As Oscar Wilde said, “everything in moderation, including moderation.”
But you do need to be careful with booze, especially if you live alone. When I was in Turks & Caicos I got into a “drink spiral” for a while and was consuming far more whisky than was good for me. I beat the addiction, but it was not good.
And my former partner Liz died from liver and kidney failure in 2024 due to drinking way too much wine and vodka. She was only fifty-seven.
TBH I’d much rather a Schweppes than fever tree, just more refreshing and enjoyable.
That’s true about living alone and booze. However, that said and my preference for a G&T or a JD does not actually entice me to drink a great deal of it and often having one does not mean every evening in the week. I value my driving licence greatly and always refuse any alcohol when going to other’s homes for soirees, being French they never understand my logic but it’s just not worth it. Wine I think is more dangerous when you live alone, its easy to keep refilling your glass but to be honest I can go weeks without a glass as my DIL got me into drinking cold water instead and told me to imagine it was wine, it works and no acid or indigestion in the night which wine on top of a meal often gives me these days. I have seen people I knew go down the alcohol route, it was not pretty and there is nothing much you can do except nag them and I don’t want to be remembered like that so all in moderation.
I can tolerate most things but Suze, well that’s something else!
Me neither 
Your Mum was a woman after my own heart. Hic! 
Very popular in the eighties, I think it was straight though. Je m’excuse.. was heard every evening as we toddled off for an apero in our local café in those happy, pre unit, pre guilt days
Suze has yellow gentian in it, like Campari. I don’t like either, OH loves both.
It is true, and I am aware of the dangers, especially as my late wife Fran was an alcoholic and, although ‘dry’ for years before her death, and we don’t know the actual cause as in France it isn’t automatically put on the death certificate, I am sure it played a part. I think @toryroo may remember that at one of the meetings with the specialist in Perigueux he mentioned alcohol as one of the causes of her vascular dementia.
Although I started this thread in jokey fashion I am well aware that the subject is serious and that once this week I reached for the bottle a second time. Thus I may, or may not, buy another bottle next Monday, but if I get through this one beforehand, I will certainly not consider it 'till then.
I bought a bottle. One of the few times I’m aware of having bought something as a result of advertising (faded paint on house walls, but still).
I was going to say it’s not that bad, but the bottle remains almost full.
As does the bottle of Picon, bought after trying it at a friend’s house (also obviously Un Singe en Hiver).
Oh yes, I forgot Picon. Yellow gentian as well. Can you drink it in beer like OH does?
If you know someone who likes Suze or Campari, they might well drink Picon.
Yes, I first had Picon with Leffe.
I think it might be nicer with a plainer beer, like Kronenbourg or Heineken.
Picon, Suze and Salers were favourites of a lot of the “older” french generation in the Creuse. I bought a bottle of Salers just for the man we bought our moulin from, just for when he occasionally popped in. He drank it diluted with so much water that when we left after 20 years there was still half a bottle left.
For those of you who didn’t like Suze straight, may I suggest trying a white negroni, if you like negronis: 3 parts gin, 2 parts white Lillet, 1 part Suze.
We have a bottle of gin in the cupboard, been there for the last 13 months unopened and will stay that way until my daughter would like a g&t.
I am 82 now and have been drinking alcohol in various forms since the age of 5. My grandfather had a pub in Manchester, where I was offered drinks, as all kids were in those days. Then came a sixteen year rum fuelled sojourn in the Royal Navy. Since being in France, as a rock musician, I have continued my drinking life. However, I recently stopped dead, and I feel bloody GREAT! It was my achilles heel I think. Just saying.
Your liver more likely!
Yes. No doubt. I have no trouble stopping drinking, which is good. I am also very active and I cycle every day, which helps. I look around me and see the great big girths on both men and women who quaff pints of beer. Now THAT was one of the greatest incentives for me to stop boozing. I am now off for a bike ride. Gig tonight, fuelled by Perrier water, which I love. No parole from rock and roll!
Our doctor advised us to drink Badoit instead of Perrier. Don’t know why he said that but we’ve always bought Badoit since then. And on it’s own, with ice, it is so refreshing in these hot times. Enjoy your gig tonight 
Have a great gig.
Been lots of reports of filthy plants for Pe**ier. Wouldn’t drink it myself especially as they had been repeatedly warned about hygiene
I thought Campari was grapefruit?
