Relax

There is a meme floating around on Facebook that I saw today that sums up my feelings on coffee and wine. It says something about how coffee helps me deal with difficult people and wine helps me accept when I can't. You get the idea. I got to thinking about how different a person I am now that I drink coffee and wine. The beverages aren't the catalyst for change, but they are symbolic of who have I become over these last few years. Up until about five years ago, I was married. During that time in my life, if I drank coffee at all, it was decaf, and I barely touched wine. I liked coffee, but was worried that the caffeine would trigger the migraines I had as a kid. I liked wine, but my then husband didn't, and I couldn't bring myself to drink a glass or two out of a bottle and then pour the rest down the drain, nor could I stand restaraunt markups. 

Then, we separated, and it went through a phase of eating and drinking whatever I wanted, health and cost be damned. One night I actually ate an entire six pack of Hershey bars. 

I started enjoying regular lattes and realized that, since I didn't drink coffee as a child, those migraines were most likely not caused by caffeine. I started going to wine tastings and developing my own preferences. I learned about wine stoppers, and how they can help me get through an entire bottle of wine over the course of a week, so I neither have to overindulge or pour money down the drain. 

Coffee is now my friend. I drink the regular stuff with nonfat milk most mornings. Wine is lovely, and, restaurant markup be damned, I order a glass or two with a meal if I want to. I'm paying, in part, for the dining experience, so I may as well enjoy it. 

I put a bottle of wine in the fridge a few days ago and then didn't feel well for a while, so I didn't open it until tonight. I was on my feet for most of the day and so I'm tired and just wanted to relax, watch tv, and eat something easy and yummy. I picked up some red lentil chipotle hummus and multi grain chips on my way home, and opened that bottle. And I sat here and thought about how diffrperent I am now. I am certain in my likes and dislikes, and finally feel like myself.