Disappointed, but not surprised.

In the end, it all came down to the dough. Not there's anything wrong with that.

After all, isn't that what we're supposed to be famous for?

Being cautious. Parsimonious. Stingy.

Now let me state, once again for the record, I fully realise it was easy for me to a YES man.

I didn't have a vote for a reason - I don't live in Scotland any more.

Therefore, an Independent Scotland, having no financial consequences on me personally, was an entirely positive prospect. I couldn't really lose.'YES' did, however.

Because too many people thought if they didn't vote 'NO', they might lose.

Their money. Their jobs, their pensions, their wages or welfare benefits.

They thought they'd lose out. Quite a lot of them, clearly. Enough of them anyway.

And those fears, because that's what swung it in the end, were seized upon and them inflamed by the very forces who truly had the most to lose.

The Political Establishment - big business - the world banks - and most shamefully of all, the Scottish Labour Party.

'Hit 'em in their pockets'.

Ruthless. Shifty. Underhand really, since the financial argument was hardly made conclusively.

Too risky was the verdict. Not one that anyone was shouting their head offs about because it's a wee bit embarrassing to admit it isn't it? That you're scared isn't something you want to everyone to know.

So are we a nation of fearties? Too lily-livered to make the first step.

So resolutely close to a shilling we don't even want to consider the possibility of a change?

Will if we are, we're not as scared as the banks, major companies and Westminster politicians.

Why do you think they weighed in so heavily? Did you see what happened when the first poll that suggested a Yes vote was published last week?

Panic stations. Devious Dave Cameron couldn't get up to Scotland quick enough.

Promising all sorts of sweeteners like a desperate bloke who doesn't want his wife to leave him.

'Please darling, I love you. It'll all be so different in the future.

You'll see. I'll change, I promise'.(They never change you know. It's only a matter of time before he's gone back to his old ways. Well, hell mend you.)

The companies and the banks were scared as well.

Or their shareholders were, most of whom are massive conglomerates whose very existence and continued growth is, after all, entirely dependent on the political status quo.

They were the real fearties.

But, because they're so good at their job - and because we're crazy enough to believe them - they make us think it's our fault. Or, at any rate, that we have no control over it.

Which we don't as things stand. We have no control, no power, no influence.

We could have had, but we don't now.

Ah, cheer up. Life goes on.

And just because too many of us decided not to take that final step over the finishing line, it doesn't make us any less Scottish.

Maybe it even makes us more Scottish. At any rate, it makes us just as Scottish as we ever were.

We have a national identity, stronger than ever. Our culture and our history is understood and acknowledged all over the world - if the referendum campaign has done nothing else, it's highlighted the nation of Scotland and its issues all over the world.

The Indy debate has been a big deal; here in Australia it's been reported on a daily basis.

It seems that we Scots matter.

We decided against it because of money. That won't do our national stereotype any harm will it, which, if you ask me isn't the biggest insult in the world.

So we're a wee bit tight. Thrifty. We like to look after the pennies and let the pounds look after themselves. We're mean. Cheap.

Quite a lot us aren't, by the way. Not enough maybe, but still a lot. Disappointing, but not surprising.

Who'll be celebrating today? Maybe the No's will, if it's actually possible to feel good about a negative concept that ostensibly says everything is hunky-dory.

The No's might be patting each other on the back a bit this morning, thinking they've got the job done, indulging in a bit of smarmy self-congratulations.

But the Establishment - the Politicians and multi-nationals. The banks, big corporations, multinationals, billionaires, asset strippers, venture capitalist and investors.

They'll be the real ones breaking out the vintage bubbly, doing the birdie dance and gleefully rubbing their hands in triumph.