200 blips and counting.........

Tonight's supper will be a new experience for me and I'm not sure if they have taken the advice on the name from Bart Simpson in which case I should be wary.


It's Burns night tonight and instead of Ode to a Haggis I prefer To A Mouse (although I will not be eating mice tonight!)

Wee sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an chase thee,
Wi murdering pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion.
An fellow mortal!


Rabbie Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire, in 1759 to William Burness, a tenant farmer, and Agnes Broun and was the eldest of seven. He spent his youth working his father's farm, and in spite of his poverty he was extremely well read, thanks to his father who employed a tutor for Rabbie and his brothers.

At 15 Robert was the principal worker on the farm and this prompted him to start writing in an attempt to find "some kind of counterpoise for his circumstances." It was at this age that Burns penned his first verse, "My Handsome Nell", which was an ode to the other subjects that dominated his life, namely scotch and women.

He died aged 37 of heart disease exacerbated by the hard manual work he undertook when he was young and probably not helped by poor diet and whisky!

On the anniversary of his birth, Scots both at home and abroad celebrate Burns with a supper, where they address the haggis, the ladies and whisky. In all, more than 400 of Burns' songs are still in existence.


Famous Birthdays
Robert Burns
Virginia Woolf
Etta James (who died two days ago)
Alicia Keys