Hogmanay round-up of news




This evening the first evening without any staying guests since the 21st of December. It feels great. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy our visitors but I was glad to say good bye to the last lot earlier today. I have a lot of conversations in my head but I am not famous for conversing with people. I often find I have nothing of interest to contribute and with many conflicting thoughts all tumbling through my head at once it is difficult to keep track of any vivid conversation. By the time I am finally ready for my contribution the conversation will have moved on. I don't know how I manage to maintain friendships or other relationships but luckily, I do. It is so much easier to write, the thoughts follow the typing fingers and order seems more easily achieved.

Anyway, I hope you all survived the festive period without family feuds and jeans buttons that seem inches away from the button hole. I disassembled the Christmas tree today, dusted every ornament and packed each away neatly in their respective boxes. It is a funny thing with Christmas trees, I really love to have one for a few days but there comes a moment when I just can't bear it any longer. I left the star fairly lights in the bay window because I love gazing through the windows when the light are on and even if they aren't.

I am tired today. We all are. We hosted a Hogmanay party and it was fun. It was great to have enough space for all our guests, from few to quite a lot and back again. I am finally getting used to people coming or not coming or stopping by for a while, on the way to or from another party or two, at any point during the evening. It appears that whilst Hogmanay party going might be slightly random, in the end, the same group of people gravitates together for hugs and kisses and good wishes. I wonder if any anthropologist has ever studied the Hogmanay habits of Glaswegians? As a relative outsider, I can assure you that it would be a subject worthy of deeper study. It is by they way quintessentially non-Swiss to host a party with unknown and fluctuating numbers of guests and a defined beginning and bizarrely it has been one of the most difficult challenges of successful acculturation. Getting there.

I have to share a party drink with you. Have you ever enjoyed a Partick Swayze? No? I am not sure who first coined these tequila based shots but I think the origin is in the Sparkle Horse, a Partick pub (Partick being a neighbourhood in Glasgow). Correct me if I am wrong! There is no Google return if you search the world wide web. I think these small shots are going to be a firm party tradition. It involves layering coffee tequila with Baileys (carefully) and topping the layers with a Malteser. As with all shots, sipping is not allowed. Laughing is not recommended because of potential accidental inhalation of a Malteser. It is just as well that parties are not that common an occurrence.

The teenager has been busy being social on Hogmanay and left home at some point after midnight with his cousin. I am not sure what the aim of this expedition was but they stayed in touch by text so all was good. They returned 15 minutes after the last guests departed. I am urgently needing to get used to roaming teenagers. Two days ago, Sam and his cousin went out to the Irn Bru Carnival and returned briefly for dinner with three further teenagers in tow. It was lucky that Richard roasted a gigantic four rib roast on this day. The cousin has now left and Sam has resumed his normal life style. For now.

Forgive my rambling, it has been a long day. As is tradition on this blog, I am neither looking back nor forward on this first day of 2017. Taking one day at the time seems like a pretty sensible approach to life, don't you think?

Thank you for visiting all year long and leaving your comments. Interacting with all my blog friends is one of my big joys in life. xx

Comments

  1. Oh the joys of teenagers and their comings and goings. I remember so well. Not quite so bad with the 20 something year olds but still has its moments. Sounds like a fun time. Malteser shots. Will have to try that although it will be dangerous in my case as I'm a chronic gigler. Enjoy having your house back and luxuriate in the space. Happy new year. B xx

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  2. It sounds like the holidays have been wonderful. I have never heard of Hogmanay, it sounds very interesting and a little unsettling, I need to know who will be here and when. I am like you with the conversations but blame my really, really bad hearing. In large social situations I don't enjoy talking as I often do not hear the right question and answer wrong, making myself look quite unintelligent. At home the television is so loud and my husband is VERY loud so I can't hear what anyone is saying. My 23 year old mumbles in a deep voice and get frustrated I can't understand him. Is this too much information? Any who, happy New YEar, glad your house is done enough that you could have loads of visitors.

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  3. Hogmanay parties sound like fun. We've hosted a couple of open house New Year's parties and it was always interesting to see who would come, who would go, who would stay and who would come back.

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  4. Sounds like you've had a great Christmas, but I can well imagine how blissful the peace is now. I don't do well with too many people around either. Also not looking back or forwards too much, I can cope with one day at a time. Just. Wishing you and yours a very wonderful New Year. CJ xx

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  5. Happy new year. I love reading your blog but often don't comment. The reason is much as you state at the start of this post. I often feel I have nothing of value to contribute. Hence the quiteness on my own blog!

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  6. Sounds like a wonderful Christmas and a great Hogmanay party. You must be thrilled the kitchen was finished in time. Wishing you all a great New Year.

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  7. It is lovely to read your ramblings Christina and it sounds as if you had a good Hogmanay. Like you I enjoy the Christmas tree when it's there but don't like it to outstay it's welcome. Ours came down yesterday. Wishing you a very happy new year, one day at a time!

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  8. Not good at conversation? I disagree as our conversation when we met last Jan was very enjoyable. Happy New Year to you all. We had also giggling and possibly slightly inebriated teenager return with two friends at 140am. But as she points out frequently, she'll be officially an adult soon. Scary stuff.

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  9. Happy New Year. Living in the moment sounds like a wise thing to do. Hooe 2017 is a great year for you and all the family X

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  10. Happy New Year, and a day at a time is very sensible indeed. Hope you have a lovely year ahead xx

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  11. Happy New Year! It must require a bit of skill and art to down a tequila and Baileys shot topped with a Malteser. It really does sound like a great party drink.. And taking it one day at a time is a very wise thing to do - I'll try to do the same. Have a good week! .

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  12. Happy New Year.. sound like a fun time you all had.
    Eek not ready for teenagers!

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  13. Happy New Year to you! We are out the other side with teenagers was just about to say "made it!", but it appears that roaming mentality, lasts much longer than the pure age!!! Oh the joys of parenting - it's a very good idea to adopt the Patrick Swayse model of parenting and to perfect the ability not to die inhaling a Malteser whilst laughing!
    Wren x

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  14. You do bring me an immense amount of joy Christina! I love your ramblings, normalness along side quirkiness and our common shared interest in hiding away by making things. Here's to another year of friendship. Jo x

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  15. Happy New Year dear Christina. I do love your blog. We too had a lot of house guests over Christmas and I did not find it easy - I do not relax much when we have guests staying for a long time - and do cherish the moments when it's just the kids and I (John is usually working all through Christmas) in the house.

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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