Catch-ups that aren't drinks
3 min
The rule for a dry plan is the same as the rule for a pub night: low effort to say yes to, side by side rather than face to face, and over in a couple of hours. Nobody wants a project. Everyone wants a Saturday morning that already has a thing in it.
Water
Ocean swim, then coffee. The best one. Cold water and a flat white covers everything the pub does, and the chat afterwards is better.
Bay walk. Pool laps, if the sea is far. A paddle, if someone has the boards. Fishing off the rocks, which is mostly standing around, which is the point.
Feet
Parkrun. Free, every Saturday at 7, and nobody cares how slow you are. A walk up the hill with the dogs. A bushwalk with a bakery at the end. A round of nine holes, walking, no cart.
Balls and bats
Social tennis. Golf, as above. A kick of the footy with whoever’s kids turn up. Lawn bowls, which is the pub without the pub. Ten-pin, ironically or not. Darts at someone’s shed.
Mornings
Breakfast at the place that does the good eggs. Coffee before work, twenty minutes, standing. The farmers’ market, if you can stand it. A long bike ride with a cafe in the middle.
Evenings
A cook-up at someone’s place: one person cooks, everyone else brings a thing. A board game, if the crew is that kind of crew. The footy on the telly at yours, with the esky left in the garage. A gig, early, somewhere with a car park. Trivia, which is usually at a pub, which is fine: plans at pubs can still be dry.
Hands
Fixing someone’s fence. Helping with a move. A working bee at the club. Chopping wood, if anyone still has a fireplace. These count double, because you turned up when it mattered.
Longer
A day trip somewhere none of you have been. A weekend fishing trip with a rule about the esky. The Sunday long lunch where the drink is a bottle for the table instead of a bottle each, which the app will count as drinks and which is fine.
Put one up. See who’s in. The ratio takes care of itself.