It’s a snow day in my hometown of Reno, Nevada…which, given its location at the base of the majestic Sierra Nevada, you’d think wouldn’t be news of the shout-it-from-the-rooftops, alarming, STFU-schools-are-not-closed! variety.
The view from my deck…after a day of melting snow. And it’s still coming down…
But since we’re situated in the valley below Lake Tahoe, we don’t typically get all that much snow. Enough, but not too much. It’s like Goldilocks’ dream destination.
So my children are home, and with snowmen built, copious cups o’ cocoa consumed, makeup tips administered (to my daughter and her friend … my son was not included, thank you very much), steaming soup made for lunch, multiple loads of laundry done (snow gear is bulky, dammit!) AND my regular work duties on track for completion, you can imagine my relief at the prospect of sitting down to a tall, refreshing Diet Coke at about 1 this afternoon.
I told ya before: one vice, people.
Diet Coke.
So I opened the fridge…and panic ensued.
No Diet Coke? I thought. NO DIET COKE?!?!
My alarm heightened as I realized: My little car won’t take me to McDonald’s. Not willingly, anyhow. Not without chains. And I think that’s the line in the sand (or snow) that, if crossed, might just reveal an addiction: chaining up to get a fountain Diet Coke for $1.08 at the neighborhood McDonald’s.
See that balcony slightly above and to the right? I seriously considered throwing myself off at this pivotal, uncaffeinated juncture…
But instead, I posted my misery on Facebook, lamenting my fate and pondering whether it’s too early for wine.
Thank heaven for Facebook. Because a heavenly message quickly appeared from my personal angel, a Facebook friend who descended from high atop his social media throne and wrote, with much God-like vibrato, “I’m told it’s National Drink Wine Day… but that info comes from my cousin, so it’s probably not.”
“Like!” I thought to myself as I hit the happy little button. As long as the cousin’s not a drunk. Or delusional. Or delusional when drunk.
Then another angel added to the heavenly chorus: “It’s never too early for wine! Oh, and I think his cousin is right. It’s National Drink Wine Day. I’m pretty sure that’s legit. :-)”
“Like like LIKE,” I exclaimed at the sight.
Then the kicker — Angel #3, completing the holy trinity: “It is an official holiday. Start guzzling girl.”
Oh sweet, blessed permission.
Now here I am, sharing, dear friends — as my own personal Public Service Announcement from me to you. Today is National Drink Wine Day! It’s like Christmas, only with one ginormous, humongous, big-ass present: Permission to drink copious bottles glasses of wine!
But I couldn’t celebrate this criminally underexposed holiday without alerting you all.
It’s definitely news of the shout-it-from-the-rooftops, alarming, STFU-it-is-NOT-National-Drink-Wine-Day! variety.
Oh but it is. And I hope you enjoy the celebration (my apologies to those of you in other time zones. But hell, why not make it a weekend affair?).
So things are crazy in my little neck of the woods, and I have more fun to share in coming weeks. How’s that for an awesomely annoying tease?
But until then, raise a glass for me (or with me) tonight. And guess what else I learned today: Tuesday is National Margarita Day. Ay caramba!
Life is good. This week, at least…
So how will you celebrate this most glorious of holidays? And that includes today – or Tuesday – or the period between today and Tuesday, btw…
I’m sure you can imagine how I’m celebrating: Good wine and Diet Coke. But not together, cuz that’s just plain icky. 🙂
I’m having a glass of red wine right now!
Way to celebrate this most important of holidays!
Cheers. 🙂
oh crap…I needed a holiday to drink wine in the afternoon??!! (Note to self….may need to find a decorative concealed container….or a new and improved calendar ) oh hell, CHEERS!
Nah, no holiday needed — it’s just nice to have explicit permission every once in a while!
Good luck with the container search… 😉
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere 😉 Salud
Indeed it is! I love that about life… 🙂
Please please PLEASE have a margarita (or 12!) for me on Tuesday! I am preggers, so cannot celebrate the holiday *sob* . . . and I have a 2-year old, so I’d really really LIKE to celebrate the holiday!!!
Well, congrats on the pregnancy, and I’ll definitely send out a toast to you and your sanity.
You and I have one more thing in common–our love for Diet Coke! And don’t try to pawn Diet Pepsi or RC Cola on me. I know the difference. Do you know how many freebies I’ve gotten from registering my Diet Coke points on their web site? Tons. It’s late, I try not to drink any more soda after 9, but I’m thinking of making an exception. Thanks for a great post. Plus, I love the caption under you and Boyfriend Brett. You deserve a guy like him. Love your humor. You kill me! 🙂
It seems there are many of us Diet Coke fan(atic)s out here…totally agreed about the Diet Pepsi or RC. I order water every time if it’s a place serving “inferior” beverages.
What’s totally odd is that I was a Diet Pepsi loyalist prior to pregnancy #1. You know how they say tastes change entirely after pregnancy? I can prove it…was Diet-celibate during both pregnancies (longest 18 months of my life), but came out of the experience requiring Diet Coke and never again wanting to touch a Diet P. Bizarre…
Thanks for the feedback — so glad you enjoyed the post!
