A standard that couldn't be kept

I have always had these marginally funny rules about alcohol (since I have been married, at least) - no drinking before 6pm, and don't ever drink alone.

In general, I have no issues making the 6pm deadline. Wine slows me down tremendously - and with four little ones, slowing down isn't exactly an option. So, to give myself a bit more patience and a bit more energy, I rarely will pilfer through the fridge prior to my 6pm cut-on.

The never drink alone rule fell apart this week. Jim and I have thought about dropping wine with dinner during the week. In part, because the price of wine (hmmm, good wine) is high, but also, with four little kiddos, it isn't like life stops when you sit down for dinner. It is simply a short break. I thought the elimination of wine during the week would be easy when Jim was away in Halifax - no drinking alone, and no husband at home during the week, an out of town husband means no drinking during the week, no argument.

Wrong - I couldn't do it. On Monday night, I found a bottle of Rose in the fridge. I opened it, and cherished my small glass of chilled wine. I served another small glass on Tuesday night. When I mentioned it to Jim today, he wondered where I might have gotten this bottle of wine (he does all the wine buying in this house). The fridge - I said - only to find out the bottle of wine in the fridge was actually Jayne's which had been given to her by the cleaning service she referred to me while my cleaning lady was on vacation (ALL SUMMER) in Portugal.

Oops - so how bad a form is that - drinking during the week, drinking alone, and snarfing the nanny's wine bottle. I still hold my head high though - I only started 7pm, after I had served the little ones dinner. Wonder which standard will fall next.