As so many other Scots did, I celebrated Robert Burns' birthday in January. It was a modest gathering at a friend's house with a haggis procured from Canada. I enjoy the smaller "Home-made" gatherings where each guest brings part of the meal. The ladies of the Burns' Night arrangements agree, a head of time, on whom is to bring what, to share, and on the night, we arrive with our prepared dishes and Burns' poetry books.
There was one occasion when a single gentleman who was to bring the tatties, arrived five minutes before the haggis was to be brought to the table. We had been waiting for his dish of tatties-for-twelve to reheat in the microwave.
But perhaps he misunderstood instructions or expected that the "kitchen quines" would peel and cook the 20-pound bag of raw potatoes he presented! The guests dined on haggis and neeps that night, but nae tatties.
I have often been asked why I don't attend a more official Burns Supper, organized by the well known "Sottish Society" in San Francisco. Well, when I first arrived in California in 1978 and was told about it, I did make a phone call to this society and introduced myself as a Scot who would like to join. "No!" was the response, I couldn't join this "Society of Scots", because I was a woman, But, they told me Richard could join, because he was a man who was married to a Scot! It didn't matter that he is English.
I have been told that the rules have been changed now and that women are welcome, but I enjoy our home made Burns Suppers and It was at such an event that I met Caroline Fraser who is originally from Aberdeen. We recognized each other's North East accents in the company of Glaswegians and other "South of the Grampians" Scots.
"Buckie!" exclaimed Caroline when I told her where I was from. "My uncle lived in Buckie," she said. "Maybe you know him. He taught at Buckie High." Well, her uncle was Mr. Christie, a technical teacher at Buckie High, and her Cousins were Frances and Roberta (Bobby) Christie. That was a "Michty Me!" piece of information. Caroline and I became very good friends and I was always pleased to see Frances when she visited Caroline. We shared a memorable evening a few years ago when Frances and her husband, Bill Newlands (formerly of Buckpool) cooked a halibut, which Bill had caught, for us all. Fair tasted ma hert.
Oor Margit May 9, 2002
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