“PAPAHOOD”

 It used to be traditional in Scotland to go “first-footing” on Hogmanay, just after ‘the bells’ (midnight), armed with your kerry-oot (usually a few bottles of spirits and six cans).
It was also traditional to bring a lump of coal which would be put on the fire of the house you were visiting. The tradition of “first-footing” along with coal fires has all but died out. It was meant to be good luck if your “first-footer was tall, dark, and handsome.

Well my “first-footer” arrived not just after midnight but just after nine, and they weren’t tall, dark, and handsome, she was small dark and gorgeous. What a great start to the New Year to have my wife, my three children and my granddaughter all together for breakfast on New Years morning. Here are my first pictures of 2008 and I’m sure that I’ll be posting a lot more throughout this year.

 A Guid New Year to ane an’ a’

A guid new year to ane an’ a’
An’ mony may ye see,
An’ during a’ the years to come,
O happy may ye be.
An’ may ye ne’er hae cause to mourn,
To sigh or shed a tear;
To ane an’a baith great an’ sma’
A hearty guid New year.

Chorus
A guid New Year to ane an’ a’
An’ mony may ye see,
An’ during a’ the years to come,
O happy may ye be.

O time flies past, he winna wait,
My friend for you or me,
He works his wonders day by day,
And onward still doth flee.
O wha can tell when ilka ane,
I see sae happy here,
Will meet again and merry be
Anither guid New year.

We twa ha’e baith been happy lang.
We ran about the braes.
In yon wee cot beneath the tree,
We spent our early days.
We ran about the burnie’s side,
The spot will aye be dear,
An’those that used to meet us there,
We’ll think on mony a year.

Noo let us hope our years may be
As guid as they ha’e been,
And trust we ne’er again may see,
The sorrows we ha’e seen.
And let us wish that ane an’a’
Our friends baith far an’ near,
May aye enjoy in times to come -
A hearty guid New year!