Happy New Year!

You know, I was home alone here at Auchterness for the Bells. I quite like to sit in the dark with my black bun, shortbread and a wee dram all neatly laid out on front of the TV in case anyone should first-foot me. It never happens of course so I just watch the tele instead. I've even got some crackers left over from two years ago and pulled one with myself! As 2014 approached I felt my excitement mounting. I was literally glued to the edge of my seat!

The Independence referendum is obviously one of the big issues this year and if the vote is Yes, I'm personally looking forward to the show trials, public beatings, stonings and deportation of quizzlings that will follow. In the Aberdeen area, I've heard that many people from the Scottish Enterprise network will find themselves with their head on a spike along the Union Terrace Gardens railings. In Edinburgh it will be the Princes Street Gardens railings - you'll get a good view of that from the trams! Macabre I know but that's the way that the public realm (as we expert planners call it) is still used in many new countries!

However, I've been informed in a number of emails from some of my followers that after Independence, my position here will be under review until I make a series of demeaning public apologies for statements made on my lovely wee blog. I'm sure if it gets to this stage, the Scottish Electronic Army will delete my lovely wee blog without even asking. I can see the statement in the Press and Journal taking a leaf out of the North Korean book. "Following the deletion of the Auchterness blog written by Dave Thomson, the country has been immensely strengthened and purged of factional filth."

Anyway just fantasising but really, you never know what's round the next corner. What I do know is that I will continue to produce in-depth analysis and bring you compelling stories from the exciting world of town planning during 2014. With this in mind, if anyone would like me to review a particular development I will be only too happy to consider it. For example just the other day, someone on Twitter suggested that I should have a look at Craig House in Edinburgh but I'm not sure if they were serious. So just get in touch if you would like my expert planner view on something close to you.

Lang may yer lum reek! All the very best to each and every one of you in 2014!