The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft a-gley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promised joy.
Alison and I experienced our first Burns Night Supper this evening in Blairgowrie with the congregations of the ABC Group – and a great night it was, thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. We tucked ourselves into a corner – a bit like those who come to church for the first time must feel – and tried to come to terms with a solid wall of culture and friendliness! There was haggis and dancers and Robbie Burns and songs and what they would call in Northern Ireland ‘a wee ballot’. Which reminded me of a former Rector with whom I worked who dealt with the [in Northern Ireland] complex issue of raffles at church events by saying that ‘it was all right so long as the prizes weren’t anything which anybody would actually want.’
And then, just as I was feeling it was time for a verse of the Londonderry Air or Sweet Rose of Portadown, we sang, ‘My love is like a red, red rose’ – Sir William said the ‘thank-you’s’ to the big team of helpers – and it was Andy Pandy time.