Blogging is habit forming and I’ve missed the opportunity in recent weeks due to technical problems but here goes from where I left off.

The president covered the excellent concert by Scocha on 19/09/09 and I’ve had lots of positive comments since including some from the band. Hopefully we might be able to bring them back to Dumfries on some future date.

The day after was the Horse Ploughing Match at Ellisland organised by the Friends of Ellisland. Several members were charged to man the car parks and receive admission fees. This was great fun as we all wore the club’s new high visibility vests. Under the command of pp Bert Hastings, Godfrey Bedford, Ted Murray, Derek Paterson, Bill Welsh and I, were posted at the entry points. David Miller and George Templeton marshalled the cars into place as they arrived.  We were kept busy from 8.30am onwards reaching a climax about 11. Only two drivers were guilty of incivility on being advised of the car park charge and they were both old farmers so allowances should be made. The weather and attendance exceeded expectation and an enjoyable day was had by all. I caught sight of the patron, Joanna Lumley, from a distance. She was accompanied by bodyguards.

The first Winter Lecture of the season was on 24^th September when 11 members and friends made their way to Broughton House, Kirkcudbright, for an evening visit to the former home of the Glasgow Boys” artist, A. E. Hornel. We were warmly welcomed on arrival by the custodian, Sally Entwhistle. After a walk round the extensive gardens, pursued by mosquitoes, members were conducted on a tour of the magnificent house, which is in care of the National Trust and one of the best period homes in Scotland. Hornel was a tireless collector of Burns memorabilia and books and the Burns material was set out for our inspection.  An excellent supper at Selkirk Arms Hotel followed.

Sunday 27^th was the rewarding visit from the teenagers (and chaperones) from St. Petersburg which the president covered in his excellent blog. Wednesday 30^th, met up with the librarian and an advisor on applications to the Lottery Heritage Fund to discuss the club’s proposal to restore the ancient Centenary Banner, now in a fragile condition. The application form is a nightmare as, according to the accompanying guidelines, successful applicants are more likely to be from ethnic minorities or otherwise deviants. This is known as “social inclusiveness”. Pleased to report that the application was mailed on 15^th October.

In the meantime, a party from Alloway Burns Club visited on 3^rd October. A team of members spent an enjoyable afternoon conducting a ten-cent tour taking in the Mausoleum and Burns Statue. The visitors whose ages ranged from the teenage to the ancient expressed much appreciation.  Monday 5^th October, met up with JVP Frank Manson at lunchtime to look into the future. Excellent coffee and biscuits.  Excom meeting that evening for the provisional issue of Hallowe’en Supper tickets. Needed a drink after that but out to the Easterbrook Hall on Friday evening to attend the farewell function for Shirley Bell, retiring as chief executive of the WRBF. This was an interesting night, expertly MC’d by President Caskie, with speeches, mercifully brief, of the “backslapping” variety but the entertainment was of a high order and included “Young Burnsian” Holly Little. Earlier that day, the treasurer and I met with Mac Creedon at Solway Offset to discuss the printing of the commemorative book to accompany the Scots Language Competition. This is now taking shape and promises to be most impressive. Wednesday 14^th, met president John at the Globe to discuss the programme for the Hallowe’en Supper and other matters. Whilst there, three visitors from Dalry, Ayrshire, appeared and were told the story of the club and the “hidden room”.

Friday 16^th, was the “Whistle” reciting competition at Friars Carse. Four competitors sang and recited their way through the poem/song. The winner was Willie Horne who will recite “Tam O’ Shanter” at the Anniversary Dinner in 2010. Reciting competitions are not the writer’s scene but superb half-time entertainment was supplied by Lionel McClellan, well known to the club and Kirsten Easdale, from Helensburgh, vocals and guitar.  Saturday 17^th, met up with the treasurer at the Globe to discuss matters of gravity, with a pint and a nibble. We were pleased to be joined by Hector Davidson, a Doonhamer and Burnsian, now resident in London, who was at the club table at Murrayfield during the Federation conference at Edinburgh. Hector expressed regret at the removal of the iconic Burns heads from the “Welcome to Dumfries” road signs and promised to write to the papers. We wished him the best of luck.

During the past few weeks, with the help of Gordon Johnston, I have been assembling some club photographs for Peter Westwood’s “big issue”, the special edition of the Burns Chronicle to be published early next year as a record of the “Year of Homecoming”. Some of these should bring a smile and evoke memories of things past. In compiling the narrative, I read through some old minute books. One had an account of the Anniversary Dinner in 1895. No fewer than 22 toasts were proposed and drunk and Mrs Smith served bowls of soup on retrial at 6.00am the following morning. Perhaps members were more adventurous in those days!

D. Smith