If Not For Love - A Highland Romance

Chapter 16

 Sixteen

This morning Tavish left for Edinburgh to make a kilt delivery and pick up some supplies. Normally, I enjoy going on the drive with him, but the nausea that usually rears its head when I am in the car for long periods makes me bow out of this trip. I decide to spend the time reading instead.

"My love is like a red, red rose

That's newly sprung in June:

My love is like the melody

That's sweetly played in tune.

How fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

So deep in love am I;

And I will love thee still, my dear,

Till all the seas gang dry.

Till all the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt with the sun;

I will love thee still, my dear,

While the sands of life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only love.

And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my love,

Though it were ten thousand mile."

Robert Burns is now my favorite poet. Tavish quotes his work to me frequently and says that he loves the plainly-written emotion in them. I totally agree with him. He took me to the Burns Supper last month and it was one of the funnest things I've ever done. An annual dinner held in honor of Scotland's most famous poet, lovers of his work usually meet on or around his birthday to celebrate his life. I had been so excited about attending, I wrote the whole itinerary down in my notebook so I wouldn't forget anything. Who knows, I might use the experience in a novel one day. Taking the notebook from the bookshelf, I read over what I wrote.

First: The host gives a welcoming speech.

Second: The guests gather and mingle and skim through Burns' work, some indulge in the whiskey selection, and then we hear opening remarks.

Third: Grace is said using the Selkirk Grace:

Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, And sae let the Lord be thankit.

The supper is then started with a Scottish broth soup.

Fourth: A piper plays the pipes and everyone stands while the main course of haggis is brought in. Haggis is a surprisingly-delicious pudding containing sheep's heart, liver and lungs, minced with onion, oatmeal, spices, and salt. It's then mixed with meat stock and encased in the animal's stomach or sausage casing.

Fifth: Someone recites the Address to a Haggis. (Note to self: Too long to write, but will Google it.)

Sixth: They have an Immortal Memory where one of the guests gives a short speech, remembering something about Burns' life or poetry.

Seventh: The host says a few words of thanks.

Eighth: Toast to the Lassies: A short speech is given by a male guest giving his amusing but non-offensive view on women. The men then drink a toast to the health of the women.

Ninth: Reply from the Lassies: A female guest then shares her amusing and views on men and replies to anything specific brought up by the previous speaker.

Tenth: Singing of Burns' Works and Closing: Some of Burns' songs are sung and the host calls on one of the guests to give the vote of thanks. Afterward, everyone stands, joins hands and sings Auld Lang Syne. Then it ends.

Closing the notebook, I chuckle, remembering how many people couldn't stand for the closing due to a little too much whiskey toasting. I think Tavish and I were the only sober people there. We were high on each other, drunk on love.

Warmth spreads through me as I remember that night. We came home and Tavish softly quoted Burns while we made love. I am definitely married to the most romantic man in the world.

Sighing, I put the notebook back on the shelf and head down to the kitchen to decide on what to fix for dinner. So far, I can still stomach my favorite meals, and since I've read that that will not always be the case, I'm enjoying everything while still I can.

As I enter the kitchen, something hard crashes against my head. There is a second of blinding pain, then I feel no more.