Continued from previous page are !” then in an instant she was gone . I waited sitting on the edge of the bed for what seemed like a very long time before finally venturing back out amongst the twenty plus members of my family realising that , as excited as I was with what my grandmother had just said to me , I was going to have to keep it all to myself for five hours and more . As is the way of Hogmanay evening , glasses of folks favourite tipples were endlessly on the refill , and after manoeuvring my way around the lounge to greet my parents and two sisters , I felt a sudden need to go and see my grandmother as when I looked at everyone ´ s faces I was sure they all knew our secret and that it would fall at the first hurdle . Trying not to hurry too much and wearing a confident smile I made my way to the kitchen and there was my Nana cutting the meat off a ham hock and making sandwiches . “ We ´ ve got to keep feeding them Peter ” she said without missing a beat with her sandwich making “ we cannae have anybody missin ´ the New Year … especially this one eh ?” again that smiled made its entrance “ are ye awright son ?” she enquired before adding “ can ye get me another loaf oot he cupboard … there ´ s a good laddie ” a chore I was always keen to employ , helping my Nana always filled me with a huge sense of achievement . I became totally engrossed in her sandwich making before I was wakened to her saying “ can ye go ´ n get the empty plates fir me son … there ´ s bound tae be a few laying aboot … these ´ ll be ready tae go oot in a minute ” she added as I walked out of the
kitchen into the lounge in search of empty plates whist singing , dancing and lots of laughter were abound . After a good number of plates of sandwiches as well as shortbread and black buns runs had brought the available food levels up to near maximum , with my Nana ´ s blessing I sat down close to the fire again and to my delight saw that it had just gone nine thirty . I felt relaxed and very happy that I had been so useful to my grandmother , but it was not too long before my thoughts drifted two and a half hours forward and although I became quite anxious again , I felt that I must gather myself in readiness to rise to the trust that ’ s been put in me and be the man my Nana believes I can become . Twenty minutes had passed as thankfully had my anxiousness when my Nana made one of her trademark entrances from the kitchen with yet another two plates bulging with food and announced in her assertive but loving way “ isn ´ t it time we had a singer ! … Ronnie switch off that … that “… “ radiogram ma … it ’ s a radiogram “ Ronnie said proudly . Now in full flight my Nana retorted “ ok well … Dode !!” she called out to George her third born son “ gee us ´ On the Street Where you Live ´ … come on son ” words that were followed by every man woman and child crying out “ sooth o the border fir the wash hoose ringer !” Scottish for ´ Order for the Singer ´ an acclimation that was accompanied by everyone smiling from ear to ear and applauding vigorously . My uncle Dode had the most glorious singing voice , he was a full tenor and the emotion he inflected into the words every
“ First Footing ” by Peter Taylor
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