Last year Lorne Kay and I were at the Simon Frazer Burns Dinner. Lorne is a great fan of their pipe band and took me to their Tattoo some decades back. When I solo sailed my Folkes sailboat one winter across the Pacific to Hawaii I loved having along a Simon Fraser Pipe Band CD I played full volume one day when the boat and myself needed some uplifting.
This night we introduced my two Scottish origin friends, Dr. George Chalmers and Jane Fairbairn to the sacred inner circle of Burns Supper fans. My brother and his family were dressed in Hay Tartan kilts enjoying the Robbie Burns Haggis in Ottawa while we were a few hours behind enjoying ours. My friend Laura, with her own Scottish Heritage, was again enjoying another Ode to Haggis. She doesn’t like Haggis but she loves the Simon Frazer Pipe Band and Highland Dancers.
A wonderful night. At our table we had a man from Edinburgh whose accent was royal. We also had a man from the Hebrides who told us of his stone house and the hundred other people who lived on the island. There’s not much more Scottish than that. The night had George reminiscing about his Scottish uncles and aunts growing up. Jane had done her masters at Simon Fraser and loved being back among some of the alumni. I am really thankful that I could pass on to George and Jane what Anne once shared with me. Every year I enjoy the evening even better.
I just love the haggis. This night of haggis is as close to mass as the secular can come. I feel all saintly and purified after I’ve had the rich feast of guts and cereal.
The silent auction raises money for the Band which continues win world championships. What a night! What royal music! And tremendous dance.
Thank You Simon Fraser Pipe Band. I had tears in my eyes listening to you.
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