Day 28

A quiet Monday.  Another Monday of working out prior to eating.  Supposedly this burns more fat.  I'm not sure yet but it isn't doing any harm.

A completely ridiculous and wasted weekend.  OH's friend (3 hours by car, direction North) was having a party to celebrate turning 40.  We did the drive up on Saturday afternoon, I was well-stocked with my non-alcoholic fizzy and fizzy water.  We had our pillows and blankets along as we were going to spend the night and drive back Sunday.

It was a mixed group, 15 - 20 adults all around 40 plus 2 older parents.  6 or 7 kids aged 6-10.  One 19 year old son of the birthday girl.  In an ironic twist, the 19 year old was probably the most sober, delicately sipping a can of beer.

No one gave me any hassle about not drinking, the birthday girl told people I was 'doing dry January til the end'.  Her other half said he admired that, he had done the month but had decided earlier to go until her birthday, so 27 nights.  I was the only sober adult in the house by around 7 PM.

As the night rolled on the fizzy and Stella were plentiful.  The birthday cake came out, the kids did some dj'ing on the computer and the dancing started.

Fast forward to 130 AM, many had headed home for the night but a group still going strong.  We were sneaking off to bed when an altercation started, the 19 year old son and one of the 40's males had some history, doors started slamming, walls were getting punched.  Not wanting to dwell on the back story or the reasons.  You can imagine the ridiculousness of this situation, some males hyped on testosterone and Stella, now the step father became involved.  Add in some shrieking females.

I told my other half we were not spending the night.  Everyone shouting and hitting things.  Not safe.  He was not comfortable leaving his 19 year old Godson outnumbered, especially as he is physically small, smaller than many of the Northern lasses there.  Queue more fighting activity in the house.  By now I'm standing outside on the street with the car loaded up.  No double glazing so neighbors are starting to come out.  The 19 year old comes out and is going to get on his moped but my other half tells him not to as he has had some beers and it's now 2 AM.  To be fair he was the most sober so had the foresight to lock the front door, leaving them locked in and buying us two minutes to get away as I ordered the 19 year old into the car.  His stepfather punched out the window of the front door.  My other half and the sister of the stepfather agreed that my OH would call the police on a domestic.

At 215 in the morning I'm driving around an unfamiliar town as we go to the 24 hour McDonalds.

So re-grouping on our plans the 19 year old has swelling on his hand so we take him to the emergency room.  At 245 on a Saturday in a Northern England town it's mostly males involved in altercations as the pubs shut for 230. 

My OH connects with the lad's mother, the police have since been and the stepfather is on the way to the same hospital.  So my OH had to stay around for his arrival, having alerted the hospital staff.  So we left both of them there under their care.  My OH wanted to get a hotel but by now I was powered on adrenaline and two bottles of non-alcoholic fizzy (sugared up).  So we set off at 3 AM making it back to our safe little corner of Essex as the clock was striking 6.

While I drove my OH was fielding updates from the boy's mother.  At 6 I took a shower and went to bed until 930.  We spent the day like zombies, no gym session.

The son and stepfather were both seen at A&E and took a taxi home together at 6 AM.  Both have hand difficulties which will require follow up this week.  The stepfather will require surgery due to the glass/tendons.  As he works with his hands he is out of work for the week.

This whole situation was the result of alcohol.  I cannot even begin to type my devastation of seeing the children crying, observing this situation.  I told my OH, never again will I be going up there.  If anything, this will extend my 30 days a little longer.