NYE

You can tell what a good NYE I had by the fact that I’m not writing about it until today.

Or, perhaps you can simply tell how old I’m getting by my not writing about it until today.

Regardless, we managed to have the best of both worlds: a lovely evening for both kids and adults, thanks to my old friend Jimmy, who invited us round to his place in Brockley for food and drinks.

Millie was keen to go because she’s fallen in love with Maia and Shy, Jimmy’s two Labradors, and Amber because she got to dress up, do her hair and wear some makeup.

The Lovely Melanie and I were keen because Jimmy and his nephew, Charlie, had promised to cook us a delicious joint of silverside beef – but also because Jimmy’s an excellent host and loves the girls, but also knows how to party.

So, we all ate, drank, played some games, felt sorry for poor Shy (who was quite obviously a bit under the weather), drank some more, and saw in the new year in fine style, watching the incredible Thames fireworks on TV and listening to the very same ones from outside.

Happy new year!

But the girls were flagging a bit after this, so were bundled into a taxi with the Lovely Melanie (where they promptly fell asleep) leaving just us four chaps to DJ, dance and put the world to rights until the sun began to glimmer upon the horizon.

2017 was a funny old year: I finished one of the best jobs I’d ever had, then dipped my foot into the freelancing sea and rather liked it. Then there was the whole working-for-Medway-Council thing, which was worth a try but, ultimately, wasn’t for me.

And so, here I am at the beginning of 2018, freelancing again, with a real chance of making it a success – one of the biggest changes in my life since Millie & Amber were born.

People ask, “How’s it going?” and I tell them it’s nerve-wracking, it’s exhilarating, it’s occasionally a bit lonely and it’s just about profitable; but mainly, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in recent times.

Fingers crossed, eh?