Oh, thanks to the links posted by you all I found a nautical reference and also an answer to my question as to which direction one should pass the port at dinner :
Sides of a ship:
Port and Left both have 4 letters
Port is always passed round the table to the left
Port Wine is Red (the colour of the port side light) (Roy W Muwaw)
Now Musick noted re thier/their
I find that I do it often and I have a partner in crime - WOW.
to that I say : guilty guilty guilty Moi.
It's a problem I have struggled with forever! Ah, well, one must have one small imperfection to prove one's humanity!
(running for her life ...)
wow