My mouth wishes you a happy new year [my mind may still be elsewhere].

Like many people James and I laid in bed last night pondering the end of the Christmas break and the start of the first working week of 2016.

And, as we laid there, in the dark, we held at bay the inevitability of Monday by clinging on to the final moments of Sunday while chatting about all that had just passed and that which was still to come.

"We could say something good we remember about Christmas." I suggested.  And he concurred. 

And here's where my mind started to drift. I mean ... I knew there'd been moments which I should have been able to recall:

• Gift-related ones.
• Romantic ones. 
• Those 'breathing-out' ones. Where everything is OK. More than OK. Where I felt completely content.

But no ... none of those sprung immediately to mind. Instead I spent the next few seconds trying really hard to think of anything other than the first thing that came to mind.

And then ... while my brain was engaged in the activity of coming up with anything other that the first thing that came to mind ...

 ... my mouth just went right ahead and said ... the first thing that came to mind:

"Well ... ", I said, knowing that this really wasn't the most appropriate memory to have surfaced first, "there was Aiden Turner ... in a towel."*

*For anyone who missed out on that particularly, erm, memorable scene in the BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie's And Then there Were None then allow me to enlighten you - just click here.

But, come on now, don't rush to judge me. I'm sure that anyone who saw that scene [or who's just clicked away to it now] will vouch for it's striking almost-made-me-choke-on-my-chocolate-orange qualities.

And, anyway, you're probably more bothered about my impropriety than he was. Have no fear ... he took it in his stride and we soon moved on to the topic of things to look forward to in the coming year. 

And again here there were probably profound matters we could have discussed, memories in the making to plan, fresh dreams to dream. Then his mouth uttered the words ...

"There's supposed to be a new Star Trek film coming out". 

In short ...

... we both went to sleep happy. 

So ... let me wish you a happy new year [that was our first photo of 2016. Yes it's blurry but, it's like I always end up saying ... you don't get a second chance at a first photo!]

And - whether its recalling seeing someone in a towel or anticipating seeing someone in a Star Fleet uniform - let me throw in a wish that you have plenty of whatever you need to get you through the next 360 days with a smile on your face. 

[And if you don't ... you can always Google 'Aiden Turner. Towel.]

Julie x