Daily Archives: June 28, 2008

Our goal is actually to see Wall-E this weekend. We love the Pixar movies.

Today I got up at 6:30 and took Zoe-girl out for two hours, talking to neighbors and such. Then I fed her and slept a while, got up and went to our bi-monthly catered brunch downstairs (a sure sign we pay too much to live here) for order-your-own-omelets. Chef CJ was in attendance and he will be catering our July 4th festivities, more on that later. He also promised a few recipes for us.

We stayed a while past noon then went to the dog diving contest downtown. They vie for distance in a vinyl pool. Check out www.dockdogs.com. They were coming right at us and while we were about 15′ away to avoid the splash and under a tent to escape the sun, the look of joy in their eyes was palpable as they sailed through the air. Best distance in the 2 p.m. flight was 19′ 4″

We did not take the “hip-less wonder” Zoe dog to the event or compete. She might be good at this. We may have to train her (where?) and give her special disabled status because she has no hips.

After that we went to the 2nd best burger joint in the country, according to Playboy online April 2008. It’s called Christian’s Tailgate, midtown, and it’s a pub/sports bar. Great burgers.

We were really late for lunch so picked up some frozen pizza and cooked it for dinner. Now Jim’s playing a PS3 game and I’m ready for bed. No cooking today. Dee took the day off.

Cheers! Enjoy your summer Sunday.

We spent a couple of months in Scotland last year for work. Jim’s of Scot heritage and I’ve a fair bit of Brit and Irish. He was so pleased to see that finally there were people with as pale skin as him! I hesitated to tell him that he was a head taller than anyone and still stood out.

Once I got the first week under my belt, being attacked as a Texan and “Bushie” every Japanese tourist was asking me directions and I made Scotland my home.

The people were great, I so enjoyed meeting folks everywhere and didn’t even have Zoe (our dog, who was being overfed and cared for by a friend) to break the ice!

We were there during the campaign to liberate Scotland from British rule, a match between Celtics and Rangers, and international championship “football” match with a Spanish flair. All included serious police presence and police and fife and drum brigades walked beneath the windows of our flat.

We quickly grew to love the Scots. I called my godfather in Canada one day and asked if there was anyone on his side of the family he wanted me to contact. He said that his family had all emigrated to Canada in the 1770′s to fight.

He also said that if I went into any local pub and asked if there was a McDonald around many would offer a pint. Sadly, I didn’t have the time to do that.

Freedom was my issue here and I’ve been remiss so far. The Scots are a hardy people and they believe in freedom. I don’t know all the issues or whether Scots have the resources (land and oil and others) to separate from the UK now but give them the benefit of doubt.

Spending a couple of days at Stirling, William Wallace memorial et al, Edinburgh Castle certainly doesn’t make me an expert. So let’s just say I admire the grace and strength, fortitude and willingness to fight for the right to be free.

Being there for nearly three months gave me the time to breathe in the nature and culture of Scotland, though I did not have the opportunity to go north to Aberdeen or south to Ayr. Thank you, Scots, for embracing us.

I’ve a hand-knitted cardigan sweater from a lady in Oban and may do a Burns dinner next year.
Godspeed, Scots and Glaswegians