Home At Last

I'm back.  And I'm damned happy to be back!

I had a wonderful journey and I couldn't feel better than I do today!  While it was great to be away working on self-improvement, it feels far better to be home.

I feel like I accomplished so much but I realize today that all I really did was begin to accomplish things.  If I go back to smoking, I have accomplished nothing.  If you don't find me huffing and puffing (running not smoking) my way around the Charles in a month then I wasted two months in Scotland fooling myself.

I believe my lifestyle has changed but there will be no better test than being home.

I look forward to that test with open arms.

I thank all of you for being immensely supportive while I was away.  Your comments on my journal, your emails and phone calls helped make two months move along fairly quickly.  I am anxious to see all of you during the holiday season so that I can express my gratitude in person. You are all the best!

This entry ends my travelogue/journal.  I hoped you enjoyed reading it.  At times, it was difficult to find subject matter but when I ultimately did find the subject, the journal wrote itself. 

That's it for now, I remain,

Your friend,

Mike

 

One More Day

Finally, Christine and our families arrive in St. Andrews tomorrow morning.  The best part is when they depart on Sunday, I'll be going home with them.  It was be a gross misstatement for me to say I didn't like being here.  Just the opposite is true.  I feel like I have accomplished many things but none of them are worth a hill of beans if I don't follow through when I returm home.  It is going to require a more significant effort to keep up the running and keep off the cigarettes but I feel it is worth it.

My one observation from yesterday (nothing to do with Raisin Monday) is how can a restaurant serve a dish and call it pasta if there is no pasta in it?  Is this another fine example of the delights of Scottish cuisine? I ordered lasagne yesterday because I was craving some "Italian" food.  What was served to me was a casserole dish topped with cheese and minced meat hiding under it. What the ____, over. I need a good meal, thankfully, Kevin is preparing a feast for Thanksgiving.

All the best to all of you, I remain,

Marking off the hours till Chris gets here,

Mike

Raisin Monday

Trust me when I tell you, you've never seen anything, I mean anything, like Raisin Monday (for those of you who don't know what Raisin Weekend is, go back one entry).  I was semi-prepared for the lunacy because all day yesterday I saw students in various states of drunkeness throughout the town.  However, today takes the cake.

At 11:00 AM, the bell tower at St. Salvator's signals the formal beginning of the festivities.  At 11:01 AM, the Quad is filled with 600-800 students covered in shaving foam from head to toe.  I stopped by to see it ( as did half the town) and couldn't stop laughing.  Looking into the quad, it appeared to be blizzard conditions and oddly dressed people reveling in a storm of foam. It was like an outdoor Gallagher concert. There were students dressed as the Statue of Liberty, Chinese dragons, military figures, coneheads and men as women and vice versa.   Some were covered in Christmas wrapping paper, in newspapers, bath towels and plastic sheeting. Most of the students, were to some degree, grossly underdressed for the frosty morning.  Prior to going into the quad, the "children" delivered their Raisin "receipt".  I saw washing machines, ovens, tractor trailer tires, shopping carts, garden hoses, park benches, sandwich boards and a variety of other cumbersome objects.  It was a great way to start a Monday morning. I laughed till it hurt.

Last week for me here in St. Andrews and then, no journal entries. I'm looking forward to being home.   Hope you are all well.  I remain,

Wishing I was a student, not.

Mike

No Tour Guide Today

Today, I'm not playing tour guide.  My sense is that when I do, you lose interest.  I'll be honest, I can't resist.  There are so many wonderfully beautiful days here and amazing things to see and I like to share them.  Instead, I want to tell you about the wackiest weekend that is.  It's called Raisin Weekend and it begins today. We have nothing like it in the States although it's a type of hazing or a "rite of passage" for 1st year students at the University of St. Andrews.

The Raisin weekend tradition has been around since nearly the incorporation of the Uni, in 1410.  It works like this.  A freshmen (1st year student) is adopted by academic parents, a mother and father, who are always upperclassmen.  On Sunday, the "children" are invited to a tea party by their "mother", which in fact no tea is served but a prodigious amount of alcohol is on offer. (it's not unusual to walk through town and see a pipe and a funnel dropping out of a 3rd floor window with a shot sent down to a waiting child) Later, the children are collected by their dads and even more alcohol is imbibed. 

On Raisin Monday, the children are cleaned up, sobered up, and dressed by their parents in the most outlandish outfits imaginable.  It's like Halloween meets god-knows-what.   At the strike of eleven bells a.m., all the children parade through town and then file into the quad and basically make mayhem for 1 hour until the clock strikes again at the top of the next hour.  

There are many other traditions associated with this bit of nut-case behavior but that's it in a nutshell.  I suspect, I will be seeing students dashing through town nekkid tonight (if I'm up that late). By the way, it's called Raisin Weekend because the children are required to gift a bottle of  wine to each of their parents (olden days equivalent to a pound of raisins).  I should mention that one other tradition is that the parents give each child a receipt of sorts that could be anything in the world.  It's not surprising at all to see a child dragging a receipted bathtub down the street or something else that has been proferred illegally.  Yikes! And then of course, there is the foam fight.  It's not to be missed. Very stable town, St. Andrews is.

