2002 – January

Next came Hogmanay (New Years) Lee came up from London for the occasion and we headed off to Princes St which had been closed off with bands set up at various points, 2 big screens, fireworks, and other entertainment. It was BYO so we had filled up our platypus bottles with drink enough to sustain us till after midnight, which came all too rapidly with all of us singing Auld Lang Syne in our best Scottish accents. The 25th of January is a big date for Scots with the annual celebratory tribute to the life, works and spirit of the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796) so we headed off to a Burns Supper at the Queensferry arms. On our entrance a lone piper played till we were seated at our table, the programme started with the “Selkirk grace” and followed by “To a haggis” where our supper (the haggis) was piped in and then stabbed passionately by the poem reader. Supper followed – the main course being “haggis with clapshot n whisky sauce”, after which was songs and poems then a lively Ceilidh, which reminded me of when I was at primary school & had to do the Virginia reel, I don’t think my co-ordination has improved much with time, but it was a great laugh and even the boys started to enjoy it.

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