Scottish Studies Foundation Boat Cruise

Catherine and I went on the Scottish Studies Foundation Boat Cruise yesterday. This was my third year on the cruise and Catherine's first. It was a great time, and it was nice to see some old friends and meet new ones as well. Besides getting far too much sun, and Catherine having a headache for most of the day it was another great cruise around the Toronto islands . The Sunday of Labour Day long weekend is not just the cruise, but also the air show at the Canadian National Exhibition, being on the Empire Sandy gives you an interesting vantage point of the planes as they go by. It really was a great day, after the cruise we were invited by some friends to go to dinner with them, we all went to the Old Spaghetti Factory for a late lunch/early dinner.

Goodbye Red

Today is the Memorial Service for a friend, as he lived in Arizona I will be unable to attend. I wish I could be there. Today I wore my MacDonald of Sleat as Craig's nick name was Retro Red, with a black shirt, black hose and red ties. When I came home I changed into a Red T-Shirt and Red Hose, just for Red. Here's to you Red you're missed already.

A nice compliment

Today I was out all day I wore the Royal Stewart by Barb Tewksbury, my Freelander sporran, Hawick Argyll top hose from Redshanks Scotland and my Stewart shirt from the Scottish Tartan Museum. I changed when I got home but had to go out again, as it was a hot day this evening I went out in the following outfit, my MacDonald of Sleat from Matt Newsome, Freelander sporran, Check top hose again from Hawick Hose co. and a white short sleeve shirt. I did not wear a belt this evening and find it's probably not needed in the summer months.


The other day I got a Private Message on XMarkstheScot from a new member basically saying it was my photos and blog that help build his interest in kilts. It was amazing to me that my blog was the main reason for someone else to start kilting. Anyway I asked him if I could share his message with my readers and he agreed. I was just so excited to see that someone felt that passionate about it. Anyway here are his comments:

It was your blog mainly, but also the 10 photos from casual to white tie layout, that kept building my interest in kilts. My father's family is Welsh, but my mother's family is mostly Scots with a little Irish. I always wanted a kilt, but never got one until they designed the Welsh family tartans. Once I had it, I wore it only to formal events, which wasn't nearly enough. I loved wearing it, and I hated to have such a wonderful garment that mostly sat around gathering dust. I added a Sport Kilt, which is great for the Alabama weather and for getting dirty, but it's nowhere near the same feeling as a nice heavy kilt. I have now added two more kilts, and I'm not ashamed now to say that I selected the tartans based 100% on fashion - I like wearing deep blues and greens, so I got a blue one and a green one, after agonizing for weeks over WHICH blue and WHICH green. I've worn the two new ones only once each, and I'm already looking at tartans (and tweeds) again!

I've noticed some things from everyone's pictures that I'm probably doing "wrong". By that I mean only "differently", really, because that's something else you have helped me see - there is no "wrong". I ordered the 5-yard kilts a little short because I apparently like the top of my kilts a little lower than most seem to. I also apparently like my hose a little higher than most, and I tend to leave more of the ends of the traditional garter ties exposed than most.

So... thanks for showing me the way!

Fergus 09

Andrew and me

Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series with me and the Saltire
Me out front of our clan tent


We went up to the Fergus Highland games this year to do the MacKinnon Clan tent, my wife (I still get butterflies when I say that.) is a MacKinnon and on the board of directors. This was my first time at a Clan Tent, I must say it is a different experience being in a clan tent. We decided to bake shortbread for the visitors to our tent, they were very well received.

We arrived Friday as we had weekend passes, however we were the only clan there at the time, and had to wait as the staff for the games were making last minute preparations. It was decided to go see Pete from Canadian Casual Kilts and Robert from RKilts. It was at this point that I scared Pete by coming into his booth when his back was turned, He turned faster than I've ever seen him move with a raised fist, when he realized who it was he dropped his hand and we both caught our breath.

Shortly after we made our way back over to the Avenue of the Clans or in this case the clan, on the way we stopped to watch some of the Heavy Events that were already underway.

Saturday we lined up for the march and there was some confusion as they decided to do the march in a reverse alphabetical order. As were standing in line we were hit with the smell of cigarette smoke, now for me this is nothing more than a minor annoyance, however Catherine suffers from asthma as such we were unable to do the clan march. I can not fathom how you are supposed to represent your clan while smoking, it is one thing to smoke outdoors, however smoking in a line when you know the smoke is drifting into others faces is something else entirely.

The rain was moving in and both Catherine and myself came down with migraine headaches, it was a good thing we left when we did as I had to stop half way home so that Catherine could take over driving, I could not do it any longer.

Dancing in the Park week 2

Last Tuesday was week two of dancing in the park, this week however it did not rain, so the dancing went on, it was great to get back to it, I've missed it so much. Thanks to Catherine for the photos.

First night of Dancing in the Park cancelled

Tuesday was the first night of Dancing in the Park, it was to start at 7:00 however about 6:00 or 6:30 the clouds rolled in and with that the rain, the band could not set up under such conditions and it was decided to cancel the evening. The good news is that there are 5 weeks of Dancing in the Park and it is always a fun night even if it's rained out. Dancing in the Park takes place at Edwards Garden.

Seasick Sailors at Grossman's Tavern

Friday night our friends Mark and Joan invited us down to Grossman's Tavern to watch Mark's band The Seasick Sailors, it was a fun night as always with them even though Joan had a wee fall and broke her ankle before going and really should have gone to hospital. Above is me trying to look serious, I could not hold it long. Below is a video of the Seasick Sailors singing Drinking.