Well Christmas came and went. I am a few days older and not a penny richer (or wiser) but, what the Hell!
Cold January is now upon us with nothing to look forward to until Burns Night. I don’t remember celebrating Burns Night in England as a young(er) man but latterly it has been imported into our calendar and the event lightens up an otherwise dreary month.
This is what a Haggis looks like:-
Despite rumours to the contrary, Haggi (plural) are quite intelligent creatures despite coming from North of “the border”. However if you address one politely it will only answer “och aye the noo” whatever the question. Marvellous. (Glaswegian Haggi though have a more belligerent disposition. If you ask one “how are you today then, Jock?” it will reply “Who wants to know then Jimmy? Aargh”) .
It must also be said that Haggi are a bad influence on people’s habits at the table. I have seen tea-totallers who hate whisky (e.g. John White) so totally blathered with the hard stuff that they fall over and have to be helped up. A great night!
All in all, the best thing to do is to kill and eat the damn thing on Burns Night which, this year is being hosted by the Crown Spa Hotel on Thursday 23rd January. Kilts and tartan jock straps are not compulsory attire but black tie is, I believe.
This may of course be the last Burns Night celebrated in England if the mad Scots vote for independence in September. More fool they, but at least English Income Tax will be reduced as a consequence, we hope.
Tom Cathcart
Chairman