Day One (later than planned)

January 1, 9.15pm: I have spent a very odd evening indeed with the neighbours. They invited us all back after finding their kitchen still replete with New Year left-overs. And there I sat, sipping irregularly at red wine as if it contained poison and refusing repeated offers of bread, cheese and raspberry cheese cake.

Needless to say, this is unusual behaviour. What makes it particularly odd, however, is that I still have to decide on a resolution. In attempting to keep all options open, I found myself impersonating a tee-total vegan, while being roundly derided by the rest of the table. Indeed, I have spent the first day of 2009 as the perfect human being. After weeks of over-indulgence, I’ve drunk water and eaten fruit and nuts, gone swimming with my daughter and even attempted a couple of physical jerks.

It’s been quite exhausting. I can’t go on like this.