Awful is offal and offal is awful.

Jackies Mapa Tassie cooked with a rock and old farmers shoe is tasty. Cook for a day ..slow heat. Drain all off and eat the boot !

Don't think Ms baa baa black sheep would rate a a second glance in soi sampan unless you have a big donger to match GT.

Rob hope the corned beef is good went to Tom on Friday to get one only to be told you had taken the lot hope every one enjoys Happy Aus. day to all my fellows Aus. friends living in UT>

Ian Socksy, Robbie Burns was sent an invite but the letter was returned unopened, they could not find him apparently. Haggis....mmmm, pass on that one, you would have some in your fridge wouldn't you, although you being a Jock would have venison from 'Monarch of the Glen'' tucked away somewhere as well. Hope you have a great Burns night Ian and all the other Jocks up here in Udon, Robbie sure did compose a great poem....Auld Ang Syne.

Bit of bad luck there GT, Ms Lambie cannot make it, but asked if her best friend Clive could come in her stead.

Wazz, you did bring over the crayfish tails from Tassie.....didn't you. Be nice with a few Kiwis cooked on the barbie.

Macca, how much corned beef do you need, call me 0840934089. Thanks also for your wishes.

AND TO ALL AUSSIES AND KIWI BROTHERS IN THE AREA, IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT TO MY JOINT OR THE SPORTS BAR IN SOI SAMPAN, HAVE A GREAT DAY.

Rob.

Ian Socksy, Robbie Burns was sent an invite but the letter was returned unopened, they could not find him apparently. Haggis....mmmm, pass on that one, you would have some in your fridge wouldn't you, although you being a Jock would have venison from 'Monarch of the Glen'' tucked away somewhere as well. Hope you have a great Burns night Ian and all the other Jocks up here in Udon, Robbie sure did compose a great poem....Auld Ang Syne.

Thanks Robert and hope you have a good busy day tomorrow
Address to a Haggis - as recited at Burns Night Suppers

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 worthy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis

Address to a Haggis Translation

Fair and full is your honest, jolly face,
Great chieftain of the sausage race!
Above them all you take your place,
Stomach, tripe, or intestines:
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm.

The groaning trencher there you fill,
Your buttocks like a distant hill,
Your pin would help to mend a mill
In time of need,
While through your pores the dews distill
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour wipe,
And cut you up with ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like any ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm steaming, rich!

Then spoon for spoon, the stretch and strive:
Devil take the hindmost, on they drive,
Till all their well swollen bellies by-and-by
Are bent like drums;
Then old head of the table, most like to burst,
'The grace!' hums.

Is there that over his French ragout,
Or olio that would sicken a sow,
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust,
Looks down with sneering, scornful view
On such a dinner?

Poor devil! see him over his trash,
As feeble as a withered rush,
His thin legs a good whip-lash,
His fist a nut;
Through bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit.

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his ample fist a blade,
He'll make it whistle;
And legs, and arms, and heads will cut off
Like the heads of thistles.

You powers, who make mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill of fare,
Old Scotland wants no watery stuff,
That splashes in small wooden dishes;
But if you wish her grateful prayer,
Give her [Scotland] a Haggis!

Read about the life of a haggis.

'Slaandjivaa'

Sport

After APEC in November in Brisbane the Chinese Premier flew to Tassie for an impromptu visit.

He was fed Tasmanian Rock Lobster aka Crayfish and loved it. That day the price was about $50 a kg. His comments on the crays has created a massive interest and the orders are immense, so much to say the crays now fetch $155 per kg and every boat is selling directly to the Int Market wholesalers.

Cray boats were being raided at night as $155 /kg was better than green lip abalone.

So no crayfish for xmas lunch.

Chinese Premier has put Tassie on the Map..

Lucky he didnt meet Jacqui and was introduced to our local Map of Tassie.

All the best Sock the Jock have a good one also.

Thank you Robert - I'm virtually a 'Fishetarian' if there's such a thing and don't eat anything other than canned tuna. The smell however doesn't put me off anything similar if you get my drift.

As it's Rabbie's day here's some stunning images from home. Not trying to Hijack Australia day tomorrow - maybe one of you guys can post similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9Rsle5ehgo

Ian, those photos are breathtaking, beautiful scenery, stunning. You can almost see the history of Scotland in the photos. Feel like booking a ticket and heading over there for a holiday...well maybe one day.

The food for Aussie Day will come out around 12MD piping hot and continue through till about 6pm. And if there are any followers of Australia or its inhabitants, you are most welcome to come along and enjoy the day.

Sport wrote:Ian, those photos are breathtaking, beautiful scenery, stunning. You can almost see the history of Scotland in the photos. Feel like booking a ticket and heading over there for a holiday...well maybe one day.

The food for Aussie Day will come out around 12MD piping hot and continue through till about 6pm. And if there are any followers of Australia or its inhabitants, you are most welcome to come along and enjoy the day.

Thanks Robert - leave a visit for a few months till the Brass Monkey's are in hiding from the inclement weather. July and August are probably the best prospects (but not Guaranteed) for decent weather. Could be a long day for you tomorrow. Enjoy.

Yes, great link socksy. The scenery is similar to the south of the South Island in NZ. The Scots tended to settle here in the 19th century down south.

Thanks GT - yes I've seen video's and photo's of the landscape there. Very picturesque.

Robert - many thanks for the fine tipple of 'electric soup' yesterday. Awesome. Have a great one today.=D>