Robert Burns quote

“A Man’s A Man For A’ That” An Ordinary Scotsman Shares Extraordinary Journey in Final Memoir
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“A Man’s A Man For A’ That” An Ordinary Scotsman Shares Extraordinary Journey in Final Memoir

Robert Burns Day, January 25, is an appropriate time to post this recent press release. Some of Burns’ poetry as well as the Winnipeg Burns Club feature in several of the stories therein. If you haven’t got your copy yet, it’s not too late!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

[Winnipeg, MB – January 12, 2021] In this month of celebrating the birthday of Scotland’s bard, Robert Burns, a new memoir by a Scotsman-turned-Canadian is being celebrated. Canada is known for being a mosaic of people who have immigrated here in search of a better life. The late Scotsman, Ian Moore-Morrans, was one such immigrant. This second and newest memoir, Came To Canada, Eh? Adventures of a Scottish Nomad documents his experience, after finally overcoming poverty to settle into a life of (sometimes uncertain and chaotic) middle class prosperity in Canada.

To quote a Winnipeg reviewer: Put down that celebrity bio and pick up Came to Canada, Eh? Ian is the real deal, the most relatable Everyman you will ever meet…. His indomitable spirit and quirky humour sustain him through a rollercoaster of adventures and tragedies, and the ride even leads him to a second chance at love at the end of the road. Don’t miss this!

Came To Canada, Eh? Adventures of a Scottish Nomad by Ian Moore-Morrans with Gayle Moore-Morrans offers the story of an ordinary, yet truly extraordinary Scotsman and his endeavours to survive and thrive as an immigrant to becoming an eventual citizen in a new country – Canada. Despite facing numerous roadblocks, Ian perseveres – with enthusiasm or sometimes impulsiveness in facing new possibilities in far-flung parts of Canada, in the humour that rarely leaves him despite setbacks and encounters with less-than-honest persons, in his willingness to share his evolving talents as a musician and writer, and in his honesty and obvious love for family and constantly changing circumstances.

The full extent of Ian’s nomadic ways is both fascinating and stunning. From 1970 to 2002, Ian and his first wife Mary moved almost annually, living multiple times in six provinces (including five times in Winnipeg) within 34 years. Ian’s story also documents the two years following the death of Mary, when he encountered Gayle, the soulmate of his later life, their whirlwind romance and marriage and their decision to continue Ian’s nomadic ways as they embarked on a new adventure to Mexico.

After Ian’s death at age 86 in 2019, Gayle as editor and co-author, was able to finish Ian’s story and offer it for publication with her insights into its central theme of honesty and independence of mind as exemplified in the immortal Robert Burns’ poem, “A Man’s A Man For A’ That.”

Came To Canada, Eh? Adventures of a Scottish Nomad by Ian Moore-Morrans with Gayle Moore-Morrans (a sequel to Ian’s first memoir, From Poverty to Poverty: A Scotsman Encounters Canada), produced by Moomor Publishing through FriesenPress, is available in print and as an eBook from most major online book retailers including Amazon and the FriesenPress Bookstore. (Paperback copies are available at a special reduced price in Winnipeg by contacting Gayle directly or in Flin Flon at Tiff’s Puppy Parlour.)

About the Author
Ian Moore-Morrans, a machinist by trade, as well as a Scottish entertainer–singing and playing in bands for well over fifty years in Canada, the UK, Egypt and Mexico–and a busy husband, father and grandfather, rarely found time for writing until his early sixties. After retirement (and marrying an editor), he quickly excelled, being named one of the 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading by THE AUTHORS SHOW in 2014. Came To Canada, Eh? Adventures of a Scottish Nomad is his fifth published book.

Gayle Moore-Morrans, Moomor Publishing
gayleian@gmail.com

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Installment 5 of “Jake, Little Jimmy and Big Louie,” a Children’s Chapter Book

We apologize for the long delay in posting the next installment of Ian’s children’s chapter book, “Jake, Little Jimmy and Big Louie.” Our excuse is that we have been otherwise occupied for most of January and the first days of February because Gayle finally had a surgery date of February 7th for a total hip replacement on the left side. She has had both her right knee and right hip replaced in the past – the knee in 2000 and the hip in 2011. Now she is truly a bionic woman on both sides!

Ian is still trying to adjust to a number of changes in his medications and couldn’t be left completely alone while Gayle was in hospital, so we had to arrange for some home care and a LifeLine installation for him. That is going well and we’ve been able to count on the home care attendant to help both of us for a short time after Gayle was discharged on February 9th. Thank goodness for our Canadian health system. So far we have had little additional expenses other than the low LifeLine costs, our pharmacy expenses until the yearly supplement kicks in and our regular monthly BC health payments.

Ian and Jimmy, the cockatiel, circa 1999.

Ian and Jimmy, the cockatiel, circa 1999.

Today we are sharing a photo taken about 1999 of Ian schmoozing with his cockatiel Jimmy, who was the inspiration for this present story about a budgie named Jimmy. We hope you’ll enjoy it and the next chapter of “Jake, Little Jimmy and Big Louie.” If you remember the last chapter, Jimmy had been lost and just as the chapter ends Jake had received the good news that Jimmy had been found and would be returned by the police.

“JAKE, LITTLE JIMMY AND BIG LOUIE”

by Ian Moore-Morrans

edited by Gayle Moore-Morrans

Copyright © 2012

CHAPTER FIVE

Jimmy Returns and “Thing” Arrives

The following day, the police were at Jake’s house with Jimmy safely in his cage. Jake was in orbit over the news that Jimmy had been found, for he had hardly slept that whole week while Jimmy was missing. Lying awake in his bed at night, he had prayed that Jimmy would be kept safe, wherever he was, and that Jimmy would come home soon. He promised to love Jimmy and always try to take very good care of him. This promise had kept him certain that Jimmy would be found, so when Jake’s father told him the good news, he sort of expected it.  ‘Well’ he thought, ‘it got Jimmy back to me.’

(The rest of the chapter’s content has been deleted prior to publication.)

Picture suggestions:

Jake smiling and holding little Jimmy, just as Ian is holding Jimmy the cockatiel in the photo at the beginning of this posting

Jimmy sitting on Jake’s shoulder.