Great Chieftain o' the puddin-race! 26/366

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!

Aboon them a' ye tak your place,

Painch, tripe, or thairm:

Weel are ye wordy o' a grace

As lang's my arm.

(1st Verse of Address to a Haggis by Robert Burns)

I love poetry and I love Scots language. It's a dying language and we are struggling in our schools to keep it alive for our pupils especially at this time of year. Now I know that Burn's Day was yesterday but I celebrated with Haggis, Neeps and Tatties tonight because my Mum was coming over for her tea (dinner). Some of my favourite Scottish words are . . .

Wheesht - be quiet

Blether - talking to much or talking rubbish

Glaikit - stupid or stupid looking

Gallus - impressive

Mauchit - really dirty 

fankle - entangled (I get my self in a fankle quiet often)

Eejit - idiot

When it all gets too much just lie on the floor! - 25/366

Happy Burns Day! It was a day filled with Scottish celebration at work today which meant lots of Irn Bru and shortbread on the go but it was tiring day. Little Grumpinator had a tough day too as he was still feeling poorly.

When I went to his Gran's to pick him up he was so tired he kept lying down on the floor. I sometimes wonder if I would get away with that at work, just curl up in the Nursery library for a nap.

Scottish is . . .

Well it's T in the Park this weekend so it's kind of difficult to escape all things Scottish. It's all over radio, TV and newspapers. I live quite near Balado, it's near where I grew up but despite being musical, I have never been to TITP. As it's held in July I have usually been working with the band at a wedding.

Not this year though! No, as of today I am off to the sunny Czech Republic for some family time with my Dad, his wife and my little brother Danny (who is only 3 weeks older than JC).

I was listening to Radio 1 the other day when I heard their advertisement for TITP and I have to say I actually sat in my car to listen to the end of it. It gave me goosebumps. I am fiercely patriotic but not in a dislike 'The English' like some numptys but in a 'I love where I come from but can accept we are not perfect' kind of way. I am not even a 'we need independence' kind of person either. I really don't care if we are part of the UK or not. I have and always will consider England and Scotland to be separate countries in terms of language and culture but if we are made stronger by uniting together then I don't see what the harm is in that?

Anyway, I ramble. If you want to watch this fabulous advert for TITP you can see it here . . .

For me Scottish is getting an overnight bus to London, not bringing a coat and being the last to leave CyberMummy! 

I will leave you now to ask yourselves what makes you feel Scottish/English/Irish/Welsh or for my foreign visitors American/Canadian/Australian/Czech on so on.