Most of the summer activities have been covered in the President’s comprehensive and well-crafted blog but here are a few more items for the record. The official trip to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo took place on 22nd August when 19 members and friends travelled by mini bus in fine weather to the capital. In the afternoon, PP David Miller had arranged a walking tour of the places with Burns’ associations in the Old Town. Edinburgh Burnsian, Charlie Milne took the group on a fascinating ramble round the closes, wynds and tenements known to the Bard, with stories to match. Charlie proved to be a no mean guitar player and singer at the singsong in the last pub. Later, the party gathered in the North Stand at the Castle Esplanade to be welcomed over the PA system by the Tattoo narrator, Co. Alasdair Hutton, an old friend of the club. The performance which included a Tam O’ Shanter sequence, was colourful and enjoyable but in the writer’s opinion, lacked the spectacle of previous years. 27th August saw a small but select party make the annual trip to the Edinburgh Fringe. After pints at the White Hart, out of consideration for Ted Murray’s Achilles Tendon, members travelled by taxi to Jenny Ha’s pub in the Canongate for a one women show, “Sixties to Sixties”, by Anna Hillis, in which a woman in her sixties remembers how baffling sex was in the free love pre-feminist 1960’s This was lively if a bit risqué for some. Later, a more sedate event took place at St. Mark’s Church in Castle Terrace, “Burns and Robert Hare”, which featured recitations, songs and a skirl o’ the pipes. After a meal at Deacon Brodies, the group staggered to the Beehive for afro-Celtic comedian, Bruce Fummey’s performance, “About the English” which consisted of an anti-English rant in colourful language but funny with it. On the return journey, a stop was made at Penicuik for fish suppers. It is reported that Ted Murray took to his bed for several days afterwards. The club was well represented at the annual conference of the RBWF held in Edinburgh on 4th to 6th September. Delegates were entertained to a reception by the First Minister (and club honorary member) in the National Gallery on Friday evening. The AGM at Murrayfield Stadium was turgid but saw the elevation of David Baird to the post of senior vice president. Jim Shields was elected junior vice president after ballot. One of the highlights was the seminar on Saturday afternoon, which included a presentation by Professor David Purdie on “Burns’ last illness”. The conference dinner was also held at Murrayfield and was memorable for the bar prices and for the colourful outfits of some. Wing Commander (Rtd) Mike Duguid was installed as president for the ensuing year. Delegates were bussed to and from the venues to the accommodation at the Holiday Inn and congratulations are due to John Caskie and his assistants as bus stewards. After hours gatherings back at the hotel were convivial. Sunday Service was held at Canongate Kirk when a bust of Burns was unveiled by Mike Russell MSP. The hymns were sung to Burns’ tunes and on display was a chair from Holyroodhouse with brass plaques on which is engraved the entire lines of “Tam o’ Shanter”. Following the service, delegates made their way to the Burns Monument in Regent Road, a short distance from the Kirk, to witness the reopening of the monument after major refurbishment. The monument with its beautiful stone carving is a jewel in the crown of the city’s architectural heritage. President John Caskie and his attendants stopped for an enjoyable bar lunch at Roslin on the journey home. Others went to Ikea and some got stuck in the Riding of the Marches parade. Overall, the conference weekend was well organised and enjoyable and club delegates well behaved. The quarterly meeting of the SSCBA was held in the Globe Inn on 12th September, chaired by David Baird when reports on the conference were given. A handsome profit arose from the Brow Well Service and it was decided to cost medallions or badges for the senior and junior vice presidents. Following the meeting, members were joined at lunch by honorary member Murdo Morrison. Sunday 13th September was the annual Booling Match with Dumbarton Burns Club. This was our turn to host the event at Newall Terrace when SVP Neil Johnston welcomed the party from Dumbarton. Although the weather was glorious, the standard of bowling was not and Dumbarton took the winners trophy again. Suspiciously, this had been left in Dumbarton on the assumption that they would win. High tea was served at the Globe Inn later and president Caskie offered congratulations to the visitors but warned that next year would be different. A super day with great company and banter. Dumfries Ladies Burns Club No. 1 arranges the annual “Tammy Shanter” competition in the Globe Inn. Your reporter last attended this strange event many years ago but last week, succumbed to Betty Haining’s importuning and turned up on 15th September. This was a mistake but made bearable by the company of John Lauder, Dan Cook, Gordon and Neil Johnston. I’ll have to be drunk before I go back to this. Now looking forward to the “Scocha” concert and the Ellisland Ploughing Match.