Comments on Sarah Laurence Blog: Lads in Scotland

Please do not leave comments with links to commerc...

2009-02-28T07:40:52.722-05:00

Please do not leave comments with links to commercial sites. I screen first and will not publish them.

Thanks for all the comments! According to The Bo...

2008-04-07T06:17:26.912-04:00

Thanks for all the comments! According to The Boy, the rocky mountains of Scotland are geologically a continuation of Northern America(or vice-versa) so a similar feel to Maine and Canada is not coincidental. There's something similar in the people, too, indefinably, possibly because of the great Scottish diaspora to both places. And in 1718 Sweden seriously considered backing the Jacobites and sending an army to invade England via Scotland, but gave it up after King Charles XII was killed invading Norway. (prompting the random thought: had that bullet or whatever it was missed him, then everyone in England, Scotland, the US and Candada might now be speaking Swedish...)

Tony: I was desperate to use the line "We have a wounded rabbit also" when checking into Scottish hotels, but sadly the opportunity never arose. Sounds like you may have more luck.

This was an unexpected treat - a trip through Scot...

2008-04-04T20:11:20.368-04:00

This was an unexpected treat - a trip through Scotland with Sarah's family. The scenery was amazing - the hiking must have been wonderful (or perhaps I should say, the after-hiking food and drink).

Funny how just before I sat at the computer, I was practising a 1730 Scottish fiddle tune, The Lass O'Pettie's Mill.

I'd rather be in Scotland than here!

My step-dad's Scottish. I've sent him the link to ...

2008-04-04T10:31:20.202-04:00

My step-dad's Scottish. I've sent him the link to this wonderful tour. As a Swede/Mainer, I feel great kinship with bleak beauty!

Excellent blog of an inspiring trip. One day I'll ...

2008-04-03T12:04:18.280-04:00

Excellent blog of an inspiring trip. One day I'll tell you about when my Dad brought me to work at the lab to see him shoot rabbits

John - you're absolutely right about sleeping babi...

2008-04-02T13:42:10.439-04:00

John - you're absolutely right about sleeping babies - I find the worst is when they insist on having a go with the bayoneting themselves.
Ruth - many thanks. I think 80-shilling refers to how heavy, dark and strong it is, a throwback to the old money system, and the method of taxing beers by alcohol content. 80 shilling is aka "heavy". But, of course, I don't know very much about beer. I'm pretty sure I had Caledonian 80 Shilling.
R - thanks for the reference, and I'm sorry for your sorry-sounding plight. Look on the bright side, the Westway was good enough for The Clash. As for Trainspotting, the closest we got was Pete insisting "Thish should preshent no shignificant difficultishes: is the beasht in shight?" at every turn. He also points out that on the boat, I look as if I've come on holiday by mistake, like in "Withnail and I".

That bit in Trainspotting when they get off the tr...

2008-04-02T08:35:08.342-04:00

That bit in Trainspotting when they get off the train in the middle of nowhere for a hike is on that West Coast line. A station in the middle of nowhere.

Thank you, Henry, for making me thoroughly miserable to be sitting at a formica desk in West London, styrofoam cup of cold tea on my right, a view of the Westway (elevated urban freeway) to my left.

Henry! An admirable posting. A few comments: what'...

2008-04-02T05:47:07.199-04:00

Henry! An admirable posting. A few comments: what's an 80 "shilling" pint? Is that the same as 80 pence? Looks like a great trip. Did you watch Gregory's Girl as well as Local Hero to get ready? Hopefully not Trainspotting

Speaking of Take Your Daughter to Work Day, did yo...

2008-04-02T05:05:16.490-04:00

Speaking of Take Your Daughter to Work Day, did you see this story from the Onion?

And I like how contentedly Private McBain's daughter is sleeping. Nothing like a crying baby to put you off your bayoneting.