Burns Night at the Batchelor's
The Homecoming Year 2009 will see Maggie and I hosting our 14th Burns Night in our home for our friends and neighbours (and our 6th since moving to Spain in 2003).
It is an informal evening, although we do issue special Burns Night invitations and ask our guests to wear something tartan (and visible). Our lounge is dressed with tartan swags and a few books 'chiefly in the Scottish dialect' or about Burns or Scotland are left around for guests to browse.
The supper itself is as good as it gets, with Maggie's bill o' fayre generally consisting of cock-a-leekie soup; haggis, champit tatties and bashed neeps accompanied by beef collops; typsy laird; cheeseboard with oatcakes and a tassie o' coffee with shortbread, all washed down with a wee dram or two or some other refreshment.
The haggis is piped in to bagpipes played via the computer and I try to address it in my best Scots and in full highland dress -without prompting or hesitation!
The Immortal Memory is very informal and we use CDs from 'The Robert Burns Collection' (available from Amazon) to add to the atmosphere and entertainment, supplemented by recitations and the odd song from our guests.
It is a fun evening and not unknown for umbrellas or walking sticks to be used for an impromptu sword dance!
NJB - Benigembla, Spain - January 2009
P.S. Unfortunately, the event has had to be postponed until 28th February. However, the show will go on and we look forward to a belated celebration!
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