The first day

I decided not to 'blog' up until I gave up booze (partly because logging how much I drink is borderline disturbing) but just write about it during the barren 6 week stretch itself. In the meantime I have somehow been joined in my quest by 3 friends and a significant other. We are all giving £15 each to the British Liver Trust, with a £45 buy out fee if you cop out, or even have a drink during that time.

T gave up on Saturday and lasted half an hour at a party sans alchohol, leaving early, R was supposed to give up the same night, but a family Christening drove her to postpone the 6 weeks until today. We had even been out to that pub Taps where you pour your own beer to commerate R's last night as a lush.

It was agreed that food with alchohol in is allowed, though (as blank pointed out) chicken in red wine will take on a whole new form round at ours now, a few chicken nuggets floating round in a bowl full of Shiraz.

Finally, S is putting it off till after the Bank Holiday, which means we will be back drinking a whole two weeks before her. Me and M gave up last night, following an away rugby game, where we consumed several pints of lager and Guinness.

Following my first alchohol free day, I can confirm:

1) Appletiser in wine glasses tastes the same as Appletiser in any glass
2) Appletiser falsely advertises on the bottle by claiming to induce 'pure pleasure'. It clearly does not.
3) Bundaberg, an Australian Ginger Beer which comes in 'stubbies', is rather nice, but frankly, the £1.50 per bottle price tag means it is twice as expensive as a can of Carlsberg so I will not be drinking it in any quantity.

Over the next six weeks I will try and write every day, cheering myself up by recording how much I weigh which with any luck will dwindle. I will even have to go to the Millennium Stadium and watch Cardiff V Leicester Tigers stone cold bleeding sober. It can be done.