New Year's Eve

You put a pencil in your mouth and use that to roll a lemon along the floor. First to the fireplace wins... One of a number of New Year’s Eve games – 1963. GB (left) is competing against Uncle Ernie in the foreground. I think I’m on GB’s side since it’s only Uncle Ernie I’m distracting!

Then it would be all round the piano for a sing-song. (Taking part are our traditional New Year’s Eve gathering of Nana, Auntie Dolly, Auntie Ella, Auntie Elsie, Dad, Uncle Ernie with Mum at the piano and me behind the camera.) Only GB looks as though he’s actually singing and Mum looks a bit fed up of waiting for the flash bulb to go off. Perhaps a previous flash bulb had failed. (Remember them – a new one each time you took a photo using your hand-held flashgun?)

Just to prove I was there – though I’ve missed half the group! The problem with cameras that didn’t look through the lens was that what you saw was not always what you got – probably not helped in this case by the camera moving on the tripod.

And, a year earlier, Aunty Ella (my Great Aunt) watching our new black and white television on the programme which immediately preceded Big Ben and which included a somewhat inebriated Duncan MacRae reciting “A Wee Cock Sparra”


A wee cock sparra sat 'n a tree,
A wee cock sparra sat 'n a tree,
A wee cock sparra sat 'n a tree
Chirpin’ awa’ as blithe as could be.


Alang cam a lad wi' a bow and an arra,
Alang cam a lad wi’ a bow and an arra,
Alang cam a lad wi’ a bow and an arra
And he said, “I’ll get ye, ye wee cock sparra.”


The lad wi’ the arra let flee at the sparra,
The lad wi' the arra let flee at the sparra,
The lad wi' the arra let flee at the sparra
And he hit a man that was hurlin' a barra.


The man wi’ the barra cam ower wi’ the arra,
The man wi’ the barra cam ower wi’ the arra,
The man wi’ the barra cam ower wi’ the arra
And said: “Ye tak me for a wee cock sparra?”


The man hit the lad. tho’ he wasnae his farra,
The man hit the lad, tho’ he wasnae his farra,
The man hit the lad, tho’ he wasnae his farra
And the lad stood and glowered; he was hurt tae the marra.


And a’ this time, the wee cock sparra,
And a’ this time, the wee cock sparra,
And a’ this time, the wee cock sparra
Was chirpin’ awa’ on the shank o' the barra.

By which time Duncan had usually fallen off his perch.

They don’t make New Year’s Eves like that any more!

May you all have a Good New Year and the very best of health, fortune and friendship during 2010.