Yep, i'm sending greetings in advance as i'll maybe not have a chance on Sunday. So Happy New Year all.

I hope you've all had a nice festive season and enjoyed the break if you've had one. I arrived home from Austria late last night and i'm nearly caught up now!

It was a different Christmas, a sleigh ride, a trip up a mountain, a train ride and lunch in St Moritz. Makes me sound like a regular jet setter eh - nothing like of course, I wasn't paying. The fun bits were, well fun but Christmas day was a wipe out, I didn't get any lunch, well a cheese sandwich from the railway station - not exactly the traditional meal.

Dad was having a hard time of a first Xmas without Mum so I ended up walking several miles in the sub zero temperature that clouded the area on 'the day' instead of eating, drinking and being merry. I really needed my tea but I felt well cheated at missing lunch. Pictures of #1 at her mother's didn't exactly help matters.

Well let's hope 2018 brings more joy.

Anyhow, I'll try to get some picturage up next week for you to see.

I did get some inspiration for the next Nena story on the trip - it might only be a short tale or there again it could be a full length work. Whichever way it goes I'll start writing it next week. Indeed now the festivities are almost over and my travels take a break I shall knuckle down to some writing I with luck i'll have the first new stuff out before the end of January.

I'll be doing my delayed 9th Spreewald Radmarathon in April and i'll be travelling to ride the Eddy Merckx event in Austria again in September. Between those bookends I have all sorts of things i'd like to do, travelling, riding and other more diverse stuff. And of course i'll become a grandparent around Easter, at my age!

And of course i'll start posting the next Gaby book next Wednesday for you. To get the best from the first chapters you really need to read/re read the last few chapters of book 15 which set the scene for you.

So until then, so long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, goodbye.

Mads