HAPPY Old New Year!
I doubt, however, if many Lochaber folk were out "second footing" after the bells at midnight last night (Wednesday) to celebrate the old Scottish New Year today!
But I'm sure there would have been quite a few who raised their glasses at home for the second time this month, ensuring they got the best of both worlds.
Double measures
ALTHOUGH most of Scotland abandoned the Julian calendar in favour of the Gregorian version as far back as 1752, a couple of Lochaber townships and hamlets continued to adhere to it.
Indeed, right up until this millennium, two and a half centuries later, a few older residents in rural areas did their bit in recognising January 12 as New Year's Day.
So, therefore, their Hogmanay celebrations began on the 11th
Thus a couple of January rounds of taking in the New Year, with double the number of drams and possibly two hangovers!
But now, as of January 12, 2012, "second footing" in Lochaber is all but gone and forgotten.
It's all over now
THAT'S the schools back in, then.
You'd know this by the fact that in Lochaber, Monday was one of the best days of winter so far - and by far.
You shall go to the ball!
ENJOY the pantomime at Eden Court?
"Oh, yes, we did!" - on Saturday evening.
Cinderella was quite spectacular and in the appreciative audience we spied quite a few Lochaber folk.
Those we didn't see in the theatre we met in Inverness itself.
And we thought we were in for a real bonus when the name Sandy Park was announced as the "boyfriend from the audience" of one of the Ugly Sisters.
"That'll be great for a bit of Highland Council PR and banter", I thought.
But it transpired that this particular Sandy Park, admittedly a lookalike for the Highland Council convener, is an HGV driver from Perth.
Jersey shores
SPEAKING of the Highland city, I loved the advert in the regional compact daily: "Jersey flying from Inverness". Makes a change from "kite flying from Inverness", I suppose.
Oh lord!
MEANWHILE, I note that the Argyllshire media have elevated Provost Allan Henderson to "Lord Provost Allan Henderson"
Fast forward
ON the subject of the "meejah", are you, like me, getting very tired of the latest executive-speak phrase "going forward"?
Regularly, when the "suits" are interviewed on the telly, they trot out these words which, to me, are superfluous.
In the past few years the word "event" has been used to describe any Highland happening or occurrence, big or small.
So, in the "event", I hope we can bid farewell to both - "going forward".
All part of the service
SEVERAL locals looking down from the bypass promenade at the four elderly green-jacketed volunteers engaged in the clearing-up activity on the Loch Linnhe foreshore at the Old Fort on Monday shouted down to ask if we were on "Community Service"!
Well, yes, I suppose we were on community service - with a small "c" and "s" - in attempting to remove the debris, flotsam, jetsam and seaweed thrown up in abundance by the recent storms onto the recently sanded and grassed areas beneath the Fort walls.
Just like Jessie Jamieson
TIME for some Wee Jessie Jamieson jottings from her January 1959 diary.
* January 9. It snowed heavy last night. I left the bike and got the bus to school. Pinned the pleats on my skirt.
* January 10. There is nothing much doing. We were out in the snow all day.
* January 11. Had a smashing snowfight in the afternoon and the slide on the Primmy is great. But went to Bible Class in the evening.
* January 12. It's thawing fast and the slide is hopeless.
* January 13. We made a sponge in cookery. It is awful. Sat my Red Cross exam at Mrs Neish's house.
* January 14. The prelims have started at school and we had a netball exam and then did embroidery and knitting.
* January 15. It was freezing today, with low-lying mist. In art, some of the class have to pose for Miss Jamieson to paint their portraits.
Back to front
A FEW weeks back I was writing about Stuart Connor and Connor Stuart. On Sunday, a newspaper report on the Raith Rovers v Morton cup match was by Fraser Glen. Shades of our own Glen Fraser!
Correspondence Corner
DEAR Roamer,
We at Moss Park would like to thank everyone for their continuing support with donations towards our yearly fundraisers.
Our Christmas ceilidh and annual raffle raised the magnificent sum of £2,200 for the residents' comfort fund.
This will be used for musical entertainment, lunch outings and other activities which the residents enjoy, as well as to purchase equipment for their comforts.
A big thank you to all.
Libby McKee and all at Moss Park
Caol
DEAR Roamer,
Could we please take the opportunity, through your column, to thank all family, friends and work colleagues who attended Dinkie's retirement party at Caol Community Centre on Friday night.
They kindly donated £320 to Lochaber Action on Disability.
Also a big thank you goes to railway colleagues for their generous gift towards our holiday.
And many thanks to Fay and staff for the lovely buffet and tremendous service, and to Mairi-Ann and Band for the great music.
A grand night was had by all.
Many thanks.
Dinkie & Pat Cameron
Caol
DEAR Roamer,
Getting up early on Monday mornings is rarely a cause for celebrations.
But this Monday, in Spean Bridge - and doubtless in other parts of Lochaber - we were treated to the rare spectacle of a lunar rainbow, also known as a moonbow or white rainbow.
It appeared over Spean, between 6.30am and 6.45am, and for a short period of time a double lunar rainbow was visible.
Such happenings are unusual because the moon must be near to full, low in the sky, very bright and shine onto a rainstorm in the opposite part of the sky.
Against the black of the night sky, it appears as a pure whitebow.
However, on closer inspection and when one's eyes have adjusted to the scene, a spectrum of rainbow colours can just be seen.
I shall be adding this sight to my collection of weird and wonderful atmospheric optics which I've spotted over Lochaber - including fogbows, waterspout bows and Brocken Spectres.
With the incessant cloud and rain this winter, this was a lucky break.
Let's hope for some more clear night skies, as we should also expect a few good sightings of the Northern Lights across the Highlands this year - the best since 2001.
Regards,
Neil Adams
Head of Geography
Lochaber High School
Twin peaks
INTERESTING challenge from Quentin Henderson in the West Indies.
In a letter to The Scots Magazine, he advises that he lives in Nevis, home to Nevis Peak which, at 2,232 feet high, and called "The Wee Ben", is just over half the height of our Ben Nevis.
It is otherwise known as "Kneevis" and Quentin wants to compile a register listing those - including himself - who have climbed both mountains.
(When I was a wee boy, carrying the messages out of the Co-operative, en route for Viewforth, a tourist came along, pointed up to the Cow Hill and asked "Is that Ben Kneevis, sonny?"
I don't know whether I was more annoyed about the "Kneevis" bit or the "Sonny"! Roamer.)
Border crossing
FESTIVE season visitor looking at bottles of whisky in a High Street emporium.
"Is this brand exported?" he asked. "Because I can't get it in England."
A discreet and diplomatic response reassured him that it is for export.
