Apart from Christmas what is there to do on the 31st of December. A gratitude list springs to mind for it is with great pleasure i find myself here in this moment and this place.

I thank thee for a wonderful year and all who sailed in her, from head to toe. Danny and Jeff, and their wonderful scripts which paved the way for our new album. Laurie Latham and our wonderful band of men and woman. What fun we had on the motorways of England and Scotland. Festivals and one off shows here and there. Solo, i enjoyed the fruits of smaller stages and smiles all round. Thank you Boo. Peter Bradley and the songwriters retreats that are real treats full of wonderful people who bring love and reward to our ears. Touring is such a vast wagon to cover, what a good team we have, Gary Westman one and all. Gordon Hough, how would i be without. Carly, Jayne and Suzanne, Miles and the crew. The back room girls. How wonderful the audiences that come to see us perform, im so grateful of the time they give to our music. Thank you. The Strypes are such a fantastic handful of friends, and with Andy Collins who keeps me on the internet, thank you. Rocket this is my sidesaddle of desire. Racheal and Julian, stalwart people with hearts of gold. The bike is sturdy with balance, and where would i be without. America, a long and winding road. A place where memories hold focus in the background of my mind, there they brown like sunburnt pictures in a picture book. Glenn has been working hard this last year, producing and directing, singing in tune, as ever and being a brilliant guitarist, like the first day i met him, he still blows me away. A long life together, i think we are just seeing each other for the first time. Who knew. A year of bedding in here in the barn with my lovely wife, Louise is so amazing and patient with the family she juggles, its a handful. Im a handful too, like a plate of jelly all of a wobble, difficult to keep on the plate. My Children, they are sturdy trees in the wood of my journey, Grace in India, Natalie and Riley in New York, Cissy in London. Here in the barn the funny Pebbles, the maturing Mitzi, the sapling of knowledge young Linus. And for the coming year, more of the same one wonders. My book still needs colouring in and the project with Boo is still to be toped and tailed, but will be fun. Another handful of songs with Mr T, and more touring with the band. Some festivals i can see on the horizon. I need time to reflect and to understand how i got here, and then to indulge in the here and the now. New music and new faces, new songs and new roads less travelled. Who knows, i have open hands in anticipation of great things. You will know more than me. There will be bumps in the road because there always is, without them it would all be so simple. For now though less terror and more firmer for me while i sharpen my pencil for another round of words and chapters. Home will be still where the heart is and the heart may focus on new sunny days in this humble place of love and family. Lots to predict, but not for me, i will just take it one day at a time to see where it all takes me. Heaven knows where it will take me but the view from my study window reveals the top of the downs, covered in patches by gorse, there are small trees and waves of orange winter sunshine on this warm but windy end of December day. What a view, a room with a view.