Apart from for a couple of hours before midnight on new year’s eve, 2018 like 2017 was a completely dry year for me. I’m proud that I managed to keep it up, although I feel bad that  I broke  my abstinence in the end. It  was just a couple of glasses of champagne, but I worry that that one drink will  open the door and I’ll end up getting silly again. On the other hand, I probably shouldn’t beat myself up: in that moment  of celebration with one of my best friends, having won a huge  bottle of bubbly, continuing to resist would have looked churlish. I defy anyone to have said ”No, thanks.” For  various personal reasons, I’ve had a stressful recent few months, and, truth be told, being  able to let go in that moment on Sunday evening felt good.

Thinking about it on  my walk this afternoon, I  decided that I ought not to be too angry about it; nobody begrudges me the odd drink. Problems only arose  when I had too much and too often. Having been a T-Totaler for two and a half years, perhaps  it’s time for a change of rules. Henceforth, I will allow myself the occasional drink, but only with friends or on special occasions, and only if I know I  can get to bed without breaking anything. And of course, the moment things start getting out of hand, I stop again.