Twenty Twelve.

Last year I had the most bizarre New Year's Eve of my life, spending part of it having surgery under general anaesthetic. I should have been in for 3-4 days afterwards but, as the hospital was full up with winter virus victims, I unexpectedly found myself back home again by about 6pm, sorting out the washing and cooking tea for the kids. It was a bit surreal, that's for sure!

This year was somewhat more conventional, thank goodness. We stayed the night with friends and their three children and had a wonderful meal, lots of cocktails and played several Wii games before trooping outside just before midnight with the fireworks. One of our friends is something of a professional pyromaniac pyrotechnician, having organised a few big displays in the past so we were expecting great things but it wasn't quite the extravaganza we'd hoped for!

Still, we could see the London display on TV through the window and there were enough whizzes and bangs from both us and neighbouring gardens to please the kids, who were absolute heroes and stayed up until well past midnight with no complaint and took turns telling each other ghost stories when they went to bed.

So far, so good for 2012, then - I'd list out my resolutions but, as was to be expected, I've broken most of them already!

I have the same wish for everyone as I had last year, that I hope the new year brings you much peace, happiness, good health, love, friendship, prosperity (as I hope 2011 did) and many wonderful blips (which I know 2011 did!).