When I got up this morning and looked out the window, I thought of the above line, which comes from this poem, which I learned as a child when my Mum made me go to elocution lessons (I hated it at the time, but I appreciated it later when I didn't have a horrible accent!) The poem is about a little boy travelling to Kirkcaldy (he calls it Kirkcaddy) to visit his granny. When he says at the end that he knows that they have reached Kirkcaldy because of the smell, that's because linoleum was made there, causing a horrible smell to hang over the town! (Do ask if you need a translation!)
The Boy in the Train
Whit wey does the engine say 'Toot-toot'?
Is it feart to gang in the tunnel?
Whit wey is the furnace no pit oot
When the rain gangs doon the funnel?
What'll I hae for my tea the nicht?
A herrin', or maybe a haddie?
Has Gran'ma gotten electric licht?
Is the next stop Kirkcaddy?There's a hoodie-craw on yon turnip-raw!
An' seagulls! - sax or seeven.
I'll no fa' oot o' the windae, Maw,
Its sneckit, as sure as I'm leevin'.
We're into the tunnel! we're a' in the dark!
But dinna be frichtit, Daddy,
We'll sune be comin' to Beveridge Park,
And the next stop's Kirkcaddy!Is yon the mune I see in the sky?
It's awfu' wee an' curly,
See! there's a coo and a cauf ootbye,
An' a lassie pu'in' a hurly!
He's chackit the tickets and gien them back,
Sae gie me my ain yin, Daddy.
Lift doon the bag frae the luggage rack,
For the next stop's Kirkcaddy!There's a gey wheen boats at the harbour mou',
And eh! dae ya see the cruisers?
The cinnamon drop I was sookin' the noo
Has tummelt an' stuck tae ma troosers. . .
I'll sune be ringin' ma Gran'ma's bell,
She'll cry, 'Come ben, my laddie',
For I ken mysel' by the queer-like smell
That the next stop's Kirkcaddy!Meaning of unusual words:
gang=go
haddie=haddock
sneckit=locked
'leevin=eleven
frichtit=frightened
pu'in a hurly=pulling a barrow
gey wheen=a lot
mou'=mouth
tummelt=fallen
I quickly got dressed and braved the freezing cold to take some photos (it was minus five when we went out later!)
Later, after breakfast, the moon started to go down
While the moon was going down in front of the house, the sun was coming up behind it, turning this funny little cloud pink
But there was one photo that didn't quite come out as planned ..... I couldn't see the settings in the dark, and had chosen the wrong one - but I rather like the result!
I went to the hairdressers in Kelso this afternoon. I went early, so that I would have time to take some photos (lots of good shadow shots for the weekend). I noticed this inscription over a doorway
As my O level Latin let me down, I googled it and got two translations 'tried fidelity enriches' and 'loyalty preserved enriches' ......... and the people being enriched? Yes, the inscription is over the doorway of a bank!!