This blog was prompted by an amusing comment from my friend David who pointed out the number of glasses and bottles of drink in front of us in one of the photos I posted from our son's wedding.
The truth of the matter was most of those belonged to other people. For most of the day we were moving around different tables to talk to different people.
The facts are that in a 10 hour period from the start of the ceremony to leaving the party I consumed two small glasses of wine and a pint of beer. Anne probably had a couple of glasses of wine. "You must be very boring" I hear you say. "Hopefully not," I reply.
So why is my alcohol intake so low? In an average week I will probably have a pint of beer and a glass of wine at the most. Some weeks I have no alcohol at all. In a famous phrase "it really don't bother me much."
I started drinking when I was about eight. When we went to see my maternal grandmother she would give me a small glass of stout beer with my meal. She worked on the premise that if I was allowed to drink a small amount I would never do it in secret or to excess. It certainly worked.
When my parents went to the pub they would have two half pints of beer. Often it came out of a bottle. They would never have just one or three, always two.
I never saw either of my parents the worse for wear. So fast forward a few years to when I was still at school but 18 and old enough to legally drink. I would often meet up with friends and go to The White Lion pub in Norwich. It's at the back of the Cathedral and is now known as the Whig and Pen due to its proximity to the law court complex.
I never had more than a couple of pints. On Sunday evenings I got together with a number of school friends at the Cottage Public House and never had more than a couple of pints
Then I started to go out with a girl from the Notra Dame School in Norwich. Neither of us drunk much at all. Then it was off to college, 80 miles from home. Went out drinking plenty of times but I can genuinely say I never got really drunk despite all the parties.
I only remember getting really drunk on two occasions. Once was in Spain when I went on holiday with two mates and I got plastered on rum and blackcurrant. Haven't drunk that since as I remember throwing up most of the night and I can still remember the sickly taste of that drink now. The other time was when I went to a party in Lowestoft and everyone was drunk and so I joined in. I remember getting into bed with the room spinning round. It was a horrible feeling.
And that was the last time. I decided never to get drunk again for three reasons.
1/ I don't like being out of control and unable to control my behaviour and
2/ I hate being ill through drink. Having a hangover is a terrible way to start the day and
3/ Getting drunk is a costly exercise and I would rather spend my money on something much more worthwhile.
I think I can say that I will never get drunk again. I'm much more likely to go the other way. I could happily give up alcohol altogether without giving it a second thought, although I would miss my occasional pint of Guinness or Adnams Broadside. That's Adnams Ale and not Adam's Ale which is entirely different.
*. *. *
As you know I always have.... Whoops I was halfway through writing something when I stopped to talk to the other threequarters about a problem with our shower and forgot entirely what I was going to say. So let's try this one.
As you know I've always got a song going through my head. For some unknown reason yesterday's was "The Circle Game" by Joni Mitchell. If you don't know the song do seek it out and listen closely to the lyrics. It's a beautiful song.
*. *. *
I quite enjoy it when Facebook throws up memories from the past and things I have written years ago.
Yesterday it was the ice bucket challenge. Do you remember that? You made a donation to charity and then somebody chucked a bucket of ice cold water over you.
I actually quite enjoyed it in a masochistic kind of way. Once the shock of the water had subsided I had a hot shower and really felt invigorated. I must have felt good because I remember that feeling to this day.
Yesterday another comment came up. This was one made 12 years ago when a footballer was booked for what turned out to be a perfectly good tackle. I asked why there couldn't be an official on the sidelines watching replays of incidents so the correct decision could be made and in this case the yellow card rescinded.
Obviously I was ahead of my time in championing some kind of VAR. Today video replays are all part of our game. The only problem is they still get things wrong as football is a still a game of interpretation. One man's penalty is another woman's non penalty.
*. *. *
My favourite comment of the day came midway through our tennis session. We had just completed a set and my shirt was drenched in sweat as it always is. One of my opponents said "I don't know whether to shake hands or wring you out."