Welcome to my new blog! As you can see I have changed things up a bit! Out with the old and in with the new! I will continue to write about my travels and other passions; reading, gardening and photography, so nothing is changed in that way. Please look around to see all the new features on this blog. When you click on the words under ‘Featured’ on the Front page the post opens up to read. And you can scroll left or right to see all the ‘Featured Posts.’ There are ‘Pages’ at the top to see what each category is about. Each ‘Page’ will have new categories. I have added a few of the most interesting blog posts from last year so the blog would not start out empty and I would know if everything worked correctly before going ‘live’. If you would like to follow me, there is a section of blue at the bottom of the blog posts where you can sign up! I hope to hear from you in the New Year!
So Happy New Year’s Eve or Happy Hogmanay to the Scottish! What is Hogmanay exactly?
In the Victorian era, New Year’s Eve meant thoroughly cleaning the house to start the new year clean. Ashes, rags, scraps and anything perishable would be removed from the house so that nothing was carried over into the new year. This way the family preserved their good luck and banished the bad. The family would gather into a circle before midnight and at the stroke of midnight the head of the house would open the front door to usher in the new year and then open the back door to let the old year out.
In Scotland, the last day of the year is Hogmanay. A New Year’s tradition in the Scottish family was ‘First-Footing.’ The first visitor to set foot across the entryway threshold (the fierst-footer) after midnight on New Year’s Eve, affected the family’s fortune. The first-footer brought traditional gifts; a coin for financial prosperity, a lump of coal for warmth, a piece of bread or shortbread for food, whiskey for good cheer, and a black bun for flavor in the New Year. No one spoke until the first-footer wished the occupants a Happy New Year. He would be led through the clean home to place the coal on the fire and offer a toast to all that lived there and be allowed to kiss all the women present. Then he would leave through the back door taking all the old year’s troubles with him. The first-footer could be a woman or a man. The women in the home, hoped for a tall, dark and handsome stranger and the men wished for a bare-footed woman with red hair! They were said to bring extra luck!
Now, I do open my front door at midnight on New Year’s Eve because our neighbor plays Auld Lang Syne on his trumpet, from his front porch, for all the neighborhood to enjoy. I have never opened the back door though, but I think I will this year!
For auld lang syne, (for the sake of old times) my dear,
for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
This was a traditional folk song with the words from a poem written by Scotsman, Robert Burns, in 1788. The song calls for the preservation of our oldest, dearest friendships.
It is a time for people to come together and recall past joys and sorrows! Happy Hogmanay to you! I wish you the best in 2017!
ThatTravelLadyInHerShoes 
Lovely new blog Cady. I much prefer these colours to set off your beautiful photos nicely. Looking forward to reading more about your travels in 2017. Love and Best Wishes for a very happy year.
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Thank you!
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Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to following your new blog this year again. I think I understand your subtle blog changes, but it wasn’t obvious to me at first (other than the new theme, menu, and organization).
Now realize that your old blog was “The Travel in Her Shoes” at “https://cadyluckleedy.com”, and your new blog is “ThatTravelLadyInHerShoes” (“That” rather than “The”, and no spaces between words) at “https://thecadyluckleedy.com” (with a “the” prefix on the old URL).
You might want to clarify this in your About page, and it might be appropriate to include the information about the switch from the first paragraph above in your About page too for readers that come along after January 1st who might not see this post. I also like the overview of your blog organization and menus provided there.
Although I see what you mean by lots of blank space on your old blog (under the sidebar), I think the new Dyad theme also tends to make every post only cover the right half of my screen since the featured image remains fixed on the left so it has some of the same effect.
I like the featured image slider at the top, and it certainly highlights your wonderful photos on the front page. Also the menus might need some tweaking, but I haven’t had a chance to explore them much yet.
Sorry if this seems a bit nitpicking, but I thought the feedback might be helpful.
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Thanks for all the feedback Doug! Yes I kept trying to tell everyone that there was a totally new blog but I think a lot of people just think they will get to it automatically! After a few posts I think it will catch on hopefully. It was the only way I could completely re-do the blog. If you go to ‘Everything’ in the menu you can see everything! Thanks for giving me a heads up!!!!
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Nice layout, congratulations and a happy new year! 🍀
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Thank you! Happy New Year! Thanks for following my new Blog!
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I have started following your new interesting blog Cadyluck Leedy. Happy Hogmanay.
Many all over the world sing Auld Lang Syne now and I am glad that you have published the proper verse as many still sing the wrong words. Many sing: for auld lang syne, we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for THE SAKE OF auld lang syne. Auld Lang syne means for old time’s sake so to add those extra three words THE SAKE OF makes a nonsense of the poem. Auld Lang Syne is also sung of Burns Night on 25th January and at Masonic Festive boards too.
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I never fail to learn from you!
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Likewise!
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Happy New Year! Your new blog has got off to a good start.
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Thank you Judith! Amazing it is all working properly with just a few hiccups here and there. The biggest problem so far is letting the folks know they have to sign up for the “new blog.” They think if they followed the old blog they automatically will get the new one. NOT! So I have many new followers on my old blog!!!! What??????
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I hope folks get the message soon.
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