I think I have been a good little cripple of late: I’m reading again, work on my thesis is picking up, and I haven’t got blotto in a pub in over six months. In all seriousness that had to stop: when I was hanging around with chopper, I was going to the pub three or four nights a week, and spending thirty or forty quid each time. It was getting inane. Fortunately, with the help and wisdom of Lyn, I got out of it – chopper was a bad influence all round, and, to cut a long story short, I don’t expect to see much of him any more.

I am, however, still quite partial to a good real ale. Recently, I’ve thought it wise to drink only at weekends; but that just lead to me waiting till Friday then downing four or five beers – not good either. Simply trying to go tee total seems not that fun, so I have decided the solution might be to take a ‘little and often’ approach – just have one or two beers with or after dinner two or three nights a week. That way I do not get drunk, and it gives me a chance to try lots of different types of beer now that I’ve found the shop in Greenwich I noted a few days ago. I’m also considering using it as a self reward system, perhaps for working on my thesis. A good solution all round I think, and much more sensible than propping up a south London bar.