Last Monday I went for my regular check-up to my GP here in Thezan and she took out my most recent blood test and told me that I was giving up the drink.
I can’t say I was entirely surprised, several people of my age with what I will call Fat Old Man Conditions have told me that they have been advised to quit.
I can also say that, even though I was immediately a bit devastated I was also just a little bit relieved.
The decision had been taken out of my hands.
Since then life has been surprisingly fine.
Every evening at Apero time I do feel a bit of a longing for a glass of Rose, but, it soon passes ( and a bottle of alcohol free beer fills my empty hand).
It is I promise you much easier than giving up the fags.
I always gave up alcohol for the month of November so I am, to some extent, accustomed to the deprivation.
I could, quite easily at this moment go into a lamentation of the loss of my former friends, the Picpoul, the sparkling Kir, the Gin and Tonic and the Vin de Noix but instead I am determined to look at the benefits, at the time and money I will save to achieve better things.
But however let me reassure you all, alcohol will continue (as always) to be freely available in our house. We have had several dinners with clients since and they haven’t noticed that, while refilling their glasses with wine, I refill my glass with sparkling water- and the lack of alcohol has not in any way stemmed the Dwyer penchant for relating long rambling anecdotes, ( for better or for worse.)
I am looking at this as another new start, who knows what this one will bring.