Well maybe not - the Round Table charity pub quiz, 4 Friday evening during February -We thought that we were on a roll 60 the first week then 66 followed by a 72.  Now it's the team with me in it possible the most original answer I came up with was a ballet dance with 2 people - Pas de deux - well it got the point for the team but I don't have an extensive knowledge of ballet but I do have the box set of  "Only fools and horses"   (pas de deux - Rodney) . anyway we managed a credible 70 points.

Thanks to all the club members who made up the teams over the past 4 weeks and helped us towards a to 10 finish for the series.

Among the heather - Simon Thorp intereged us with the ecological impact of the heather and grassland moors around the UK.  The importance of peat and the need to keep it moist as it retains massive amounts of CO2, the upland moors provide an estimated 70% of our drinking water, they provide entertainment - hillwalking, cycling shooting to ame but a few - wildlife and pasture. 

I had never really thought of the diversity and advanced management that goes into apparently barn ground

Thanks Simon. 

David Baird, Jim Haining, David Smith, Peter Kormylo, Maureen McKerrow & I travelled to auld reckie ( Edinburgh) to attend the Friends of Ukraine Burns Shevchenko Supper, where we enjoyed a mix of traditional Scots and Ukrainian entertainment and a mix of Borscht soup, haggis tatties and neeps.  This is the 4th such supper and I was very surprised to hear the similarities in the lives and trials of the two national poets.

I must add a special thanks to DS for chauffeuring as my chariot wouldn't go......

We're not just about the Howff, occassionally we get out and every year we host a burns supper for the Charnwood Lodge care home.  Traditional fair, Soup, Haggis Tatties and Neeps, great singing and music from Bill Welsh, Frank Curran, Ian McIntyre, and a couple of short speechs -The Immortal Memory and toast ta the Lassies. - Piper Major Callum Watson piped the haggis and played a lament.

I think in future more musicand songs, less speechs. 

The Befrienders Burns Supper in the Easterbrook Hall was a very splendid occasion and a very very worth while cause.  It was a pleasure to be at their burns supper, club member, John Caskie was singing and honorary member Jane Brown gave the Immortal Memory to Robert Burn as Jean Armour.
It was however disappointing that the address to the lassies didn't go down very well with many of those present, whilst I can understand controversial, and alternate views on Robert Burns and his attitude towards the Ladies, it didn't seem to be the right time or place for the content and speech delivered my Mr K Eggo.

Out to the Buccleuch Centre at Langhom on Friday 4^th February with President Neil and PP John Caskie to see “Burns Bites Back” a show by the Idioms Theatre group based in the Borders. Having seen this last August at the Edinburgh Fringe, we knew what to expect and weren’t disappointed with the eclectic mix of music, poems, songs and a bravura recitation of “Tam” featuring Alex Pool on the bagpipes, all to great comic effect. A traditional meal followed before “despising wind and rain and fire” for the return journey. The club team, “The Burns Unit”, reformed for the annual Round Table Charity Pub Quiz in the Edenbank on 4^th February and a small but perfectly formed group of members returned an impressive score of 60/100. Thanks are due to John Lauder, Gordon Johnston, Ian McIntyre and Ted Murray all of whom reassembled on the morrow at the Academy to assist with the SSCBA Schools Competitions. Once again, your blogger was amazed by the high standard of performances in singing, reciting and instrumental work and a great debt of thanks is due to the teachers and parents for their encouragement. The judges which included David Baird had an unenviable task. Again, the main hall in the Academy was perishing but thanks are due to members of Dumfries Ladies Burns Club No. 1 for the excellent snack lunch. That night, attended the first of the FoE Burns Suppers at Ellisland which was interesting and enjoyable. Met up with Moir Nelson and George Munro from Dumbarton Burns Club.  The Executive Committee met on Monday 7^th February and opinion was near unanimous that the 122^nd Anniversary Dinner was outstanding for the speakers, artistes, meal and organisation. It was noted that other than the accompanist, all contributors were club members and were warmly thanked by the president.

Many members reported on their attendance at Burns Suppers far and wide. The “Burns Unit” gathered again on February 11^th, this time the score shot up to 66/100 thanks to the cumulative brain power of David Miller, Rab Walker, William Johnston and the writer. It is suspected that the adjoining team from the Cooncil had sight of the questions in advance. The fifth Annual Burns Supper of the Befriending Project was held in the Easterbrook Hall on Saturday 12^th when I had the pleasure of accompanying David and Norma Miller and Neil Johnston. Guests included Jane Brown who proposed an excellent toast to the “Immortal Memory” through the eyes of Jean Armour and a spot from John Glover whose impression of Max Boyce whilst perhaps unusual at a Burns Supper was droll and appreciated. John also addressed the Haggis with gusto. The least said the better about the toast to “The Lasses” but John Caskie’s superb tenor voice was well matched with sympathetic accompaniment on the keyboard from Peter Gunnell. Fraser Sanderson filled in as chairman in place of Alex Fergusson MSP who was overseas. The raffle and auction went on forever but the meal included a “Galloway Haggis” served in a light flaky pastry which was palatable. A bonus on the return journey when the taxi driver purchased a copy of the “Burns in Ukrainian” (honest).The club’s Burns Supper for the residents of Charnwood Lodge was held on 13^th February when the concert party gathered at 6.00pm and were joined by Mr. Baird at 6.20pm, to be welcomed and piped to the top table by Callum Watson. The function went off satisfactorily but I am now of the opinion that long toasts should be dropped in favour of more songs and music for the old folk. Thanks are due to Frank Curran, Bill Welsh, Ian McIntyre, Gordon Johnston, David Baird and George McKinnell who stood in at the last minute as accompanist. A resident, Mrs Adeline McNaughton proposed a vote of thanks at the close.

It is strange, there are so many talented youths in our local schools and yet there were barely a handfull of people, other than parents turned out to appreciate the efforts.  It is a great shame that the format of the competition is such that it is not possible to see all the junior and senior performers. It must be an almost impossible task for the judges to nominate the winners from such talent.

Anyway assisting to escort the pipers to the judging,  keeping the doors shut during recitals and singing together with some lifting and carrying to help set things up. 

A long day but worth while.

A few members of the Howff had seen this alternative portrayal of some of the Works of Robert Burn at the Edinburgh Fringe, so when I seen it advertised at the Buccleuch Centre in Langholm I knew it would be worth the long and treacherous journey. so DS contacted Alex Pool who was able to arrange the necessary tickets. 

The performance was excellent interspersed through a traditional, well almost, Burns supper.  the evening was hilarious even for the dedicated Burnsian.   This group from the Borders based theatre company are very talented and seem to be really enjoying themselve.

If you see this advertised, if there are tickets available, Go.....