A surreal day in work

I was working yesterday, New Year's Day, and to be honest it wasn't a prospect I totally relished. While the rest of the world seemed to be recovering from a hangover there were a select band of us fearless journos putting together a paper for the good people of Derry.
The day started off as quiet as we feared - but then it was set to take a turn for the bizarrely surreal - and the utterly uplifting.
Just after lunchtime two of 'The Priests' - a singing trio taking the music world by storm dropped into the office for an interview with one of my colleagues.
We (and by we, I do mean one of my other colleagues who does not take no for an answer) managed to persuade them to sing for us and they did - treating us to a verse and chorus of 'Oh Holy Night' - a hymn which brings a tear to my eye at the best of the times.
It was awe inspiring, uplifting and there was a completely different atmosphere in the office when they left.
Of course I didn't film the actual performance - but I found this on You Tube so you can see for yourself how wonderful our day was.



Once that was over and done with I had a call replying to to a query I had put in the day before regarding rumours that Strictly Come Dancing's Vincent Simone was visiting Derry and staying at a local posh hotel.
Within five minutes I ended up on the phone to him, asking him what he thought of our fine city and listening to him call me Bella.
I was, it has to be said, a little star struck and left work wondering what on earth had just happened.
Random but wonderful - you can't beat the world of local journalism.