½ of it if it makes your meal more enjoyable. Just like "cleaning" your plate leads to eating more than you really want to eat, feeling as though you must finish is in the same category.

2-realize that people are (for the most part) only being polite. People will offer you a drink because they have good manners. But it is really self-centered for you to think that they really truly care if you have a drink of wine or beer or diet coke or water. They are asking to be mannerly. They aren't judging you like you are all 17 years old at a party in someone's basement who's parents are out of town. This is all in your head. If you don't want a drink of alcohol, just say no thank you.

3-people who DO care if you drink or not, or who try to get you to drink because they want to drink more, are doing that to make their drinking seem more normalized. This is not your problem.

4-It is OK in a safe and non-driving situation, to let you hair down once in a while and drink more than you might typically. But yes you will get nothing done the next day. And you won't sleep much. So we will do this from time to time, but do it with aforethought.

We seldom had alcohol in the house when I was growing up and for the first 30 years of marriage we only bought alcohol if we were having a party. Now, in our upper 50's, we keep wine and beer on hand. We maybe have a bottle of wine a month and if we're home on Sunday night then we have pizza with a beer or two. I would never push someone to drink if they did not want to.

Alcohol affects my husband more than it does me. Not sure why. I'm 135# and hubby's got nearly 100# on me; but if he has a couple beers he gets tired and has to have food. I'll drink one beer, maybe two over the course of several hours, but I pace myself because I like to feel in control. And I have to drink water with it or immediately after otherwise I get dehydrated and don't sleep well.

But I also think alcohol seems like wasted calories. I'd rather have something that's more nutrient dense.

I only drink some. I did not party as a teenager/young adult as I got married young and started having kids and nursing, etc. I had also seen too many negative effects of alcohol from my grandparents and a stepfather. But, DH's family and ideas surrounding alcohol were much different than mine and he enjoys it. I can enjoy a good beer, there are some wine/food pairings as well. Not to mention treats once in a while of a good kirsch or Bailey's in the coffee. One or 2 is my max though, I never want to be the obnoxious loud person (or at least not due to alcohol) and I generally embrace most of my inhibitions as being there for a reason.

If we go out, I definitely do not drink. Someone has to drive (it is usually Dh and I alone) and I am cheap and do not like paying the even more inflated prices at restaurants. Plus, DH will enjoy the drink more than me. I would also prefer the calories from some appetizer or dessert that I would not make at home instead of the alcohol.

Yes, I drink, but never overdrink. Never have and neither does DH. We have wine with dinner nightly. A (meaning only one each) mixed drink on weekend evenings. A 6-pack of beer lasts a couple of months here. I've also inherited an intolerance for too much alcohol. It runs in my father's side of the family. More than 2 drinks and I get very, very sleepy. If I mix two different kinds of alcohol, I get nauseated and end up with a bad headache.
We don't have any friends that we socialize with on a regular basis who drink too much. It would bother me to be around friends that did. I can't imagine anyone being so insensitive as to force drinks on someone. How sad and how incredibly rude!
Lynn

Both DH and I drink in moderation occasionally. Alcoholism runs in his family, and sadly our oldest son inherited the addiction. Because of that, we did not keep alcohol in our home for many years while our children were growing up. Now, we keep a few bottles of wine and beer around. I also enjoy a good martini occasionally when dining out. Neither DH or I ever drink to excess, and would never dream of pushing drinks onto anyone. We have been involved with Al-Anon (for friends and family members of alcoholics) for several years, and have made many friends in the program who are recovering alcoholics, so am very used to people who choose not to drink alcohol.

I am sorry your trip was not enjoyable because of others' insensitivity.

This post was edited by texanjana on Fri, Jun 27, 14 at 11:22

I guess that is why I posted about this, because I have never encountered anyone who got mad because I was not drinking. So Juliekcmo, I do realize when someone is being mannerly and someone getting mad by my not drinking with them. I, of course, do know the difference, and I think nothing of someone offering me a drink, and I do think it polite to offer. Guess I maybe didn't make that clear in my previous post? I don't think I was being self-centered at all. She was also doing it to my other friend, because she wasn't drinking "enough" or as much as she was.

I have learned a great lesson to never travel with families I do not know very well. I will be much more picky next time-HA!

OlliesMom, you made it very clear that this other person kept ordering drinks for you after you said no. Anyone who keeps buying drinks for someone that has said "no" is not being polite by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, in my book, they are being just the oposite.

