Proper CrimBo v2.

I was at home over Christmas. All clichés were present and correct: eating; drinking; merriment; impromptu Riverdance-esque dance routines with an ex-Gladiators contestant. Usual stuff.

On Christmas Eve, I gave my sister a lift home and then we met up with some old friends in the newly-refurbished Caledonian in Leven. The Caley used to be a typical grim-up-north dive: sticky floors, ageing locals dressed up in their gold bling and 80s togs. Now it looks like a Wetherspoons. I can't decide whether it's actually improved or not.

The evening was slightly unusual in that I didn't meet many old schoolmates; normally it's a veritable orgy of awkward reintroductions and desperate attempts not to ask them amiably: "Why the fuck do you still live in this backwater?".

Christmas Day was great; we wandered down to Leven again to spend the evening with a family we've known for years. We brought our complement of two grannies to keep their two grandads occupied and everyone got disgracefully drunk, occasioning the aforementioned Riverdance spectacle. Jacqui (ex-Gladiators competitor!) seems to border on ADHD half the time and she gleefully made Ruth play the one vaguely ceilidh-ish fiddle tune she could remember, while she and I pranced around like maniacs. In front of our bemused parents.

<fx: shudder>

Anyway, a top night.

Boxing Day was good fun as well; we had the same family friends up to visit our house, along with Ally and Katie's family (and Antonio, who'd spent Christmas Day at Jeff's and then been ferried down the road) for more food, drink and some 'fun' boardgames. Cue inevitable hijinks as no-one can remember the rules and inter-generational one-upmanship takes hold. Oh, how we laughed.

All in all though, a good Christmas. I scarpered back to Edinburgh on Saturday evening and enjoyed a blissful Sunday of doing nothing but playing Rogue Leader.

In other news: iPod, therefore iRock. Except that world + dog has realised that they need a USB cable to plug their shiny new toy into their PC and have all rushed out to buy one at once, leaving me unable to get one for love or money. It's just sitting there, looking utterly cool and being utterly useless.