I got to the sales in the end, but not until the Tuesday following Christmas. I have to say that it must have been impressive on Boxing day. The stores were pretty much all picked clean. I went into Marks and Spencer, and they were almost out of everything I was after. Not surprising really given how massive the discounts were. I did find what I wanted, but was compromised slightly on sizes. Still, I’m happy now!

Zoë and I went to Cambridge for the New Year to stay with some frinds. It was the best New Year’s party yet by a long way! I also managed to use the leap second wisely (did you?) and crossed off yet another entry in my lifetime to-do list. I think everyone should have one of these. It isn’t written down, but I have an idea in my head of things to do. These can include simple stuff like trying Polish sausages to more exotic stuff like visit Vietnam. On the stroke of midnight I crossed another off the list that I must confess I’ve wanted to do for around fifteen years now. It’s a secret though, as many things on the list are personal and private goals! Still, I’m happy!

The portfolio section didn’t get updated last month because the web type person who overseas these things keeps telling me she has been busy. Hopefully soon the next section of ‘The long Summer of war’ should be going up. There is also intended to be new for 2009 a media section giving some information on the work in radio I’ve begun to undertake. There are some pictures and videos waiting to go in.

I’ve finally got back on track with the new book. I passed the halfway point finally this morning, delayed by a few days because I put in two unexpected back-to-back fifteen hour shifts (with eleven hours rest in between them I hasten to add!) immediately before New Year.

And last but not least, the Swedish tank appears to be fine. It wasn’t a head gasket, but was simply condensation in the dipstick tube. Apparently even an oil change won’t shift this; it has to be somehow manually cleaned out of the tube. Still, I’m happy that the car wasn’t on the verge of an expensive coolant related hissy fit.