Takk. Takk muchly.

So, as we reach the end of the year (well, almost) I thought I'd better get at least one post in. Ok, if I'm honest I was cajoled by somebody with a cheery "you'd better get a post done" threat, sorry, advisement. They're right, of course. This place has been a little sparse at this end of the year.

If any of you recall way back towards the start of the blog you may remember I was a little worried that starting at such a pace may have left me open to running out of steam at some point. As it turns out I wasn't far from the mark. It wasn't that I didn't care about the place, more that I just needed to get a nice little break. Very easy for that break to naturally extend itself though. All too easy.

It's still a going concern though and there will be new stuff added as and when. No dates for that though obviously - I'm not stupid. Besides, I was touched when I got the odd email asking me if I was ok or why I'd stopped. If I'd never thanked you properly for sending one then I'm doing that now. Must be the festive spirit - it'll wear off soon, don't worry.

Talking of the festive spirit (what a link - I've still got it, folks) I know it's fast approaching The Time Where All Things Have Snow On Them (tm) as I went out and bought a couple of nice bottles of wine. In case you're looking for some choices to adorn the inside of your stomach (or liver) then I'd say to grab a Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 and/or a Vallade Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2001. Not that I'm being too specific of course *cough*

Oh, what the heck - have some pictures. People like pictures and you are, indeed, people.



The former is just because I've found it to be particularly to my taste and the latter, partially, because I've been to Montepulciano and it's a gorgeous place. Always nice to have a backhanded reminder of a good holiday. In case you haven't been, which is liable to be about 99.6% of you, here's a quick holiday brochure for the place.

So, that's the booze out of the way. What normally comes next - ah, yeah, music !

I've been lucky this year - I think it's a been a time split in two ways. Part of it has been rediscovering old favourites and half finding new things that I never even knew existed. I know you people want details - you're like that - but there will be a "music list" post as the year draws to a close proper. I need to be at home to do that and I'm at my desk at work currently. Sigh.

One thing I will say now is that if any of you have obscenely big music stashes that spill over into having some CD's "offline" (or, in English, boxed up somewhere in a dark corner of the house) then go and make a huge mess by emptying them out all over the floor and pilfering through them. Even if you *think* you know what's lurking in there you'll be guaranteed to find something you'd totally forgotten about. For me, this time, it was The Sugarcubes. More on that in my music list for the year which, against your expectations, I *will* do !

In the world of the Blog - Blogworld, if you will - I'm pleased to see that Livewire is not wishing people a happy Christmas from a house that happens to have an engine. That was a major worry for one and all ! Oh and Onkroes, if you're reading this, I was sad to see you go but as with myself many find Blogs can go just as easily as they arrive. Flux and all that. You're missed but were thoroughly enjoyed whilst there.

Oh, and in case you wondered the post title "Takk" is 'thank you' in Icelandic. The island, in many forms, has featured heavily in shaping my year musically so it seems only fitting to title a post accordingly. An end of year one even more so.

More writing for your ears soon but feel free to open the Mince pies in the meantime.