Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder

The wine has been flowing in the Young household this week. The reason I’ve been celebrating is because I managed to get through January without a drink. Like many people, I try to do this every year, but it felt like a particular achievement this year because of the lockdown Boris announced on 4 January. Almost everyone I know used that as an excuse to fall off the wagon. ‘There’s no way I can get through another lockdown without a drink’ was the general refrain.

One thing that helped was joining the Wine Society and loading up on bottles throughout ‘dry’ January. It had never occurred to me to join until my neighbour Mark Beaumont, who’s been a member for 30 years, told me you had to be proposed by an existing member. ‘So it’s like a gentleman’s club?’ I asked, suddenly interested. ‘Exactly,’ he said.

I immediately went to the website and filled in the online application form, imagining I’d have to include Mark’s name as my proposer and then wait six months.