Wine

I don't like red wine. I love it!

If I wind the clock back a couple of decades, and a bit, I had my first taste of red wine. That was in the form of a Jacob's Creek something or other - I think it was a Christmas 90-something - Dad was having a glass and as I was inquisitive I was given a small glass. My early(ish) teens at that time.

I liked it a lot! Cheers Fatha!

So that was the start of something beautiful 😅 - red wine taste buds opened!

Jumping forward to University; a student, in Glasgow. Yes, as a student obviously umpteen different drinks were going to be sampled and drunk. But!

As someone who has a good palate (I say that now proudly; judge away; I'm right though (ahem))! I look back to even tasting food and drinks 'properly' then (Uni), unlike many others. Dickhead me? I care not if that's your belief!

Get what you pay for - yes, and the resultant debt - only that age once though.

Forwarding my time at BAE Systems. A professional job. An aerodynamicist. A decent salary really in comparison to a lot of others, but also shit at the same time in comparison to some elsewhere too (UK engineering for effectively a government funded private company (defence)).

So, I could buy decent wine on a weekend when I was alone in the flat.

That was working in Farnborough 2002-2004 living in Fleet and on a Friday evening, I'd plan for, and to do, cook something, maybe playing Halo and be listening to something - music a guarantee always.

In Fleet, that typical Friday night would more often than not be 4 good lagers and 2 bottles of good red wine.

Similar on a Saturday as well.

Problematic? Yes to a certain regard. I can look back now with many years of my MS experience knowing that, clear as day I was in denial about MS. And depressed as well. Never mind. That was then.

For the record, after having returned to the north east for about 2 years - after working for a company then called Stasys (that became Lockheed Martin) in a different job following BAE, denial all but disappeared as I mentally accepted living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Back to wine!

During my Fleet tenancy, I started a 'case journey'* with Virgin Wine. Good for the palate - I filled in their tasting notes like a saddo! However I couldn't give a fuck!

That period of my life - professionally working in engineering - down south and then the Midlands, before MS spoke somewhat (different story as we know), only red wine remained a constant. Obviously outside of work! 

These days I still have a wine taste; but! Socially, occasionally, and the thought of 2 bottles on a night is as funny as a scary thought!

*My first case was a special offer of both red and white as I was new to the case thing. How thankful I was! All the bottles were lovely with a standout. A white! The Vognier. A new word to me then. What a wine. I haven't had a white quite as good as that yet. Beginner's luck?

Stay tuned for different countries’ flavours! Thoughts and questions welcomed!

#redwine #depressed #MS #denial #lonely #alcohol