Hi –
Some of you have been waiting to hear about this weekend because it was the weekend Stan wore a kilt. We were invited to a Burns Night which is a celebration of the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns.
Robert Burns wrote over 500 poems including Auld Lang Syne and Red Red Rose – Oh my Luve’s like a red, red rose. People will get together to remember with dinner, toasts, dance and song. It is often a very formal event, with traditional itinerary including order of toasts, foods served and dances. Often money is raised for particular charity.
In this case, family that works at Hilton, Mike Ashton, invited us. It was partly to raise funds for their daughters trip to Borneo where she will live for 21 days helping to build water system for a village. It was a bit formal so Stan rented a kilt. We spent the night at the Ashtons so the grandmother could watch the girls. The event was held at the village community center with people making traditional Burns night dishes. – haggis, turnips, potatoes and cockle soup. Haggis are made of beef liver, lamb kidneys and shoulder, beef suet, onions, oatmeal, stock and salt and pepper. When we told people we were going to a Burns night, they all mentioned the haggis wondering if we would like them. I guess not everybody does but we loved it. It is the main event of the meal because they were brought in on plates, held high to bagpipe music.
After dinner the speeches begin with people talking about why we celebrate Robert Burns, toasts to him, the laddies and the lassies. Then the dancing starts. These are folk dances a little bit like square dancing without the caller. We had attending a practice session but still had hard time with it. We did not feel too bad because there were others having just as much trouble but it was fun. At the end they sing Auld Lang Syne which also end up in sort of a dance.
You can read more about Robert Burns and Burns nights here
http://www.robertburns.org/
We spent the night at the Ashtons. This is pretty much an adult event so the Mrs. Ashtons mother was visiting and watched the girls. They had great fun with Nana as they called her.
It was a great weekend. It was fun to be included in this traditional Scottish event held in small English village.
Some of you have been waiting to hear about this weekend because it was the weekend Stan wore a kilt. We were invited to a Burns Night which is a celebration of the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns.
Robert Burns wrote over 500 poems including Auld Lang Syne and Red Red Rose – Oh my Luve’s like a red, red rose. People will get together to remember with dinner, toasts, dance and song. It is often a very formal event, with traditional itinerary including order of toasts, foods served and dances. Often money is raised for particular charity.
In this case, family that works at Hilton, Mike Ashton, invited us. It was partly to raise funds for their daughters trip to Borneo where she will live for 21 days helping to build water system for a village. It was a bit formal so Stan rented a kilt. We spent the night at the Ashtons so the grandmother could watch the girls. The event was held at the village community center with people making traditional Burns night dishes. – haggis, turnips, potatoes and cockle soup. Haggis are made of beef liver, lamb kidneys and shoulder, beef suet, onions, oatmeal, stock and salt and pepper. When we told people we were going to a Burns night, they all mentioned the haggis wondering if we would like them. I guess not everybody does but we loved it. It is the main event of the meal because they were brought in on plates, held high to bagpipe music.
After dinner the speeches begin with people talking about why we celebrate Robert Burns, toasts to him, the laddies and the lassies. Then the dancing starts. These are folk dances a little bit like square dancing without the caller. We had attending a practice session but still had hard time with it. We did not feel too bad because there were others having just as much trouble but it was fun. At the end they sing Auld Lang Syne which also end up in sort of a dance.
You can read more about Robert Burns and Burns nights here
http://www.robertburns.org/
We spent the night at the Ashtons. This is pretty much an adult event so the Mrs. Ashtons mother was visiting and watched the girls. They had great fun with Nana as they called her.
It was a great weekend. It was fun to be included in this traditional Scottish event held in small English village.
Stan actually had a good time wearing the kilt. The only part that was uncomfortable was the belt. The piece you see in front is actually used to hold things since it has no pockets. You can't see it but it comes with a knife to be worn in the socks - plastic in this case.
This is Mike Ashton who Stan works with and a true Scotsman.
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