SING OUT THE YEAR

It's the last day of December ... and it's Ishie's 4th birthday! So before we head off to our old neighbours to bring in the New Year this evening (dinner and drams) we joined the children and friends in Partick 's Soft Play in the City for her birthday party.

A card from Grandma and Grandpa created using Photoshop. (I should make T-shirts that say, similar to the Apple T-shirts, "I could do this stuff all day!")

The Birthday Girl getting her face painted.

You will have to picture me leading the children in singing! We change the names where appropriate:

Dance with your Granny
My bonnie lassie
Dance with your Granny
When the boat comes in!

You shall have a fishie
In a little dishie
A fishie for wee Ishie
When the boat comes in!

And then Alastair (about to be 3 years old in 6 weeks) has his face painted.
Here is his special song (Glasgow street song) which all the children know:

Ally, bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on yer mammy's knee.
Greetin' for anether bawbee,
Tae buy mair Coulter's candy.

Chorous:
Ally, bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on your mammy's knee.
Greetin' for a wee bawbee
Tae buy some Coulter's candy.

Poor wee Ishie's lookin' affa thin.
A rickle o'banes covered ower wi' skin.
Noo she's gettin' a double chin,
Wi' sookin' Coulter's candy.

Winter's awfly hard the noo
Faither's signin' on the broo
But he's got a penny, a penny for you
Tae sook some Coulter's candy.

And the last Special Song:

The Big Ship Sails - variation for Ishie's December 31st birthday

The big ship sails on the Alley Alley O
The Alley Alley O
The Alley Alley O
The big ship sails on the Alley Alley O
On the last day of December.

Cutty Sark painted by John Alcott