BURNS’ NIGHT
Last night we went to a Burns’ Supper where all things Scottish were celebrated. Several of the men wore kilts, but although my DH has Scottish blood he is not confident about his legs and decided that a Hay tartan tie would do instead of total Scottish dress. Unfortunately, when he looked out his collection of ties – rarely worn since he retired from paid work to begin the more arduous task of making a garden – he found that they had been savaged not by mice, but those other wee sleekit timorous beasties – moths! Fortunately, one was still intact and he wore that proudly.
The ladies – I feel that a red-faced gent of a certain age should now appear and shout out, “God bless ‘em” – wore anything tartan, so plaid head-bands, skirts and bodices were worn by some of the women. All I managed was one of the moth-damaged Hay ties knotted low so that I looked like an ageing St Trinian’s girl.
The evening began with a Scottish/Burns-themed quiz and we were pleased to get about two thirds right – not bad for an almost entirely English team. After this several of Robbie Burns’s poems were recited in a wonderfully authentic accent before a man wearing an enormous red tartan tam o’shanter said the Selkirk Grace. The haggis was addressed and then eaten with the requisite neaps and tatties. A delicious cloutie dumpling ended this, what was a feast to me, but not so to the more squeamish eaters.
The evening finished with Scottish dancing, done with varying degrees of competence but lots of enthusiasm; even usually reluctant men were on their feet after several drams. Almost everyone managed the Gay Gordons, most conquered The Dashing White Sergeant, fewer tackled the Military Two-step, and the organisers abandoned plans for an Eightsome Reel, obviously feeling that that complicated dance would tax us all too much.
The whole evening was great fun and seemed perfect timing because I have begun to write my second children’s book. I have taken Cris and Minty to stay with their Scottish grandparents where there are mountains, a loch, an island, and another mystery to be solved. I haven’t invented a name for this fictional place yet – suggestions welcome.