So nice to hear from so many who have little or no interest in alcohol. As a child, we were allowed wine at special dinners, even from a very young age. I subsequently felt no particular inclination to drink as I got older, and have hated the smell and taste of beer all my life. I used to cook with wine when young but didn't bother after a while because of the cost. I don't like most wines, and at times have gone for years without a glass - have two bottles of a wine I do like in the fridge for maybe 4 years now. Don't know if they are still any good. Have never had most any other type of drink as I have had no interest, except for Baileys - enjoy that, but it is so calorie ladened. Even so, every few years or so I buy a bottle during the holidays. Can easily overdo that over ice cream. Would have been irritated by that woman's behavior.

I've never cared much about alchohol. As a young person I was usually bored to death at parties because a lot of what seemed funny to everyone who was drunk wasn't funny at all if you weren't.

But what's interesting to me at this point in my life is that hardly anyone I know who's my age drinks at all anymore. Our elders and people much younger than us are always offering us drinks and getting a bit discomfited when we decline, but mostly we just don't care about it.

Every time I have to do a new health survey with a doctor they always laugh when we get to the point about alcohol use and I say, "Oh, about five glasses of wine.....a year."

Yes, I drink alcohol. We have a wine cellar with around 400 bottles, and have a passable bar of liquor and mixers. DH rarely drinks, maybe a half a glass of wine every few months, but our adult children all drink alcohol and have been drinking wine with meals at home since they were around 17 or 18 (and champagne at celebrations). I've never seen anyone drunk at our house, and we offer it, not push it upon, guests.

My favorite summer drink this year is an Aperol Spritz, and we've been servong Pimm's/seltzer and lime juice to guests.

I don't like beer, never have, it tastes nasty to me. Same with most hard liquors and wines. But there are some wines that I do like, and sherry, and I will get an urge to have a glass every several months or so. I find that it does disturb my sleep now, and I have very little tolerance, can't drink a full serving of anything. I never did have much tolerance, or desire, anyway. I always just told people that I didn't like the way it tastes and got little pushback.

Oddly enough I do or did like tequila - straight. But I can't remember the last time -- it has been decades.

Our last house was in a neighborhood that overlooked a golf course, and many of them belonged to the country club. Drinking was a big part of their lives! They were always having beer tastings, wine, drinks, etc. One time someone ran into their own garage door. These were people in their 60's and up.

DW & I just polished-off a bottle of a great Chardonnay @ the Radisson-Blu attached to the MOA last night! Had some wine-samples at the informal reception an hour ago too...! This is a neat place!

Faron

Whenever we entertain, my DH and I are surprised at how much alcohol most of our friends drink.

I am a light drinker for most of the reasons mentioned.I don't like to drink calories, for one. For two, having three kids rather close together, and breast feeding them, kind of had me on the wagon for a few years. That reduced my tolerance. I can't have more than one drink. Lastly, we try to eat very healthfully and, to me, alcohol does not feel healthful.

I like a cosmo once in a while. I did get into a habit of making myself Pomtinis for a while and then decided that wasn't terribly desirable. We serve wine to company, and I do like good Sangria, freshly made.

DH only drinks Chivas. Funnily, I like the smell of it on his breath -- i think it reminds me of seductions. I have never seen him have more than one or two scotches, and never seen him drunk or even tipsy. His buddies all drink over golf, hockey, poker, but he is uber competitive and sticks to water.

I made it a point to never drink in a business setting. I don't believe in letting one's guard down, most especially as a woman in a male-dominated field. On one particular occasion when I had some wine, coworkers were shocked. They thought i was an avowed tee totaler.

I enjoy wine, but have cut way back over the last several years, mostly for caloric intake reasons. So while we have wine with dinner most nights, it's generally only one glass. And now that I have cut back, my tolerance is way down so one glass is plenty. I do enjoy it, though, and think wine in moderation is far preferable to juices and sodas. I won't touch soda, and I'm amazed when I see how much Diet Coke people guzzle down.

I agree about not drinking in business settings. There's no upside to that, especially if you are a woman in a male-dominated field, as mtnrdredux said. At my current employer, there is a lot of drinking at functions, especially at out-of-town meetings. I have a "one drink maximum, be back in my hotel room by 10" policy. It feels so good to wake up refreshed in the morning, hear about the "incident" from the night before (there usually is something with somebody, and it is always drink-related) and know that I was neither a participant nor an observer. There is no mileage in being an observer either.

