Three Skunk Day

Well, yesterday was the loooooong day as we thought it would be. The early morning trip up the mountain, the day at the games, the evening at the concert and the late night trip down the mountain .... all went off without a hitch - sort of.

The day was "blessed" with the aromatic oil of the ... "kitty" as the littlest daughter of Clint Walker in the film Night of the Grizzly called it ... the wonderfully vivacious and gregarious American Skunk, not once mind you but three times ... how much more lucky could we have been!? Once on the trip up the mountain and twice on the trip down, you couldn't ask for more, now could you.

In between the blessings we had a wonderful day in the cool temperatures of Mac Rae Meadows and the wafting breezes off Grandfather Mountain watching the Heavy Athletics and the musical performances, seeing old friends and visiting with the other Clans - no bloody Campbells though - and for the Mrs., shopping at all the vender's tents (she did get me a nice signet ring with my Clan crest on it though).

We met several people from Scotland itself who had come to the states for holiday and heard about the games and came and where amazed by them, some came here just for the games, as they do not have the Highland Games in Scotland like we do here. Oh, they have them all right, but they do not have a "Gathering of the Clans" at them as we do - it simply isn't done.

But that is about to change ...

"The Gathering" as it is being called will be held over July 25 - 26, 2009 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
This will be the first time since the Battle at Culloden in 1748 that all the Clans of Scotland will have gathered in their traditional Tartans and flying their Clan Banners, with the drums and pipes playing.

Talk about an awe inspiring display of sight and sound. The Royal Mile and Hollyrood Castle will be the place to be those two days for the "Gathering" and the games to be held in conjunction with them, unless of course you happen to be English - then you might feel a wee bit o'dread as you will hear the pipes and see the Tartan Banners flying again.

So to all Scots out there around the world make your plans today to be in Edinburgh on the weekend of July 25 - 26, 2009 for this historic event. See you there!