Hogmanay, as you know, is not New Year!
Hogmanay is the day before the New Year, it remains Hogmanay until midnight on the 31st and at the first 'dong' of the midnight chime the New Year has begun. Out side of the Free World people these days wish one another a Happy New Year days in advance of the time. Typical English, never get anything right.
In oor hoose, Hogmanay was merely the time to gather the family and occasional friend, ensure everything was ready, piles of drinks for young and old, it was the only time my folks drank and my folks did not get drunk. Although I have just remembered my sisters giving mum 'Brandy & Babycham' one year and had her giggling all night over nothing. Dad was wary of drink, in spite of twice being in the army, his dad had been too accustomed to the beer and lost jobs several times because of this. Dad had not forgotten his mothers warnings. Mind you, mum always said she liked a drink anyway, that is where Granddad and her first met, in a pub!
After midnight, we await the first foot. This tall, dark, handsome person (sorry I am unavailable) will be the 'first foot,' and bring you good luck. He will also bring coal, to ensure you are warm, Black Bun and whisky to ensure you are fed. I accidentally stepped out one year and back in, thus being our 'first foot.' "You will not bring us luck!" was the cry - and they were right!
It is also important to clean the house, this dates back to the idea of clearing out the devil before the new year comes. Such superstitions are nonsense so I just no longer clean up before New Year. No change there!
Sadly, while the 'Viking' whisky arrived the Black Bun has been unobtainable this year, another result of Covid. However, while Tesco Christmas Cake sits in for Black Bun my niece sent, by 'Hermes' messenger no less, one small forgotten portion of my Christmas, a 'Lump of Coal' soap! She knows how I live! Noticeable that he was an Englishman. These days unemployment is forcing men to work for 'Hermes' and other delivery vans, the Romanians and Bulgarians will not be best pleased.
Following Dave's command to get out I wandered, frozen, across the frost covered park this morning, my fingers nipping in the cold air. Very New Year weather. We are lucky, up north a couple of inches of snow lies all around, endangering folks like me and other sensible ones who hate the cold, slippery stuff.
Almost all England is now Tier 4, the rest will follow soon, and 'Lock Down' after that, so the town was quiet with one or two awaiting entrance at Banks and the like. I actually entered the Bank, when the young lady freezing on guard let me, to make use of a machine and insert a cheque given at Christmas. This is about the only time I enter this bank, the 'Hole in the Wall' machine (invented by a Scotsman) does the job for me usually.
Few people around, though some queued at Tesco as it is closed tomorrow, Sainsburys will be open. Usually one opens while the other closes at such times. Nothing apart from Muslim corner shops will open in Scotland tomorrow! I hobbled home, picked up the mail struggled up the stairs, all Dave's fault, and soon after was fast asleep. All this exercise at years end, it's tiring.
This year has been bad for us all. I started with that cold that began in December, lasted until April come May and then 'Lock Down' had begun. On top of this there was the laptop explosion, the trouble with replacements, the trouble with this one and eventually some form of peace. Once all began to settle the washing machine went bang, well, 'crack' actually. So in the end all the money I saved by buying less during 'Lock Down,' the money saved by not going anywhere and spending on shiney things was all lost on both Christmas, the Laptop and the new washing machine. Good job I'm not one to complain!
The church is once again closed up for the duration, people with sense are in fear of the virus, and most now put their hopes in this vaccine, if it works. However, if it works it is unlikely this government in England will be able to distribute it to those in need properly, already the second dose has been postponed, causing much trouble for surgeries.
For me the year ends well, Jesus has made it clear I must be in St Paul's, this means they may not be happy of course, and the future with him looks bright, this usually means someone will oppose us, Halleluiah!
May you all have a better year next year...
2 comments:
Total irresponsibility with the change of practce over vaccines.
Either it needs a double dose, as the manufacturer claims, or it doesn't - as the government says....but what would they know!
Fly, I think we need to listen to the medics. They say this is to ensure supplies, which means the government does not have enough supplies!
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