Rabbie Burns Joke (featuring Mr Gordon Brown)

Gordon Brown is being shown around an Edinburgh hospital. Towards the end of his visit, he is shown into a ward of people with no obvious signs of injury.He greets the first patient and the chap replies:

"Fair fa' your honest sonsie face,
Great chieftain e' 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."

Gordon, being somewhat confused, grins and moves on to the next patient and greets him. He replies:

"Some hae meat, and canna eat,
And some eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thank it."

Then Gordon moves on to the third patient who starts rattling off:

"Wee sleek it, cowr' in, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi bickering brattle!"

Gordon turns to the doctor accompanying him and asks, "What sort of ward is this, a mental ward?"

"No" replies the doctor,
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"............this is the Serious Burns Unit."

Loch Rannoch, Highland Perthshire

Winter on Tayside

The wintry conditions are continuing, and it is now accepted to be the coldest conditions on Tayside for 30 years. This creates a tremendous challenge for all those charged with keeping our infra-structure in a usable condition. Everyone simply has to concentrate on the priority of the here & now, to try to iron out whatever problems and bottlenecks are occurring. Although inevitably there are frustrations and sadly, accidents, illness and real difficulties under these conditions, there is also a tremendous blitz spirit. The weather looks to continue for at least another week, maybe longer.

This is the view heading west alongside Loch Tay. You can see Stob Binnein and Ben More in the distance.

Happy New Year, by the way........