P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[Adawn47]

41 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

I’m amazed that alcohol plays such a part in people’s lives. Regular drinking of alcohol at home isn’t really part of our culture around here and doesn’t feature heavily in our social lives either as we have to drive everywhere. 

You make it sound as though  we're closet alcoholics😁 I can assure you we're not. We all like to relax and unwind in our own way. Frank and I share a bottle of wine with dinner at the weekend and occasionally we might have a glass of whisky. I  certainly don't like to be made to feel as though it's a big part of my life. 

Avril

[mercury7289]

1 hour ago, Ardennais said:

I’m amazed that alcohol plays such a part in people’s lives. Regular drinking of alcohol at home isn’t really part of our culture around here and doesn’t feature heavily in our social lives either as we have to drive everywhere. 

Sorry Ardennais,

Over here, we do not live in the outback, we have buses and trains and everything!

We also have Covid, so do not have a social life currently.

We are practicing our drinking, so that when cruising returns,we are able to drink more on board, for the betterment of P&O.

Where's that cork screw!😎

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

The more pertinent question is why Scotland has an alcohol problem at all, with saintly Nicola in charge surely all Scots should be happy and sober, as well as bright eyed and bushy tailed. 😋😎

She who must be obeyed is certainly trying hard!😀.

 

The minimum pricing has actually had a positive impact on those who stocked up on large quantities of cheap cider and vodka etc. The levels of dangerous drinking have reduced significantly according to all reports.

 

It doesn’t really affect the cost of decent wine or spirits so if like most folks you have the odd glass of something it has made little difference.

 

Where it does hit as Gadabout says above is that there are no discounts, Bogofs in supermarket or happy hours in pubs. 
 

And of course at the moment most pubs and restaurants can’t serve alcohol at all so there are more  bright eyed and bushy tailed people around for now.

[Ardennais]

Sorry if I’ve hit a nerve, it really wasn’t intentional. Probably shouldn’t have used the word ‘amazed’. Here in the ‘outback’ we still live in the long shadow of the temperance movement. Remember we still had a vote on Sunday drinking well into the 1980s. It’s a very different place to the South Wales valleys where clubs were/are commonplace. It’s not that people are against alcohol, it’s just not something that really happens a lot in the home or with a meal at home. 

[Ardennais]

And talking about the South Wales valleys, I wonder whether alcohol has played a part in their Covid story?

[mercury7289]

Just now, Ardennais said:

And talking about the South Wales valleys, I wonder whether alcohol has played a part in their Covid story?

No nerve boyo!

Just an empty bottle!

Have family over there, but further west at the Docks and Manorbier

 

[Eglesbrech]

1 hour ago, Ardennais said:

I’m amazed that alcohol plays such a part in people’s lives. Regular drinking of alcohol at home isn’t really part of our culture around here and doesn’t feature heavily in our social lives either as we have to drive everywhere. 

I think that the lockdown restrictions have temporarily changed how people behave.
 

It is much safer to be at home than out and about so the bottle of wine with a meal in a restaurant people would have is now more likely to be enjoyed at home instead with a meal.

 

 

[Ardennais]

14 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I think that the lockdown restrictions have temporarily changed how people behave.
 

It is much safer to be at home than out and about so the bottle of wine with a meal in a restaurant people would have is now more likely to be enjoyed at home instead with a meal.

 

 

I agree, it’s safer at home and I’m sure you’re right in that people have changed their routines. Thing is, if you don’t normally drink wine with a meal, even in a restaurant, then you’re not really going to do that at home either. Different way of life I suppose. We might go out for a meal with friends, everybody coming from different directions and one of each couple/family always driving. The non driver might have a half of shandy, that’s about it. Christmas is no different but I do recall that my grandmother always bought a bottle of sherry in December! 
 

And we’re not boyos up here!! 

 

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, Ardennais said:

I agree, it’s safer at home and I’m sure you’re right in that people have changed their routines. Thing is, if you don’t normally drink wine with a meal, even in a restaurant, then you’re not really going to do that at home either. Different way of life I suppose. We might go out for a meal with friends, everybody coming from different directions and one of each couple/family always driving. The non driver might have a half of shandy, that’s about it. Christmas is no different but I do recall that my grandmother always bought a bottle of sherry in December! 
 

