Gie 'em a Haggis!

To be honest, we hadn't really given it a moment's thought. Indeed, it wasn't until Amanda's dad had mentioned it that we even remembered that the famous Allowayman's birthday was approaching. As Craig can increasingly appreciate, he is an exile who hankers after any vague semblance of home. And, on this occasion, it was that 'Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!'

Indeed, so determined was he to mark the big day that he went out on Thursday and picked it up himself. And there was only one option for this: Pickering's legendary Scottish bakery 'The But 'n' Ben'! This venerable institution has proved a treasured home from home in Craig's brief visits here and even furnished the wedding party with its kilts in July '07.

However, diligent and much appreciated though Mr. Kearon's efforts were, a few finishing touches (well, a couple of gratuitously overpriced bottles of Irn Bru) were required, and it was thus with no small sense of unfettered elation that we set off for aforementioned establishment on Saturday afternoon.


Fast-forward, then, to Sunday afternoon, when, having returned from our little Hamilton adventure, we set about making preparations for dinner (though largely observant, Joanne's departure for university that evening meant the supper fell a day early). We served a traditional meal of haggis, neeps and tatties, with Amanda preparing a delectable raspberry cranachan upon which we gorged over dessert. And Craig was, naturally, summoned to address the haggis and generally act as a guide to the evening's festivities.


All well and good, though next year may be a distinctly more challenging proposition. That said, I hear the But 'n' Ben do a fine line in tinned haggis...