HAPPY BURNS NIGHT

[AndyC]

Hi all

I just thought I would wish everyone.....wether your a Scot or not......a very Happy Burns Night...I hope those who are celebrating enjoy your neeps n tatties and have a wee dram for me.....Pipe in the Haggis !!

Enjoy!

Andy xx

[shasha]

thanks andy - we have spent a few burs nights in scotland - when my husband was in the RAF AT KINLOSS

[AndyC in reply to shasha]

Hiya shasha

Did your husband serve with the Nimrod squadron?

[shasha]

YES HE DID !

[AndyC in reply to shasha]

I`m a real aviation enthusiast.....used to go all over the country to airshows....would`ve joined the RAF myself when I was 17 but my eyesight let me down

[shasha]

AH WHAT A SHAME ... WE WERE IN THE FORCES FOR 14 YEARS - AND MY HUSBAND WAS ON SHACCKLETONS AND WESSEX HELICOPTERS TOO

[AndyC in reply to shasha]

aaahh the venerable old shackeltons....lovely aircraft, born of the lancaster bombers of WW2

[shasha in reply to AndyC]

my husband said they were 40,00 rivets flying in loose formation !!

[AndyC in reply to shasha]

LOL

[shasha]

WHERE IS MEADOW HEAD

[AndyC in reply to shasha]

Meadowhead is a suburb in the south of Sheffield, I live 2 mins away

[Gansbru]

Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it;

But we hae meat, and we can eat,

And sae let the Lord be thankit.

An Address To A Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!

Aboon them a' ye tak your place,

Painch, tripe, or thairm:

Weel are ye wordy o' a grace

As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,

Your hurdies like a distant hill,

Your pin wad help to mend a mill

In time o' need,

While thro' your pores the dews distil

Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dicht,

An' cut you up wi' ready slicht,

Trenching your gushing entrails bricht,

Like ony ditch;

And then, O what a glorious sicht,

Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:

Deil tak the hindmaist! on they drive,

Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,

Are bent like drums;

Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,

"Bethankit" hums.

Is there that o're his French ragout

Or olio that wad staw a sow,

Or fricassee wad mak her spew

Wi' perfect scunner,

Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view

On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,

As feckless as a wither'd rash,

His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,

His nieve a nit;

Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,

O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,

The trembling earth resounds his tread.

Clap in his wallie nieve a blade,

He'll mak it whistle;

An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,

Like taps o' thristle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,

And dish them out their bill o' fare,

Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware

That jaups in luggies;

But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,

Gie her a haggis!

Thank you, Andy, and I wish you the warmth of love we share for Mr Burns and our Beloved Scotland. I raise my glass to yours and bow our heads to celebrate Robbie’s Birthday!

Gary (nee Angus and Richardson)

(I hope my memory and spelling of our language is correct. Amazing my memory for this beloved Ode flows easily, yet can find myself forgetting something I left the house to fetch!

[AndyC in reply to Gansbru]

Thats brilliant! thankyou for posting.....and happy burns night

[AndyC in reply to AndyC]

I`m a Yorkshireman but I love Scotland...the last time i was there we stayed in Wemyss Bay just south of Greenock....great memories

[Hidden]

Had my haggis, tatties, neeps, whiskey and wine - oooops hicc. Happy burns night xx

[AndyC in reply to Hidden]

whiskey and wine eh? you little devil you lol

and a happy burns night to you xx

[Hidden]

Think I might regret it tomorrow but whey x

[AndyC in reply to Hidden]

Lol hope your hangover is not too bad in the morning!

[Hidden in reply to AndyC]

No, I'll be fine - stopped in the nick of time, I'm too old to suffer hangovers lol xx.

[Hidden]

Please explain what burns night is.

[Hidden]

Burns Night is annually celebrated in Scotland on or around January 25. It commemorates the life of the bard (poet) Robert Burns, who was born on January 25, 1759. The day also celebrates Burns' contribution to Scottish culture. Burns' best known work is "Auld Lang Syne".

Haggis, neeps and tatties traditionally eaten in Scotland on Burns Night. ©iStockphoto.com/StockCube

What do people do?

Many people and organizations hold a Burns' supper on or around Burns' Night. These may be informal or formal, only for men, only for women, or for both genders. Formal events include toasts and readings of pieces written by Robert Burns. Ceremonies during a Burns' Night supper vary according to the group organizing the event and the location.

