Happy New Year, and...

Well, the champagne (well Cava actually and visca Catalunya!) has worn off and 2006 has been rung in with the de riguer Catalan custom of stuffing down 12 grapes with pips and all on the 12 chimes of midnight.

I have to confess that New Years come around so often now that they normally catch me unawares after a family Christmas spent accumulating a few extra kilos to insulate against the Winter chill. Still 2006 marks the first New Year with Nora old enough to walk, talk and realise what is happening. She fell asleep by 10.30 and was spared the grapes but ingratiated herself with friends that I haven't seen for years who failed to hide their surprise that anything so cute could actually be mine. And, yes, that is her on the swing intrigued by her own shadow (click here).

The blog, oh yes the blog, you'll notice that google is now advertising, yes, we have given in, hosting costs, aspirations to a better camera, and therefore better photos to grace this website, have demanded that the hobby generate income. I have to say it has been a rip roaring success, 38 cents so far this year (US not Euro cents unfortunately) so I am currently looking at giving up the day job and dedicating myself fulltime.

Oh yes and I also spent the festive season giving FREE (yes, somethings in life are google free) advice to my cousin on the intricacies of PHP. I'm now green with envy, a vastly superior camera and recent travels in South America make for some great viewing. Curious, then check out the blog here.