Slainthe Mhath!

It's Hogmanay and His Lordship and I, having made it through 2013, all 365 days of it, still speaking and together, are about to enter 2014 with all the uncertainties that a new year can bring both on a personal front as well as global.

Hopefully our health will not let us down, and the world will become more peaceful; the latter a wish, with no great expectation of fulfilment.

It will be a momentous year for Scotland with the Commonwealth games in Glasgow preceding the historic referendum on independence. Life could change very considerably in our small corner of the globe.

With the weather taking a turn for the better this afternoon, and the sun making a welcome appearance, the Hogmanay Party in the city tonight will at least be dry, but lack our presence.

HL and I will be cosily settled side by side like Darby and Joan watching it all on the television. If we can stay awake we will toast the new year in at the bells.

All that remains for us to say is -

Slainthe Mhath! - A Guid New Year to you all, and Lang Mae Yer Lums Reek!