Oh … I was under the impression that it was National Drink Wine day every day!!! haha. Have a great weekend.
I think some of us have earned the right to have a year-round pass. Or at least that’s how I like to think of it…
OMG another addict , except my only vice and drug of choice is now Coke Zero. I switched a few years ago. I got so much grief about my 2 liter a day Diet Coke habit …(I live in the South.. and you have to keep hydrated. Hey, that is 8 glasses of water !) … I seriously thought about checking myself in at the BETTY FORD clinic !
When I got married 26 years ago, I only agreed to move to FINLAND with my fiance …if they had the stuff ! They also had reruns of Dallas… so I survived the snow and cold .
Okay , Okay some might say my (VICE) preoccupation with what some sperm stalker is up too is “not healthy”… but I’m sorry, protecting myself from some psycho’s convulsions would be considered “prudent”. The ART of WAR… information is paramount. Knowing how your enemy thinks and acts is the only way to be 8 steps ahead of 666er-babymamma.
Do they make a Betty Ford clinic for such an addiction? Because I may need a pamphlet sent my way pronto…
Why does McDonalds seem to have the best Diet Coke mix? It’s like nektar poured from the vase of an angel. I have to have at least one fountian DC per day or I get the shakes. And I agree with Monica…when my friends and I try to decide a lunch destination, I’m usually the first to say “are they a Coke house?”
I love days like the one you have described. My kids were off for three days when the big blizzard hit two weeks ago, and my office closed for a day and a half. We cranked up the fireplace, Netflix on the Wii, and I turned my kids on to a ton of bad 80’s movies…to the point where they started saying “I think we could probably go to school tomorrow”.
You are SO right! There is something about the mixture at McDonalds…or they put real “coke” in it. One of the two.
And btw, as my marriage was dissolving before my eyes, my future-ex at one point decided to throw at me that he HATED always having to choose a dining destination with Diet Coke. I guess that was just one more reason to leave…I’m such a horrible wife.
Love your kids’ feedback at the end of the ’80s marathon. Too funny!
I enjoyed a glass (or two) last night!
Awesome. Way to contribute to the cause!
oh god i hate running out of diet coke. last week i had a work melt down and the shop round the corner had also run out. NO BUBBLES??? i barely made it through the day. i now stash a family multi pack in my drawer, along with the emergency soup croutons, just in case there is an unexpected apocalypse!!
I can’t even fathom the apocalypse for fear of no Diet Coke. I was almost beside myself while planning a 7-day cruise once fearing the worst. But it turned out to be the best: 24-hour buffets with a Diet Coke fountain dispenser. HEAVEN, thy name is Disney Cruise line…
I live in Michigan—it was blizzard season and one morning (7:30 a.m.) I woke to find no coffee–I can’t even tell you the anxiety that I instantly felt! I knew I would be home most of the day by myself and the very idea of dealing with “me” without coffee was unbearable! What miserable company I would be! (there was no wine either–I checked…:-) I barely noticed the four feet of snow that covered my driveway and my car. I was determined to get to the store (six blocks away) So…I got my 10lbs of winter gear on…warmed up the car, shoveled the damn drive way, and removed the snow from the car, almost got stuck in the driveway, but coffee was my mantra….and the God’s seemed to be very understanding….drove about 15-20 mph, suddenly had x-ray snow vision, this whole trip took me about and hour—for six blocks and a cup of joe! I was a new woman…I felt empowered! 😉
Now, how come I can get that determined to get these last few pounds off? Ho hum….I usually have wine on Friday’s and Saturday’s, I will have wine on Sunday as well to honor “National Wine Day”, what a wine filled weekend it shall be! Lovely post! Have a great weekend!
Jodylynn, I am in total awe of your commitment to the cause. You have my undying respect! I was a weakling compared to you … had the car, had the chains, had the feet of snow piling up. Looked at my children’s adorable faces, and pondered the guilt I’d feel if we got snowbound — on a Diet Coke run for mom.
And it is a lovely weekend, indeed! Do you think the creators of National Wine Day mind that we’ve turned it into a weekend affair? Just seemed the right thing to do…
I knew it was National Drink Wine Day, but I decided to substitute whiskey instead, figuring they both started with a “W” so I was close enough!
You do know that we have the power to create our own holidays, right? How ’bout we just make 2011 “National Drink Whatever the Fuck you Wish Year,” and we’ll call it good? 😉
Isn’t there a Jack and Coke day this week? Oh hell, I’ll just make it today. I make up my own official “days” all the time.
There ya go…that’s the spirit! Happy National Jack and Coke day. Or week? Or is it a whole month???
Why did you have to reassure people your boyfriend is real?
Just teasing, of course. I figure you all know I can creatively turn a phrase, perhaps I’m creative with the boyfriend as well. And plus, with all my apparent issues, it’s probably alarming to some of you that a man will actually put up with me.
Or at least that’s what my ex has told me…
😉
But alas, he is real. And he’s adorable — even if he hacked my hair!
Yay for a day celebrating our favourite drop. Personally I feel it is never to early for wine, anyone that disagrees should please explain Champagne breakfast’s to me.
