Monday, January 11, 2010

Burns Nicht is almost here!

From the Memphis Scottish Society -

Memphis Scottish Society’s
27th Annual
Burns Nicht Dinner



The Memphis Scottish Society invites all lovers of Robert Burns and Scotland to join for our Burns Nicht Dinner, a feast not only for your palate but for your other senses as well, delighting the eye with the vibrant hues of the tartan and the flash of the kilt and the ear with Burns’ beloved poems and songs, speeches in tribute to him, bantering toasts and the skirl of the pipes.



Woodland Hills Ballroom

at the intersection of Houston Levee Road (Hall Road) & Woodland Hills Drive
10000 Woodland Hills Drive
Cordova, TN 38018
[Map]

Saturday, 23 January, 2010


Seating & Social Hour 6 PM Dinner 7 PM Cash Bar


Piping in the Haggis
Piping in the Haggis

Bagpipes, drums, Scottish dancing, poetry and dinner, all to celebrate
Robert Burns, Scotland’s favorite bard

Ed Miller
Entertainment by
Ed Miller
Ed Miller has been hailed as “one of the finest singers to come out of the Scottish folk song Revival” and as “one of Scotland’s best singing exports.” Originally from Edinburgh, he has for many years been based in Austin, where he gained graduate degrees in Folklore and Geography at the University of Texas. Ed performs at concerts, clubs, house concerts, festivals, Highland Games and Burns Suppers, as well as for lectures and workshops, and has recorded 8 CDs of Scottish songs.

For more information, go here.

Have you made your reservations for Dallas yet?

The North Texas Irish Festival takes place March 5-7 at Fair Park in Dallas, and they have a great lineup listed on their site. If, like me, you don't live in the Metroplex, you need to book reservations now at the host hotel, the Radisson Central Dallas on the North Central Expressway just north of Mockingbird Lane. When you call the Radisson, remember to use the code NTIF (duh!) to get the NTIF rate of $83 (plus a 15% local hotel/motel tax).

We hope to see you there!!

Friday, January 8, 2010

For Lauren

crossposted from LWC -

I wanted to put this up today for Lauren, as she loved Ed Miller and this rendition of the old ballad Crooked Jack.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Information on the services for Lauren Hesse

Visitation for Lauren Hesse will be held from 5-7 PM on Friday, January 8 at Canale Funeral Directors at 2700 Union Avenue Extended.

Her funeral will be on Saturday, January 9 at St. Anne's Catholic Church at 706 South Highland at 10:30 A.M.

In lieu of flowers, our family asks that donations be made either to the Center for Southern Folklore or the Church Health Center.

Our deepest thanks to all of you

As Patrick updated on Facebook earlier today, we learned late Monday night that our Lauren no longer had function of her brain, the very thing that made her her. We have kept her going so that her father could see her tonight, as well as her Aunt Cherie and Uncle John.

In the morning, she will begin saving the lives of other people ...as her organs are taken for transplant, and tonight, we said goodbye to her for the last time.

While we have not been able to respond as we would have liked, know that your outpourings of love and prayers and support mean more to our family (and not just those related by blood) that we can ever express. She gave us so much that she is always with us, in spirit if not in body, and by doing those things we do of which she was such a major part, her memory shall never leave us.

This will be my last update for a while, please go to our friend Trace Sharp's website, www.newscoma.com, for more updates.

We as a family need a little bit of time to prepare for the celebration of her life, and we will make sure that you know when and where these will take place.

On behalf of the family, thank you for all you have done for us, it will never be forgotten.

Steve