(pauses to check)

Yes it is. However, in a response to a recent implicit request, I’m back.

I’ve not had much to say, I suppose, that doesn’t impinge on my hostesses’ stuff, about which she is understandably private. However, I don’t think it will do any harm to say that we, in common with poetry-fans and poetry-clueless everywhere, whether Scottish, Sassenach, worse or better, celebrated Burns night this evening.

Of course, because I chose it, there were some departures from tradition, but since it’s a made-up tradition, I feel no shame at such departures.

The haggis was ‘piped’ in to the strains of Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict.

The appropriate ode was recited, then the haggis was stabbed with my Swiss Army knife.

The haggis itself wasn’t traditional, but a vegetarian/vegan version made by Simon Howie’s. It was less dry than other vegetarian haggis I’ve tried, and so didn’t need me to break into the emergency bottle of ketchup that was on standby.

And in completely unrelated news, I’ve experienced Windows Vista running native for the first time recently. Explanation and bruce-drivel about this may be in future posts.

A bientôt, mes braves!