Happy New Year!

A fine first picture for my next Year in Review: me in Edinburgh at 12:08 a.m. on January 1, 2006, snogging the highly amused third of three policemen. (It's a good-luck tradition -- and I wanted lots of luck!) I had an absolutely fantastic five days in the city with Katy and her sister Annie, including a torchlight procession, a Viking ship burning, country dancing in the streets, fireworks, a deliciously unputdownable trashy novel, long walks up high hills, lots of traditional Scottish music, and lots of traditional Scottish beverages (some English ones too). More to come when I'm not jet-lagged; in the meantime, I hope your 2006s are off to equally happy and enjoyable starts.