And we’re not boyos up here!! 

 

Boyos? Not familiar with that. Enlighten me.

 

We always have a designated driver as well, in rural areas someone is always the driver. We have (and I agree with) really strict drink driving laws up here. It’s virtually zero tolerance and can catch tourists out.
 

Yes I have the bottle of Sherry in for Christmas. It’s probably the only time of the year it’s in the house. It is never finished but I have a really nice mushroom and garlic recipe to use up any leftover.

[Ardennais]

Reference was made to ‘boyos’ in a previous post! It’s used in South Wales as in lads or guys. We’re Gogs up here - Gogledd is Welsh for north. 

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, Ardennais said:

Reference was made to ‘boyos’ in a previous post! It’s used in South Wales as in lads or guys. We’re Gogs up here - Gogledd is Welsh for north. 

Thank you for explaining, it is nice to learn something new.

 

We like north Wales, lovely place for a holiday. It was also nice to hear Welsh. We were in a supermarket and the announcements were in Welsh then English.

 

Oidhche mhath (good night)

[Josy1953]

8 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I’m amazed that alcohol plays such a part in people’s lives. Regular drinking of alcohol at home isn’t really part of our culture around here and doesn’t feature heavily in our social lives either as we have to drive everywhere. 

I don't think that alcohol plays a big part in people's lives, we usually manage to get through a bottle of wine over the weekend and rarely drink during the week but with Christmas coming up and not planning to go out at all we have stocked up our wine rack but it will last well into the new year.  We do enjoy a glass of wine with our evening meal when we are on holiday and my husband does have a pint of beer after the show before we go back to the cabin in an evening.

I think that most people are like us and do drink but not excessively.  Just because this is the way my husband and I choose to live I don't think that I need to worry about  what other people choose to drink so long as they don't cause any injury to anyone else.  When we go out one of us is always driving so again no drinking.  We were hit by a driver who had both drink and drugs in his system a number of years ago, my husband was also breathalised by the police and had a zero reading so no problem but it did show us that we were doing things right to have zero alcohol if you are going to drive.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Josy1953

[Harry Peterson]

Almost teetotal in this house. Not for any dislike or concerns over alcohol - purely to avoid the high calorific intake that comes with it.

 

Have to keep an eye on the BMI to avoid health problems such as Type 2 Diabetes, and alcohol’s the easiest thing to remove. 
 

Cheese might do it, but that would be a far bigger loss!

[purplesea]

It is a case of having a designated driver down here too if you go out for a meal as it is difficult to use public transport. 

My husband and I used to have a village pub. On one occasion the police were waiting for him to come after he had locked up and driven away before stopping him and breathalising him. Think they were disappointed as he hadn't been drinking.

[Gettingwarmer]

8 hours ago, Ardennais said:

And talking about the South Wales valleys, I wonder whether alcohol has played a part in their Covid story?

More to do with the concentration of population I think. 

[wowzz]

9 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I think wine would be at the bottom of the list! 

 

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

Well, the obvious question is - what is at the top of your list ? Please don't say a nice cup of tea!

I'm still interested to hear what is number one on your list.😀

[grapau27]

9 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

You make it sound as though  we're closet alcoholics😁 I can assure you we're not. We all like to relax and unwind in our own way. Frank and I share a bottle of wine with dinner at the weekend and occasionally we might have a glass of whisky. I  certainly don't like to be made to feel as though it's a big part of my life. 

Avril

A lot of doctors recommend drinking red wine for heart health.

You and Frank sound like nice normal people and drink a small amount as a weekend treat with a meal which you deserve.

Graham.

[Adawn47]

9 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Sorry if I’ve hit a nerve, it really wasn’t intentional. Probably shouldn’t have used the word ‘amazed’. 

