I went to a party tonight. We were in the small party room of a mid-size suburban Chinese restaurant. The surprise main attraction was a bagpipe player in full Scottish uniform. You know the green tartan kilt, the socks all wired so they don't fall down, the cute little hat, and the frilly white shirt poking out of the very smart jacket. An emblem or two, here and there. You'd have to ask him what was under the kilt!

Playing the bagpipes was surprisingly hard work, I noticed. Being so close to the beast. That it required a great deal of skill was obvious to me from a somewhat early age. But this guy was really getting a work out, and he clearly knew what he was doing.

It was loud. Really loud. The sound went through me and nearly inspired true fear - it certainly commanded respect. And my mind could not help wandering to a rolling hill in Scotland, centuries ago, with Scottish armies marching and the beegeebies being frightened out of anyone in their path. I imagined lying in a castle, and being woken to the sound in the middle of the night. That would be scary.

So, we are standing there. Listening intently to this Scottish musical instrument of war play Amazing Grace and Auld Lang Syne, in a small Chinese restaurant with flashing coloured lights, in Australia, for an 80 year old woman who has never left NSW. What a strange, and magical night!


JohnnyGoodyear says Nice day log.....bagpipes are literally awesome.