Sobering

I’ve been reading a brilliant book called The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley. Like me, she’s a mother of three in her forties. Unlike me, she doesn’t drink alcohol. What made her stop was a slow decline from having a glass or two in the evening once the kids were in bed to drinking at least one, sometimes two bottles a night. It’s a heartbreaking but hopeful read; refreshingly honest and really funny.

And it’s definitely made me think about my relationship with alcohol. Even with two or three dry nights a week I’m sometimes on the outer limits of the current government ones (7-10 glasses a week, depending on the wine). But I know what counts is knowing my limits, not just my units.

Anyway, I absolutely loved reading Clare’s book. Not least because realising I’m not the only one whose children leave dirty plates on top of the dishwasher and not in it made me feel so much better.