Glad to hear you enjoyed your snow day!
Well, wine is made from grapes, and we don’t hold off drinking grape juice or eating a bunch of grapes until after 5…right?
How’s that for justification. Screw it…who needs a justification? Drink up!
Pinched Mrs D’s profile to comment (too much bother to log out and come back in..) We celebrate drink wine day a lot in this house, along with Beer O’Clock. Recently Mrs D was having her medical and had to do seventy two hours without alcohol before the blood test. Wouldn’t have been too bad, except the blood test was a Monday, so it was a dry weekend. I stayed off the beer in sympathy, but it really makes for a muted Saturday night.
http://www.dtrasler.com
That sounds like a complete tragedy. 72 hours…on a weekend?!?! It’s like the set-up for a horror flick.
And btw, you are a nice husband. I don’t know many who would be so compassionate. I can GUARANTEE Boyfriend Brett would not be… 😉
Ha! You can imagine the comments she got when complaining on FB. I can tell you, THIS weekend has been so much easier.
Hi Mikalee!
Bet you can’t wait for national rum day?! Even with diet Coke you’d be okay. But can you tell me if there’s a national cola drink day? My wife would kill for that. She’s at least as addicted as you. She’d have walked to the McDonald’s on her hands and knees to get her fix!
Mind you, she doesn’t drink anything else including coffee. She should probably drink water though. 😉
Good luck and happy celebrating!
– Bob
Oh Bob, your wife and I have much in common…
I contemplated the walk: It’s only about a mile! And I don’t drink coffee, either — though I do drink at least six glasses of water a day.
Now, while rum and Diet Coke sounds tempting, nothing beats a good old fashioned Diet, on the rocks. I’m channeling my inner 007ish…
Ok so I am a complete radical when it comes to drinking soda. I live in Atlanta, yet I prefer Pepsi Max. Yes, I said it. In fact the last time I was at the Coca Cola main hq I intentionally left an empty Pepsi Max can on top of a trash can. I know, they will probably call it domestic terrorism or something. I’ll probably be hunted down and who knows what will happen! If my blog happens to disappear or take a radically left view point you might want to question who is actually behind it. Anyways, my blogging friend, you have submitted another fine post. Cheers!
You’ve got some major cola cajones there, Mr. Roycroft…big ass cajones…
😉
Thanks for the feedback. And I haven’t lost respect for you…even though you’re a Pepsi Max drinker. Well, I haven’t lost all respect… 😉
DYK: Coke (or Diet) and wine is a real drink? It’s a Calimocho (various spellings are accepted, none of them correct, I’m sure) and I actually know a Renoite who drinks it! And there’s a Real Housewife of New Jersey who drinks it too, so you KNOW it’s real. For housewives.
Wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalimotxo
Cheers!
Oh. My. GOD!!! You are my new hero. A drink that combines my favorite 2 drinks! And a real housewife drinks it?!?! What are the odds.
I’m so there. Heaven, thy name is Calimocho. 🙂
You should cut his hair while he’s sleeping. Promise me you will.
Don’t tempt me. I don’t need any more incentive than I already have…
Pssst. I can fed ex you my clippers and a razor. 😉
You guys are so…HELPFUL! 😉
New to the blog, but really like your energy and humor, especially in light of your horrible treatment by he who shall remain nameless (and a bastard).
Diet Coke was my drink of choice too, until I gave it up for the new year … though I do see it in the vending machine at work, calling for me to renew acquaintances … but no dice, Chicago on that one.
As a fellow WordPress blogger (and ex-paid journalist) let me say keep up the good work. And I marvel at your height since I am challenged in that area.
Hey Mike … thanks so much for stopping by!
You marvel at my height, and I marvel at your will power. Give up Diet Coke??? Are you insane? Actually, I’m sure you’re healthier for it, so when I’m diagnosed with some deadly NutraSweet inspired disease, you can point from the blogging sidelines and laugh. Actually, please don’t. I’ll by all dying and fragile, after all. 😉
Hope to see you around here again — can’t wait to check out your writings, my fellow ex-paid journalist!
I really felt your pain for a while there. I recently gave up both Diet Coke and Alcohol. Doctors orders 🙁
It has been 19 days so far and I haven’t felt better in years, THINNER too.. go figure!?!
I’m new here and I really enjoyed the read.
Thanks,
Davia
Davia–I am in awe of your sheer will. No Diet or alcohol? I can’t imagine a world without either one.
Keep us posted on your progress — if only to check in every once in a while to make sure you’re still among us and not huddled in a corner in the fetal position. We’re here for you! 😉
glad to find another diet coke addict 🙂 though i have to admit to being way too much of a connoiseur about it- i cant stand the diluted McDonalds fountain coke, and Diet Pepsi just tastes wrong!!xx
Didn’t you know that you get to drink wine when you cook? Cocoa counts as cooking… I am a recovering Diet Coke addict myself–I just treat myself after exercising now, which probably ensures I’ll never be re-addicted (sigh).
OK, there’s the BEST way EVER to ensure commitment to a gym regimen: The only time you get a Diet Coke is after a visit. I’m SO there. Every day. Many times a day!
😉