Then my brother went on a big, drunken rampage. Smashed his own house up even. It's understandable, I suppose, but he's genuinely dangerous when he's drunk, to himself and to others. You just never know what he's going to do. So that was something else fun to deal with.

Surprisingly, it never made the local papers. I think it's because, to people who know or know of us, my niece would've been too easily identifiable from even the sketchiest details. And perhaps because my brother said he would burn down the court correspondents house if he reported it (I don't approve of intimidation of the press, but again, you have to say there were extenuating circumstances).

So, i'm currently the only male member of my immediate family - 1 of 3 - not to have been jailed. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if my brother is back there again before too long.

But if we can get through the next year without any great drama or crisis, i'll take that.