Dancing out the old, dancing in the new...

It would be fair to say that, when it comes to dancing, I need to be persuaded. Ros is less backwards in coming forward, it would be fair to say, but when an invite came to travel to Bedford for what was described as a 'proper Hogmanay', I was only too happy to accept.

For those with decent memories, two of the key members of Team Ros in the contest for the  Party Presidency were Bridget and Keith Harris. Keith created, built and maintained the amazing web presence and back office database, whilst Bridget ran the campaign. I don't know what it did to the opposition (actually, I do... sorry about that, Lembit...), but it certainly impressed the hell out of me.

And so it was to Bridget and Keith's that we made our way yesterday afternoon, with the promise of some Scottish country dancing, champagne and excellent company. Ah yes, the dancing... As a Londoner, with an Indian father, you might think this a bit of a stretch. But then, having danced Circassian circles and the odd reel at my rather eccentric junior school, and being a Scot on my mother's side (born in Keith), the memory bank does have space for how a ceilidh works.

Whilst I am, to be generous, rather less nimble than once I was, it was beginning to come back to me when I 'sprung' a calf muscle. At which point, I was temporarily 'hors de combat' but, fortified by a glass or two of fizz, it dawned on me that, with a little care, I could still take my place on the floor.

And so the evening whirled by, with the company just as excellent as promised, our hosts as warm as can be, and a glass of scotch available at just the right moment. As we set, and bobbed, and whirled into the night, and with just the right amount of alcohol flowing through our veins, we began to get the hang of it all.

It was a wonderful evening, and as I sit in the office, nursing a wounded right calf, it will be one to live in the memory. And next year, I'll be back... and slightly dangerous...

So, thank you Bridget and Keith for bringing something special into our lives!