Happy New Year. 2006, what a year this is going to be! What a day I've had today. Jeez. AM saw me in the heart of Valletta sorting out Car Insurance. One can't really expect the seamless nature of similar business transactions in the UK, but this? It was classic. Can I get a cover note, no, not done in Malta. I have to go into the office, sit in front of some work experience trainee for two hours asking me stupid questions and replying to mine with stupid answers. 'So am I covered?' I foolishly ask…

Next call is The British High Commission in Ta Xbiex. It's not open for an hour so we go and have a coffee. Are you eating lunch? We are asked, just a snack or dessert we reply, OK we are told. Waitress comes to take our order, what no lunch, sorry, you have to have lunch, blah blah blah. We are told to leave as the table is booked for lunch, ha.

The good news. We get into the High Commission and told that the Baby will be British and have a British passport of it's own, a Maltese one if required. Lunch however may be more of a problem.

New year went well. Intoxicated by 11. Elvis seemed to be a prominent feature of my evening, strangely. He sang in New Year and then invited the entire entourage of the good ladies family to a VIP 'do' he was involved in. Excellent! I thought Elvis had died ages ago! I quickly discovered this 'do' was an open bar, dinner and dance without the dinner. This was when things went fuzzy. Elvis and myself left the building. One of us in a Limousine, the other escorted by my father in law as a taxi driver. I leave it to you to guess the arrangements!



Elvis sings in the New Year 2006, he's my last recollection of '05 & yes, he is 'that' Uncle!!