Spent

My best new year's eve took me completely by surprise in 2001. My then girlfriend had gone back to South Africa (neither of us realising she was pregnant with Dan) and my girls were all at their mum's birthday party.

I'd been invited to a party in Kendal and offered a bed for the night but the fact that making travel plans seemed like a big effort told me I didn't really want to go. Instead I went out and bought a load of food and drink, and settled in for the evening. Whatever social networks were around then, I wasn't part of them: apart from the midnight texting frenzy, I was on my own.

My house was semi-detached and as I had my first glass of fizz, it dawned on me that the neighbours were away. I looked at my hi-fi. I had a great amp but I'd never had it above 4 on the volume knob. So, playing The Chemical Brothers' 'Leave Home', I tried it on 8. My God, it was fucking amazing!

And so I had an absolutely brilliant new year's eve: me, the food, the drink and *all* of my favourite songs played REALLY loud.

Every since then, I've gone for the more self-indulgent and crowd avoiding celebration of the year's end. Drink, music and selected company; that will do me.

But I would like to say one thing and that is thank you to everyone who's taken the trouble to read my blog this year. I'm afraid I will crave your indulgence a little longer. See you next year!