The evening centers on the entrance of the haggis (a type of sausage prepared in a sheep's stomach) on a large platter to the sound of a piper playing bagpipes. When the haggis is on the table, the host reads the "Address to a Haggis". This is an ode that Robert Burns wrote to the Scottish dish. At the end of the reading, the haggis is ceremonially sliced into two pieces and the meal begins.

Public life

Burns' Night is an observance but it is not a bank holiday in the United Kingdom.

Background

Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Scotland, on January 25, 1759. He died in Dumfries, Scotland, on July 21, 1796. He was a bard (poet) and wrote many poems, lyrics and other pieces that addressed political and civil issues. Perhaps his best known work is "Auld Lang Syne", which is sung at New Year's Eve celebrations in Scotland, parts of the United Kingdom, and other places around the world. Burns is one of Scotland's important cultural icons and is well known among Scottish expats or descendants around the world. He is also known as: "Rabbie Burns"; the "Bard of Ayrshire"; "Scotland's favourite son"; and in Scotland "The Bard".

Robert Burns' acquaintances held the first Burns' supper on July 21, the anniversary of his death, in Ayrshire, Scotland, in the late 1700s. The date was later changed to January 25, which marks his birthday. Burns' suppers are now held by people and organizations with Scottish origins worldwide, particularly in Australia, Canada, England, and the United States.

[jillannf6 in reply to Hidden]

and in Hkong and anyhwere where there are scottish peopklr

lovei jill

[Susie01 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for explaining for those of us who have not a clue!

[Hidden]

Thank you for that information.

I have always like his poetry.

[jillannf6]

hi andy and all

i was nto alble to celebrate Burns Night last night s my partner Ian has had a catacact op2 kmonth sago which 1st ws great htenhis sight just started 2 go f ew days ago

logn story short - he went to 3spitals and he had na emergencyc op yesterdayhfor a detached retina = his isght had gone in that eye by then

But he has had to get back to the Manchester Eye Hospital for 8 30 this morning afte ronlyh getting home at 9 pm last ngiht

-NHS - NO overnight stay in the day ward

And the journey there was dreadful -it took us 3 and half hoursto do an hours jhourney = we wen twrong at a crucial point and ended y

up going in completelyh the worng direction TWICE

htat is anothe rstory = my great carer drove me to MANCHEST ER 2 hopefully collect him btu he was in surgery for 2and a half hours with a local anaesthetic and has to keep his head fwd for a ngiht and a day at least

He does nto "do " health problems ( and does not read my blogs on here adn on teh Psp health unlocked)

he is v critcial of my dsylexic typign )!

SO

I had a laphroaig whisky on gettign in and the nex tbest

thing to a bUrns syuper - wee dram of my fvourite

BJTt i started dfallign over yesterday at 4am and could not stop - and went over abotu 26 times

SO STRESS def worsnes the Psp syhmptoms \nd the Parkinsoons one s as well

so take care oof yourselves

I am from YORkshire have celebrated Burns night 4many years

(1 famous a party at my house and a neighbour t o pipe in eh haggis (surpise)

Mea AND VEGGIE TYPe

love jill

still smilign

[AndyC in reply to jillannf6]

Hi Jill

Hope Ian gets well soon and hope you are ok too after your falls and that you have a better day today.

Glad you`re still smiling through it all....thats good

Take care

Andy xx

[shasha in reply to jillannf6]

so sorry to hear about all the problems you have had to contend with .. do hope Ian is going along better now

love sha xx

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear of your difficult day Jill, hope today is a bit better, take care xx

[jillannf6]

i hope today is better too

it cannot be wor se thanhyesterday

for all our sakes

i am having real problems dealing iwth any stress and there is plentyh around at hte moment

but we have to keep going do we not oand of course smiling

lvoe jill

[shasha in reply to jillannf6]

just saw this pop up dear jill -- we are thinking good thoughts for you both

xxx

[jillannf6 in reply to shasha]

hi sha

any chanc eyou will eb onlien tomorrow am friday then we coudl sk;pye each other

i am hter aws jillannf6

love jill

[shasha in reply to jillannf6]

i most probably would be - what is your skype name?

[shasha in reply to jillannf6]

ARE YOU OK JILL ? I WAS ON INE EXPECTING YOU TO CALL BUT YOU DIDN'T LOVE SHA XXX

[shasha]

hter aws jillannf6 is this your skype name jill ?

[Susie01]

Being in the US I have no idea what this is, but it sounds fun!

[shasha in reply to Susie01]

DO YOU MEAN SKYPE ?

[jillannf6 in reply to shasha]

hi sha

my naem on skype is rhe same as on her

jillannf6

love jill