Happy New Year

It's the first day of a new year and for once I am not spending it in bed with a hangover. Last year I had two friends in town from England and much merriment ensued. This year Alma and I spent it at home by ourselves - in part because the weather turned nasty on us and the planned trip to the in-laws was snowed off - and because we've hardly had a day to ourselves since moving into the new house. It was nice just to veg in front of the TV this time.

I can hear the cat-calls from my friends in England bouncing off the ionosphere like a shortwave radio broadcast. "Ah you old Bastard! Get the pipe and slippers my Dear!". Well, don't write me off yet. I'm saving myself for St Patrick's Day this year when you bastards (you know who you are!) plant yer big feet on the rail of Swift's Bar at 10am for the pre-parade Guinness.

St Patrick's Day might be my last hurrah as a marathon drinker and I'll be trying to make the most of it. Why? Well, it seems that come mid-July sometime I am going to be a Dad for the first time. Betcha weren't expecting that!!

Yes, a life of screeching shit machines awaits. My drinking budget that was vastly shrunk by buying a house is now going to be all but erased by my very own ankle biter. Speaking of drinking budgets, my congrats goes out to New Yorker Dan Freeman who completed a marathon session by drinking in 1000 different bars in one year. You can read his blog at 1000 bars. He became a bit of a celebrity towards the end and all the local news shows covered his 1000th bar.

If I have one regret for last year, it's that we didn't manage to put Tony Blair and George W. Bush in jail for war crimes. If I have one wish for next year, it's that we manage to put Tony Blair and George W. Bush in jail for war crimes. Some things just have to happen.

Happy New Year.