Hello and greetings once again from the House that St. Paddy built! (I don’t know if anyone actually calls Ireland that, but it worked for the Yankees with Babe Ruth, so I thought I’d spin it. Probably for the last time.)

In my last communique, I told you about all the Christmas fun I was having. Dammit. Stupid auto correct. Of course, I meant to type “all the really hard, unfun work I’m doing to gather research for the sixth SpyCo novella, Assignment: Dublin.” Because, like I keep telling Craig every time I submit my receipts, this is a brutal grind, but I’m taking one for the team.

At any rate, it’s New Years time now, and if you thought these folks did it up for Christmas (or so I’ve heard), you won’t even believe how they part for New Years (or so I assume.)

One of the things I’ve noticed is that every holiday seems to bring really beautiful people out of the woodwork. For example, the lovely lady shown above, who may or may not dress like this every day. I forgot to ask. As you can see, she is holding her arms in the international gesture which either means “Celebrate the coming year,” or  “It’s approximately twenty minutes after nine o’clock.” I’m really bad at international gestures, so I’m not sure which.

Folks ’round here really know how to have a good time, but if you want to join them on New Years Eve and also have a really good time, be sure to buy your tickets way in advance, because by December 30 (which happens to be my daughter’s birthday – not related to anything I’m telling you about, but by mentioning it I’m in the running for a sweet “World’s Best Dad” coffee mug), everything is sold out! Fortunately, I bought all my tickets in plenty of time, although if Craig asks all the receipts that say “NYE BASH” actually don’t indicate that I’ve paid to get into a rockin’ New Year’s Eve party. Tell him it’s Gaelic for “Working really really really hard and having absolutely zero fun.” Like these ladies:

Poor dears. Working so very hard. Just like me. I was very much hoping that as the clock ticked down and midnight approached I might be able to share a New Years smooch with one of them, but as the magical hour came everyone had paired up and there was only one set of lips left unmatched:

So this may be my final dispatch, as I’m not sure I’m going to survive this encounter. But nonetheless, I’d like to wish everyone the Happiest of New Years, and I encourage you all to stay tuned to this blog and Craig’s VIP Reader’s page for news about the next SpyCo adventure, which promises to be the first blockbuster read of 2018!