New Years Day

The day dawned early, as it usually does, bringing my half closed eyes into 2012 for real.  Having taken a quick glance at my previous Ne'erday posts I noted they were all glad to see the previous year pass and longing for a good one ahead.  I suspect many others will have found similar this morning - or afternoon in many cases!  Just after finishing breakfast, at ten fifteen, I wandered out to catch the fresh 2012 air.  The air around me didn't feel much different from last years although it is incredibly mild for new years day.  The BBC site claims it is 11 degrees here, that's 52 F would you believe!  In Edinburgh they always refer to such temperatures as 'Summertime!'  In Edinburgh, and everywhere north of the border people today will be greeting strangers with "Happy new Year,' or "All the best," as they pass, shaking hands with a few and possibly discussing the place of entertainment tonight.  The few I passed as I wandered the streets looked the other way as I approached, the English class showing through. Paul Theroux mentions in one of his books walking along a country park path on the English south coast. The path ran for around seven miles and he was alone, bar a solitary woman coming the other way.  As they met she 'looked the other way until I spoke,' and would have passed by had he not said the dread words, "Good Morning."  A typically English, and southern English, response.  One man was doing some joinery outside his house, he just glared as I looked in his direction and buried himself in his hobby.  Shops in Scotland, bar the 'Paki' ones (Don't say that it will cause a war!) are closed, transport non existent, although a few buses might run and taxis will be making a bomb in these three days. Shared taxis, those with two or more drivers sharing the duties, will run non stop for 72 hours!  They will disappear for a day after that mind, probably to count the takings!  A couple of shops here have opened, attracting a handful of customers, and newspapers are on sale, even though there is nothing to say.  In days of long ago football in Scotland took place on this day, usually the Heart of Midlothian would defeat Hibernian and follow this up with crossing to Fife on the second of January to defeat Dunfermline.  These were good days ruined by the Glasgow bigots who had it all brought to an end by their behaviour, or lack of it that is, so no football up north until tomorrow.  However the English have a game or two on, one has just finished and was the worst I have seen since 'Roseburn Rovers' took on a Rag, Tag and Bobtail Dunfermline outfit and got royally stuffed!  They blamed the goalie but as I said I only let in the first eight!  


Now I note that as the dog walkers fill the park the rain begins removing what passed for smiles from their faces.  The dogs are happy enough mind, rain, snow and gale force wind doesn't seem to bother them. For some reason I appear to have eaten too much these past few days, either that or the Italian Merlot is not what it ought to be.  I canny understand it, It cost £2:99 a bottle!  So as I sit here planning my 'get fit' routine, exercises, diet system, shopping arrangements, and then ripping it up and throwing it away now as  it saves time doing that later, I find myself hoping we all share a better year than the last, that Jesus speaks to each one of us, that we rise above the problems which will always be there and make the world a better place for ourselves and all the rest.  You all make my world a better place, that's for sure!

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