You're so young and you know so much, heaven help us all from the tales you tell

So, what kind of year was 2011 for you.

It was the year of earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, floods in Australia, revolution in North Africa, riots in England, carnage in Norway, chaos in Greece, a Royal Wedding in the UK and a very windy day in Scotland

England did not win the Rugby World Cup but Mike Tindall made a lot of new friends, Sunderland sacked their manager, Ayr United were promoted, England did not win the Cricket World Cup in India, Andy Murray did not win a Tennis Major so he is still Scottish, Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy both won Golf Majors, Chelsea paid Liverpool £50,000,000 for the not so prolific Fernando Torres, Liverpool paid Newcastle a large chunk of that for the equally less than prolific Andy Carroll


It seemed like I was the only person in the UK not to have my phone hacked and Young Ben had holidays in Spain, Dominican Republic and is currently in Florida

It was the year of the killing of Bin Laden and also the deaths of Gaddafi and Kim Jong-Il.

The sporting world mourned the passing of Joe Frazier, Gary Speed, Socrates (the gifted Brazilian footballer) and the incomparable Seve Ballesteros and the music world lost Amy Winehouse, Gary Moore, Gil Scott-Heron, Gerry Rafferty and "The Big Man" Clarence Clemons. I cannot imagine watching The E Street Band without him on saxophone

My own personal year contained the following highs and lows

Sporting Highlight of 2011.....Scotland take the lead against Czech Republic with less than 10 minutes to go in crucial Euro Qualifier

Sporting Low Point in 2011....Czech Republic equalise with extreme;y dubious penalty in last minute of crucial Euro Qualifier

Best TV Programme seen in 2011....episode of Cold Case whose soundtrack consists entirely of Springsteen songs

Top TV Moment of 2011.....the stone stealing penguin from The Frozen Planet

Best Book read in 2011......Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

Worst Musical Moment of 2011.....Pick n Mix destroying Damien Rice's Cannonball

Best New Imaginary Girlfriend of 2011....Kathryn Morris as Lilly Rush in the aforementioned Cold Case

Special Award for Best Huff of 2011......Carlos Tevez

Personal Highlight of 2011.....Ben's Pirate Party for his first birthday attended by friends and family


Best Wishes for 2012!