CONGRATULATIONS to Rutherglen-born entertainer Andy Cameron who was made an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours list.

We remember Andy recalling his earlier days as a bus conductor in Glasgow when one of the more colourful routes was the late night service from George Square to Castlemilk. Andy told us: "Upstairs a wee drunk guy informs me that he had 'nae money' so, being me, I asked if he could sing. 'Nae bother' says he and gets right into his song 'hullo hullo' 'Haud oan' says me, 'it's a mixed company - ye canny sing a Rangers song'. He just ignored me and carried on with the next line, 'Who's yer lady friend' "

THERE was also Glasgow council leader Gordon Matheson being made a CBE. Those who recall his speech at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in the city will appreciate reader Bill Welsh's comment: "I notice that Gordon Matheson has received an honour in the New Year's list. No surprise really - many of us thought he was in with a shout."

NOT everyone stayed in Scotland for the bells last night, with quite a few folk heading abroad on holiday. It reminds Russell Smith in Kilbirnie of being on a coach tour in South Africa when a lion was spotted. Their guide went into a lengthy explanation of the lifestyle of the lion which included the observation: "During the mating season a lion will mate every 15 minutes for five days." The guide then looked around the tourists on the coach and added: "Here is might be five minutes every 15 days if you're lucky."

SOME folk had to work yesterday however while others stretched their festive break to two weeks. A reader in one Glasgow city centre office said their canteen had very little to offer other than some stale-looking sandwiches as a replenishing of supplies appeared to have failed. One member of staff looking at the poor fare on offer cried out to the serving woman: "Where are the lark's tongue in aspic?" Unfazed by his grandiose request she merely replied: "Sorry. Just sold the last one."

STILL pirating away in the Glasgow Pavilion's pantomime Treasure Island is delightful Glasgow singer Michelle McManus who is more of a fuller-figure kind of a gal. She came across a reference to herself in the gossip magazine Now which she did not expect, as an interview with Vicky Pattison of the reality TV show Geordie Shore included Vicky saying she really liked to tuck into her food and adding: "I'm essentially a really fat person - there's a Michelle McManus inside me dying to get out all the time."

Good for Michelle who merely commented: "Right, can someone please for the love of God tell me who Vicky is and why she wants me inside her? Creepy."

AH the dark humour of Glaswegians. Says reader Charles Fletcher: "I was in a supermarket in the Gallowgate on Tuesday. The checkout girl covered her mouth as she coughed. 'Ahm awfy sorry,' she said. 'It's that Ebola. We've a' goat it here'."

NEW Year, and a time to look back over what you have done. John Neil spots an interview with American punk poet Henry Rollins in the music magazine Mojo where he recalls his band Black Flag's first visit to the UK in the early eighties. Said Henry: "When we played in Scotland for the first time a guy walks up during the first song and throws two pint glasses of urine. We played in somebody's urine the whole night." Happy days Henry, happy days.

QUIET day in the office yesterday. A colleague wanders over to interrupt us with: "Just got an email asking, 'Want to see One Direction live?' Sadly it wasn't a ransom demand."

FOR sheer daftness at this time of year, a reader in Rhu declares: "It's 360 days to go until Christmas yet some of my neighbours already have their decorations up."