The only nerve you hit was in generalisation. Just because we are discussing our tastes in a particular wine or whisky does not mean we're sitting at home every evening getting stoned, or that alcohol is the main part of our lives. I shall now finish my cup of coffee. I can't stand the smell or taste of tea.😉

''Asumptions are made and most assumptions are wrong''   

  Albert Einstein

Avril

Edited November 25, 2020 by Adawn47

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, Adawn47 said:

The only nerve you hit was in generalisation. Just because we are discussing our tastes in a particular wine or whisky does not mean we're sitting at home every evening getting stoned, or that alcohol is the main part of our lives. I shall now finish my cup of coffee. I can't stand the smell or taste of tea.😉

''Asumptions are made and most assumptions are wrong''   

  Albert EinsteinAvril

Yes reading back through my contributions it looks like I’m the worst offender but in reality I don’t drink a lot but I enjoy something decent when I do.

 

I would much rather have one nip of a decent whisky than a bottle of rubbish. I also like to have a selection of different ones in the house so that when the happy day comes that we can have visitors again there is something for every taste (and being a mean Scot if that something is half price in Asda then all the better 😀)

 

Same goes for wine.

[Eglesbrech]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Almost teetotal in this house. Not for any dislike or concerns over alcohol - purely to avoid the high calorific intake that comes with it.

 

Have to keep an eye on the BMI to avoid health problems such as Type 2 Diabetes, and alcohol’s the easiest thing to remove. 
 

Cheese might do it, but that would be a far bigger loss!

Yes if I had to choose between wine and cheese, cheese would win.

 

We have a nice cheese hamper ordered for Christmas. Looking forward to that. My cheese eating habit has been hit badly as we are not allowed to travel between council areas. While we are in a low Covid level my cheese shop of choice is not so we can’t go there, hence the hamper order.

 

I gave up on counting calories many years ago, as long as I am healthy then I enjoy everything, in moderation of course.

[Bloodaxe]

11 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Yes reading back through my contributions it looks like I’m the worst offender but in reality I don’t drink a lot but I enjoy something decent when I do.

 

I would much rather have one nip of a decent whisky than a bottle of rubbish. I also like to have a selection of different ones in the house so that when the happy day comes that we can have visitors again there is something for every taste (and being a mean Scot if that something is half price in Asda then all the better 😀)

 

Same goes for wine.

 

Absolutely, everything in moderation, quality over quantity every time for me, a little of what you fancy does you good.

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Bloodaxe

[mrsgoggins]

16 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

The only nerve you hit was in generalisation. Just because we are discussing our tastes in a particular wine or whisky does not mean we're sitting at home every evening getting stoned, or that alcohol is the main part of our lives. I shall now finish my cup of coffee. I can't stand the smell or taste of tea.😉

''Asumptions are made and most assumptions are wrong''   

  Albert Einstein

Avril

 

Can I gently say that I think you are being a tad harsh?  I certainly don't think that what Ardennais implied that he/she thought people were at home every evening getting stoned etc.

[Adawn47]

9 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

YesI have the bottle of Sherry in for Christmas. It’s probably the only time of the year it’s in the house. It is never finished but I have a really nice mushroom and garlic recipe to use up any leftover.

Sounds delicious. Do tell😋

Avril

[Harry Peterson]

13 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

Can I gently say that I think you are being a tad harsh?  I certainly don't think that what Ardennais implied that he/she thought people were at home every evening getting stoned etc.

I agree. I’ve just re-read the post and it was perfectly innocuous. I’d agree with it too - not sure why alcohol’s such a big thing, such a touchy topic.

 

Interesting 5 part series recently on prohibition in America on PBS America (Freeview) about it. Still unbelievable that a country like America could go down the route of banning alcohol. 
 

Maybe we’ll have a more enlightened and sensible drugs policy one day (every bit as daft as prohibition) once the public mood changes and more politicians cease to be scared to speak the unspeakable word - legalisation. 

[Adawn47]

18 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

Can I gently say that I think you are being a tad harsh?  I certainly don't think that what Ardennais implied that he/she thought people were at home every evening getting stoned etc.

It wasn't meant to be harsh but tongue-in-cheek, hence the winking emoji at the end. I don't like to upset or offend anyone, but my sense of humour isn't to everyones taste😄I won't quote Einstein again. That is also meant as a joke by the way😉

Avril