Have you ever won anything?

I don't recall ever winning anything... either by sheer luck or through my own efforts.. that sounds a bit sad doesn't it!? My Scottish Presbyterian upbringing never loaned itself to games of chance or gambling... and as for learned skills, I have always been happy to be a middle of the pack'er'. I did win a prize for 'Nature Study' in Grade 2, a book about Koala bears, which I still have. I remember it being bittersweet at the time as I had had a very unhappy year at school with a teacher who clearly found me very frustrating.

It may have been something to do with having 46 eight year olds in her classroom, but it was no excuse for her bruising my legs with a ruler. My Dad took it up with the headmaster and I still think the 'prize' was some sort of an apology on her part. One happier memory I have of the excitement of 'winning' is from when we were on a family holiday in Carnoustie and there was a talent contest at the summer pavilion. My brother David took our dog Rippy along and entered him as the 'singing dog'.

Rippy had the ( dubious?) talent of 'singing' on command. You just had to say, ' sing Rippy, sing!' and he would howl loud and long until you asked him to stop!!!!