Back to wine with a lovely Cahors, after a nasty day

Had a very difficult day today with older son. I'm never sure how much I should share on the blog about my private life, but I'm coming round to the conclusion that honesty is the best policy, and that any separation of private and public (albeit a small public!) life doesn't make all that much sense. You are what you are. Compartmentalization is the antithesis of authenticity, and I reckon being authentic is hugely important.

Anyway, we've had an utterly horrible day, and I've added to my cold some asthmatic symptoms which I reckon are stress related because I only wheeze when I'm really, really stressed (last time was summer 2003), or after intense exercise.

It's easy to paint a glossy version of your life on the web, through your social networking, with the bad bits edited out. But, when I think of the occasions where people have been honest enough to admit their difficulties to me, I've always come away feeling greater respect and affection for them. It's much easier to trust people who 'walk with a limp'.

I'm beginning to feel better now, watching Hustle on BBC's iPlayer, drinking Chateau du Cedre 2004 Cahors, which is inky, dark, tannic and gravelly. Yes, I'm back on wine, and I'm really enjoying it. Lying in bed, with a TV show on a laptop and a glass of wine in hand is like flying business class. Especially when the wine is authentic, too.