Alcoholism runs in my family, so I avoid alcohol. I also purposely married someone who drinks rarely. My DH has a glass of wine on occasion, and only when we are out-- sometimes he has to go out for work, but again, he limits himself. (Balance of being social with not wanting to drink.)

I can go a year without drinking, esp. since I've spent the last 13 years pregnant or breastfeeding. Now that I'm done, I drink on a holiday, or on the rare occasion I go to a bar with friends. (We usually go to eat, not to drink.) I have one drink, tops. Hate beer and wine.

When I was in Japan, my agent thought I was some weird religion because I didn't drink and I'm a vegetarian. (She was definitely an alcoholic, though . . .)

I love a glass of wine when I go out for a meal or have dinner with friends. We always have wine at my book club. I truly enjoy the taste and the relaxed feeling. I certainly know my limits and never have more than two glasses. I enjoy some mixed drinks, but only have one because of the caloric intake and also because I am usually out somewhere an have to drive home. Wine always wakes me up in the middle of the night, so I drink plenty of water along with it.

I was camping for a night with friends and we had vodka and cranberry juice -- one drink each. It was very pleasant.

I almost never drink at home. I just don't enjoy sitting by myself and drinking. I'd have a glass of wine from time to time but I end up pouring out most of the bottle because it goes bad before I finish it.

I don't like beer, never have.

I would absolutely never force a drink on anyone else. I bet the person who did that was three sheets to the wind. Lots of people have good reasons for not drinking and I respect that. I am sorry your vacation was miserable, Olliesmom.

Most of the women in my book club ( including me ) drink wine during our discussion time. When I saw this t-shirt I just had to buy it to wear to our meetings.

LOL

I find that the first long sip of a cold glass of white wine at the end of the day is the absolute best !!

I enjoy a good cabernet in the evening. Saying that though, I’m not a wine snob and while traveling enjoy trying out homemade house wines in some of the villages we have dined. Right now I can’t even remember what day I came back from my trip because I’m so messed up with sleep. I have had no wine since. I don’t believe in dieting while on vacation so between the wine, all the food and what seems like gallons of olive oil consumed I’m laying off the red and certain foods for calorie reasons and Orca the whale syndrome.
I’m leaving soon for a funeral up north and purposely planned to arrive after my sisters July 4th week-end parties. While I enjoy a small group of friends and a few drinks I do not enjoy large scale drink feasts where the main goal is to get drunk. To me not fun!

I drank vodka or scotch when I was younger, but stopped drinking when I started having babies. I didn't want to be in an altered state.

In my fifties, with my children all grown, I developed a taste for good red wine, thanks to a friend. In this case, "good" often means better than I can afford to buy, so that's one limitation. Another is that I don't enjoy drinking alone, so I don't do it. A third is that I'm very prone to hangovers, so I learned some time ago to stop at two drinks--or just one if it's a generous martini.

Regarding age, my parents often invited their friends over for cocktails (in NYC in the 40s and 50s), and my dad and his corporate co-workers kept liquor at the office for after-hours card games. It was a part of life for a long time. So I was surprised when he gave up alcohol in his seventies. He said it just didn't appeal to him anymore.

PS: He lived to be 90.

This post was edited by alisande on Sat, Jul 5, 14 at 10:19

I like wine but only when I am alone. It tends to make me sleepy and, of course, less alert, and when I am with people I like to be completely alert. A good, chilled, glass of wine, a great book, some munchies, my dog sleeping next to me....perfection.

I never drank a sip until I hit 35. I like beer when it is blazing hot outside and maybe a glass of wine after work. But now that I know it is bad for my bones as I age I am saying goodbye to my delicious friend. Herbal tea is just as good, and cheaper as well.

Have read through this with interest. With a family history of alcoholism, I decided maybe I was alcohol dependent - so I quit. Felt very antsy for awhile. This was many years ago. I now enjoy a glass of wine at book group - that T shirt cracked me up, and a very occasional one at home.

Have two neighbors who are alcoholics. They drink an average of 12 beers daily. One I like very much and it breaks my heart because surely it's having an impact on his whole body.

Alcohol, misused, can take a terrible toll on a family, aside from the damage to the drinker.