Table and chairs

I know I drink too much. Not in the sense of having a pre-weetabix stiffener or a large sherry at eleven but because I drink habitually. I like a glass of wine of an evening but what's more of a problem is the fact that, as with chocolate, I find it tremendously difficult to stop at one.

For the most part, I find it easier not to drink at all than to stop after a couple of glasses. So, I try to have a two or three nights a week when I don't drink but I think you could describe the results as variable. You know, if you were very generous or poor with adjectives.

Anyway, with Crism* fast approaching, I decided to have a week off drinking.

The first night is always the most difficult because I'm used to having something to sip but after three or four days, I don't really miss it. I might still fancy a glass of wine but the habit is quickly broken. But what really irritates me is how much more energy I have when I'm 'dry', how much more lively I feel. Why can't I have this and wine?

Anyway, this evening I dismantled and cleaned all the components of my old hi-fi - eventually and reluctantly deciding to consign the tape deck and MD player to the cellar - and set it up on some old shelving and then I re-assembled the table that I picked up on Monday (£45 for it and the four chairs!). As you can see, the living room is beginning to look quite habitable :-)

And once all that was done, and I'd fed the kids and Abi had gone back to her mum's, Dan and I watched David Tennant's final episode as Doctor Who**. Wow! The writing and the acting were incredible, and it was such a moving episode. I even got something in my eye.

*The period from December 1st until January 5th, during which it is completely legitimate to partake in any Christmas activities, such as buying a tree, eating tins of Roses and drinking mulled wine.

**Not counting the 50th anniversary episode, pedants!