Well Pardners, it's New Years Eve.........

In my travels around the world, I find the Japanese New Years Eve Tradition to be about as good as it gets......

"At midnight, gongs sound 108 times for the 108 sins a person can commit. It is believed that listening to the gongs cleanses one's heart and erases past sins for a fresh New Year"

Toast: Kampai (Kahm-PAH-ee)

Now, at my age, I reckon my sins can be cleansed with about 8 of those gongs - unlike years past. But sinnin' is hard work nowadays compared to those days of my youth.

In Scotland, we had the tradition of "First Foot'n", where one would visit the neighbors with 'adult refreshment' in hand and when walking through the front door, one would exchange greetings, good wishes and a goodly slug of those beverages. Alas, the geographic separation of good friends and the advent of the Grinch's 'breathalyzer' hae done in that wee bit o' fun.

Hope you have a grand and glorious New Years Eve... and look forward to seein' ya tomorrow! Bottoms Up! Keep it 'tween the 'benjo' ditches......

Pecozbill........