As the brand spanking new year has arrived bang on the heels of the previous one, Blighty turns his attention to the prickly issue of new year’s resolutions. It is customary at this time of year to resolve to stop doing something you shouldn’t, start doing something you should, or, if you’re a bit of a rebel, vice-versa.

Of course, a popular January pastime is to give up smoking. As Blighty doesn’t smoke this would mean starting smoking first. There would need to be a suitable amount of time spent smoking before quitting for the resolution to mean anything, so it would not really be feasible this year. It could come in useful next year, but Blighty doesn’t want to spend 2006 puffing tobacco smoke in Blighty Jnr’s mush. So, stopping smoking, or starting smoking to stop, is out.

Blighty could resolve to give up drink. But what would be the point of that? As the amount of drink that passes the Blighty lips is often almost within the prescribed limits set down by doctors (or rather the limit a few years ago when they were reasonable about these matters and allowed 28 units a week) it seems unnecessary. No, the wine stays, as does the Single Malt.

The Blightys have resolved to move house this year. That is one resolution we hope to fulfill. We are looking for somewhere near water, preferably within two hours drive from Blighty’s mum in West Yorkshire. As she has waited this long for a grandchild, to move further away than this now would kill her. We know this because she has told us on numerous occasions. So, if you have any watery recommendations please send them in via the comments. Failing that, if you must drag us off somewhere pleasant darn sarf or such like, could you please break it to Blighty Snr? And not within our earshot.

Another resolution that seems worth making is not to neglect the old blog for too long. The first few months of Blighty’s existence saw one-post-a-day the norm. Towards the end of the year a week or two past without comment. This was bad as google had decided to start sending users along here around that time to find nothing going on. The good old days of 7 posts a week seems unlikely, but two or three a week should be manageable. If you find Blighty dipping below this target give him a bell and tell him to get his arse back at the computer. Unless you think less posts would be desirable, in which case, why have you read this far clever clogs?!

On that note Blighty will adjourn to that bottle of sparkling Shiraz that never got opened last night due to Blighty Jnr’s amazing knack of teething at inopportune moments. We are approaching it with curiosity and some trepidation. Sparkling red wine served chilled? Toodle pip!