"How many did you want? Or need?"

Earlier this week, I mentioned that while we were in Johnshaven, I read Adrian Chiles' book, 'The Good Drinker: How I Learned to Love Drinking Less'. I guess it's the kind of book you only read if you think you drink too much. 

It caught my interest for a number of reasons. There's the fact that seventy percent of people who do drink actually do have fewer than the government recommend fourteen units per week. That really surprised me.

On the whole, Chiles' experiences of drinking are very similar to my own, so the book spoke to me very easily; there were no discombobulating moments.

But perhaps what struck me most is the question he asks over and over in the book, as he reviews his life, is how many of the drinks he had, did he actually want or need?

This evening, my friends Bob and Rich made their annual birthday trip to Kirkby Lonsdale and, of course, we went out for a few drinks and a curry. As expected and as usual, we had a great time.

But to be honest, I reckon that, at most, half of the drinks I had were wanted or needed. I need to have a think. (To my credit - small credit - I did have a diet coke in one pub.)