Thank you all for the replies and for a warm welcome back, I feel very touched.
I appreciate all the advice and will re-read the posts and really think about them. Lots of food for thought.
I didn't know that you could phone AA and have someone meet you, I will look out the hotline number and give them a call (it's 8pm now so prob too late today). I just looked at the site for what meetings were on in my county.
I resolve to post here often and especially when tempted to drink; most of all to feel the support and encouragement here which is just unbelievable!