A fitting start to the year

It's 2007 and what a wet and windy start to the new year it has been in these parts. What with the cancellation of the Street Party and the Concert and Ceilidh in the gardens, I'm sure many bemused tourists were wandering around yesterday wondering what there was to do...virtually nothing open and practically no public transport..such is New Year in Scotland! Today, the shops on Princes Street were open but most offices won't start back to work till tomorrow. This year is going to be a big year for Scotland...celebrating (or otherwise) 300 years of Union with England and Scottish elections in May which could spell the end of that Union. On a more global level, I thought this quotation from the paving stones outside the Writers' Museum was apt for the start of the year.