And finally I've got the taste of brussels sprouts out of my mouth..

Well we managed to get through another one, didn't we?

As Ellen is away visiting her folks, I'm cat sitting and paying a brief visit to my bachelor sleeping quarters. It's cold and austere here, so I don't plan staying for long. After tapping out these thoughts I'm straight back to the creature comforts chez Reed. Heat, comfortable furniture, Season 3 'How I Met Your Mother', all one could possibly require.

December has seen young Ella make her entry into the world on the 5th. All I needed to know about childbirth was illustrated to me watching my sister sit down on the couch after a 36 hour labour. Her calm confident sureity is gone, but I guess several weeks of no sleep will do that to you. All is not lost though, I hear it does get easier. Judging by my Astrid's one thousand yard stare over turkey and stuffing, the smoother times cannot come soon enough.

Two anecdotes that have been bouncing round my mind the last week: Firstly, you've finally reached the heady peaks of adult responsibility when you write THREE names in your Christmas cards instead of two or one. In 2009, Xander's spidery script made its debut in my festive greetings which has been a buzz .For the little ones it seems getting a signature on target is good enough to begin with, his school buddies' write their names in every conceivable location inside their cards. Xander meanwhile has tamed his script to a satisfying bottom right position under the 'Merry Xmas' legend inside.

Secondly, I've developed an overnight love for the Midsomer Murders. I cannot get enough of middle class people scheming amongst themselves whilst some do-gooder tries to solve a mystery. The fly on the wall nature of this kind of thing is great. Must be turning into a wannabe voyeur or something. Murder She Wrote? Columbo? Morse? Inspector Wexford? Bring it on!

'Weather forecast for tonight: dark'

God, I hat all this darkness and rain - depresses the sh7t out of me, so it does.

No real revelation there. I feel like this winter has been darker and more dreary than the last one. I wake up in semi darkness and four days a week make my way into an equally dreary office. Plug myself into a computer and subject myself to the daily stream of management propaganda and obsession with targets. Only cheap coffee and lunchtime exercise get me through the day. It'd be that or gin, if I was honest.

Its good in a way though. I seem to have internalised a three times a week exercise routine. My weights bench (£100 from Argos, a purchase I cannot recommend enough) is now in Ellen's loft. So much more convenient, as I only have to venture up a ladder now - instead of the trudge through the garden I used to do from my living cubicle in Surbiton. Really enjoying the creature comforts now, central heating, a varied diet, a comfortable bed with a warm body to sleep with in it.. my bachelor life seems spartan and soulless in comparison. Nowadays I have a house to roam about, a television to watch and so many pleasures to enjoy. Feel almost like a king compared to my former self.

For the first time I feel like I can plan for the future too. With a young man to look after, and the potential for another on the horizon I want to be able to be my best for those around me. Searching for money making schemes on the Internet a couple of months ago I came across something called 'stoozing' (look it up). After one month of my stoozing project I expected my first interest payment: '100 quid maybe,' I thought.. 'but lets be realistic, say £40...' Logging onto my ING direct account today I discovered the size of my first payout, the princely sum of... £5.14.. Wooohh! Yeah!!

Lets hope month 2 will bring a little more into the coffers..

On a similar note, Ive been following the gold and silver prices in the last 6 months after making a few purchases. If you can afford it. PLEASE.BUY.SOME.PRECIOUS.METALS! Gold has just breached 1,200 dollars per ounce and silver is fast approaching 20. They will go alot higher so pick some up if you can.

Till Next Time, Alex