Smoke

The ashtray slap bang in the middle of Neals Yard smouldered gently this afternoon as I came out from shiatsu. I hadn't even noticed it being there before.

I smoked intensively during two phases of my life. Between the ages of 17 and 26 (after which I gave up cold turkey and was so grumpy the editor of the magazine I was designing gave me my own office).

Secondly between 36 and 44, when at a low of 40 cigarettes a day, I went onto nicotine patches. Marvellous!, the best way to quit by far.