Summer Holidays

This last week was the final week of the academic year for most schools in this Midlands. As such, this means its time for six weeks of sun, relaxation, and drinking.

Or would do, if I didn't live in Britain, where there's rarely any sun, and I can't really drink due to the painkillers I'm taking.

The folly of drinking with a bad back was exemplified yesterday. Went out for a meal with the Waterhouses down to the Ruby Cantonese, my favourite local Chinese restaurant. I knew it was the last day of term, and that they don't have the chance to go out and enjoy themselves all that much as they're both teachers, so I figured I'd make sure I didn't take any painkillers during the evening so I could join them in a few beverages while we ate.

Good plan right?

Wrong!

See, while my back hadn't actually been all that bad during the daytime, by the time I'd spent 15mins in the restaurant, it had started playing up. Didn't bring any painkillers with me, thinking that the alcohol would numb the pain. Well, it did. But only as I downed three glasses of red wine in a row. Not my smartest move ever, especially as my alcohol tolerance is practically zero at the moment, but still...

Eventually - ie by the time we were walking home - the effects of the drink kicked in and pushed the pain to the background, but I must have looked like a right alcoholic in the Ruby, downing wine. ~_~; It's the kind of thing a guy with pride and/or a reputation would think twice about. Fortunately I have neither. :D

So that's how I started my summer holiday off. Full of food, drunk on red wine, and sprawled on the bed spasming in pain. My how fun my life is. I'd say "start as you mean to go on", but I'm not sure that's a good idea this year.

Still, my appointment with the spinal specialist is on Wednesday morning. Hopefully they can give me a better indication of what's wrong.

~J