Live the Pooh way

Drinking down the decades!

I really enjoyed writing, then reading my Gin blog! As I was writing, I began thinking of other drinks I've enjoyed over the years. Some a little too much probably, then wondered why my hangover suddenly stretched over the whole weekend and not just the next day! It reminded me of all the 80s, 90s, then 00s drinks I've loved over the years.
At my recent Charity Book Swap, conversation turned to alcohol which was bound to happen when you view the people present! The following question was posed,
"What was your first ever drink or sip of a drink?"
You could see the whole table of people racking their brains that far back, then smiling as the recollection hit them. We had a fab reminisce then about Babychams and Snowballs at Christmas.

I thought it was ace to take a sip from the little frosted glass. I loved in particular the creamy Warninks with the cherry on top!

There was the little sip from the tiny glasses of sherry at your grandparents and great aunt and uncle's. Then I had another recollection of homemade wine. Our neighbour, now my father in law made potent white wine which went well with Sunday dinners. I remember my mum being passed the green stemmed glass of wine sometimes on a Sunday and I'd have a sip. Those glasses are in our cupboard now!
The drinks of the 80s were very ladylike and the glasses used very dainty looking. I love the idea of laying in a Martini glass eating a cherry but can you imagine? It would need to be reinforced with iron girders! I remember Dita Von Teese doing carrying it off so well!

Moving onto the 90s I have very fond memories of spirits with added lemonade or cola. Trying to order some of them now and it's like you're an alien speaking as another life form! My fave was Taboo and lemonade but I'm hard pushed to find it now! My friend found a bottle for me and that was a lovely leaving prezzy for me. I was more a spirits and lemonade drinker: Taboo, Mirage, Archers, Blue Bols and Southern Comfort mainly. I now drink Disaraano with diet lemonade unless they have Taboo. I did dabble with Malibu and Tia Maria with coke but preferred the others. Now, Tia Maria and Bailey's are added to my coffee as a drink. There were others I remember such as Pernod. Oh that smell! I could not drink that now!

I remember the Age of Alcopops very well but must have been more sophisticated than I thought as I always preferred spirits in glasses. I loved Hooch. If you were a teenager and never tried Hooch, where were you hiding? I always loved Lilt growing up so thought this was a fab alcoholic, fruity version. There were also Diamond White, Diamond Blush, Castaway and Blastaway too. Wkd was drunk in the nightclub, even though by then I was actually just ready for a cup of tea!

Going out in the noughties is a bit of a blur in between full time job and raising a child! I remember loving wine again and nights out were more a meal washed down with red wine. I loved Chilean and Argentinian Merlot. I have really bad migraines though so content with just one glass now.

Barbecues would bring out the chilled Chardonnay. I loved the Australian Barramundi and the White Cloud. Kumala was also good too. I remember the earlier white wines such as Lambrini and Lambrusco. Lsmbrini Girls did have more fun! Then there were Leibfraumilch and White Tower. So many!

Now it's more rose we drink which is a nice inbetween drink of the three. We'd spend more time at each other's houses drinking. I remember always having Portugese Rose in the bulbous bottle! Blossom Hill is fab and our normal choice now. I love The Feeling's song 'Rose' and love the lyrics. 'I love your delicate way.'

Red wine is, in my humble opinion, gorgeous. I grew an appreciation of it when visiting my brother and sister in law in France. We'd enjoy raclette and fondue meals with French red wine. I am a strong cheese lover too, the smellier the better! On special occasions, we'd have Chateau Neuf de Pape and St. Emillion. Beautiful.

I have had a few evenings of perhaps too much red wine and these have involved my friend Vic. The first was at a Pheonix Card party where I just kept sipping more wine and ordering more cards and wrapping paper! The second was somehow recording a newer, ruder version of a welcome for their doorbell. We'd forgotten all about it until my brother in law pressed the doorbell to pick us up! Thirdly was after our Alton Tower's trip for Vic's 30th. We'd all worn 118 118 moustaches which had become eyebrows at the end of Rita, Queen of Speed! We were freezing so were warmed up with Bailey's coffees. On the way home, we finished the boxes of red wine not to waste them. I got in, Sat like a pixie in front of my book shelf and read every title about three times! Their eve ended in a shopping trolley adventure in town so I should have gone with them!
Day drinking wine was always s good idea in theory. It tended to end in me reciting the alphabet over and over whilst horizontal or playing Let it Be rather loudly on my piano! These are all the more civilised memories. I've left a few others out!
The noughties was a time of alcoholic shots. Aftershocks and sambuccas bring two. My friends and I had a few slippery nipples on my 30th so the bar bill was more than the food bill! It was also the time of energy drinks and Vodka and Red Bull. I didn't really like this much and would rather have Lucozade. Nothing beats Lucozade.

I have fab memories of holidays with family and friends where we'd lay on our lilo sipping sangria and pina coladas. More recenylg, margeritas and Mai Tais. Love the Barry Manilow song, "I like pina coladas and  in the rain. I'm not much into health food. I am into champagne.'

I feel I need to end on a few funny quotes about wine. I've asked a few friends what leftover wine is and they haven't got a clue either!

I would love to go wine tasting and I've heard good things about the vineyard and restaurant at Holmfirth. However, I'd be the lady on the right if I went to one!