Tell me, are you going to make any New Year resolutions?

And, if you do, are you going to keep your promises?

I’m only going to make the one, and I’ll do my best to keep it.

I resolve to be still here this time next year.

I never really make resolutions. I usually just make decisions.

The last one that I remember making was when I gave up smoking. It was about 50 years ago. Fine son number one was almost due to make his appearance and, cash-wise, things were going to be a bit tight. Two wage packets had become one, and soon there would be three mouths to feed, not just two.

As things go, there wasn’t much slack in the budget. But savings still had to be made. I enjoyed a pint or two of beer, I enjoyed a game of darts, and I enjoyed a smoke, but something had to go. Then one night, I came home from the pub and threw my almost full packet of Embassy cigarettes into the blazing fire. I had given up smoking.

At the time, a packet of twenty Embassy would cost 4/6d or, in today’s decimal money, 22p. And I was smoking twenty cigarettes each day.

As an aside, the UK Chancellor, in his recent budget statement, has increased the duty that today’s smoker has to pay the government by 28p.

Just imagine. Today’s addict has to pay in the region of £10 for his packet of fags.

I suppose that, over the years, most of us have made New Year resolutions that we had no chance of keeping. But don’t forget, if you fall by the wayside Lent is on its way.

But on a sad note, have you noticed that the older we get, the more funerals we go to? Yes I know, we’re all looking over our shoulders. But, there you go.

Recently, we attended a funeral and one thing made me think.

I noticed that quite often the order of service welcomes the congregation to ’celebrate the life’ of the departed friend. A sentiment that I absolutely agree with. There is no doubt that we will miss the late lamented, but we mustn’t forget the pleasure that it was to have actually known them.

And the same thing applies to resolutions. The fact that you are still eating too much chocolate at the end of January is neither here nor there. The fact is that trying to do something better next year could make you forget what you enjoyed last year. I know, we all have more and more aches and pains to put up with but, looking back, there must have been something that made you smile.

This is the last Pullyman column of 2017 and I thank you all for your kind words and comments that have helped to make my journey on the Parkinson’s road much easier.

I hope that you can all look back and smile, and all look forward with hope. Be well. See you all in 2018.