Any questions?  I remain,

Standing guard for Raisin Weekend,

Mike

Mine/Counter-Mine

Yesterday, I walked over to St. Andrews Castle to do something I haven't done since I was in my twenties.  It was such a beautiful day that after my workout, I wanted to stay outside and take a walk.  Once I got over to the Castle, I decided to go sub-terranean and explore the mine/counter-mine system in the Castle.  It is not something you want to do if you are claustrophobic or over 200 pounds.  (well, one out of two isn't bad)  The mine was originally dug by the Earl of Arran and his battery of attackers around 1546. Their intent was to dig under the foundation of the Castle walls and weaken its support.  The counter-mine was dug by the defenders of St. Andrews Castle in an effort to intercept the attackers and only had the sound of digging to guide them.  It is quite amazing while you're down there because the counter-mine wiggles around quite a bit and is very narrow (you spend most of your time on your hand and knees navigating it) while the mine actually feels like a cellar.  What a different world it was back then and it's exciting to think about while you're down below ground in close quarters wondering what it must have been like then.  To even things off, I climbed the 151 steps of St. Rules Tower to get a birds-eye view of the wonderful old town of St. Andrews and the North Sea. It is simply breathtaking on a clear, sunny day.

Welcome to the weekend, my next to last here.  Until tomorrow, I remain,

Chomping at the bit to return home,

Mike

St. Margaret's Chapel

Yesterday, I took the train from Leuchars near St. Andrews to Scotland's capital and one of the prettiest cities in the world, Edinburgh.  I was on a bit of a pre-scout mission for when the family arrives here next week to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Whenever I am in Edinburgh, I feel compelled to go up to the Castle and see my favorite building in the world, St. Margaret's Chapel.  The Chapel is the oldest building within the castle and also the oldest structure in Edinburgh, dating back to the 12th century.  It was built by David I for the royal family and dedicated to his mother, Margaret, Queen of Scotland who died in the castle in 1093.   This tiny building gives me goosebumps every time I go into it.  It has a stone vaulted ceiling but is only perhaps 10 feet high.  The nave itself can't be bigger than your smallest bedroom.  The separate altar area is also very small.  Whenever I walk into St. Margaret's Chapel, I find it difficult to speak in anything above a whisper because it's beauty overwhelms me. No description or photo would give this place it's due, you have to see it for yourself.

I'm off and running today.  Hope all is well with you at home. I remain,

With fond memories of St. Margaret's,

Mike

ps.  The answer to the two trivia questions - All the men in the world weigh more than all the women.  And Benjamin Franklin is the scientist/politician who invented daylight savings time.

Sand in Your Shoes

As the famous philosopher, Dick Grayson, once said, "Holy Heatwave, Batman."  Today's temperature is in the mid-60's with a stiff breeze.  When I arrived at the West Sands Beach this morning the wind was blowing the sand from the top of the beach to the shore.  It looked very eery and beautiful because the sand was 3-4 inches off the surface and it was constant.  Once you started running in it, it wasn't beautiful at all.  Afterwards, my shower floor looked like I took the West Sands Beach home with me.

Last night I went to the Drouthy Neebors Pub where they held a trivia contest.  Talk about esoterica.  Here's one of the questions, "collectively, who weighs more, all the women in the world or all the men in the world?"  (answer tomorrow) Granted you have a 50% chance of getting it right but, 1: who cares and 2: who weighed them? Here's another, (this one I got right) what politician and scientist invented daylight savings time even though it was not instituted until well after his death.  Here's a hint, he has a degree from St. Andrews University.  (answer also tomorrow)

My evening didn't end at Drouthy's.  I went late night exploring. My exploring ended when I had to hop a six foot high fence in someone's back garden.  I'm not sure what possessed me to do this last night but I did find a late night lamb kebab place that I wasn't familiar with.  Exploring has its rewards, ask Columbus.

Until next time, I remain,

With sand in my shoes and everywhere else.

Mike

Isn't it?

I consider myself to be a bit of a social scientist and I've been listening carefully to the Scottish and English dialects for a long time. What strikes me funny is how so many sentences are questions, aren't they?  Do you follow me?  It seems no one is quite ready to make a definitive statement, so instead they allow you to make it for them.  See what I mean? It's really a lovely little quirk of their language, isn't it?

You'll find yourself doing it, if you spend enough time here. And then it becomes attrociously annoying.  It's a little like the northerner who spends too much time in Atlanta and starts throwing "y'alls" around like nickels.  Don't you just want to take them by the collar, give them a good shake and say, "man, you're from South Boston, knock it off."  It's a little like that here, don't you think?

I remain,

Out in the sun too long, wouldn't you say?

Mike

Does It Ever Rain Here?

This morning, I was sitting in the drawing room reading a book when the occasion occured for a long, Sunday morning, yawn and stretch.  As I looked out the window, I questioned out loud, for my ears only, "does it ever rain here?" The tartan clothed shades and woodwork framed a look over the hills at yet another glorious morning, one of the many since I've been here.  I mention it not because I am a walking, talking advertisement for the Scottish Tourist Bureau (come on, admit it, you all think it) but because from everything I have heard, this type of weather is an anomaly.  Yesterday, I mentioned to my friend, Rachel, that since I have been away I have seen a double rainbow, the Aurora Borealis and a full lunar eclipse. In addition, I run a magnificent beach and see daily, cloudless, nighttime skies brimming with stars.  Rachel left me with the mysterious comment that "the universe is with you."  I slept on that thought without deriving much meaning until today when  I realized the beauty of the morning.  I won't get into this philosophically but I think I realized today how much the universe is with all of us, if we let it.  I must say, for a guy who has never given that type of thing any thought, it was the revelation of my journey.  Of course, we all enjoy a great sun set or rise, or the beauty of just fallen snow but this somehow felt vastly different. Strangely, I feel enlightened!! I wonder what Rachel is going to say now?

Wierdly, yesterday, I was working up to this mental behavior. I was walking through the "Home of Golf" and realized I hadn't played golf here since the first week of my trip but  I wanted to walk down to the Old Course just to enjoy the ethereal beauty of the land.  I found myself mesmerized after a few minutes, intently taking in the surroundings. I even shook myself off to leave the one square foot of land where I was firmly planted and awestruck.

I'm not sure what happened today or if it will happen again but I feel differently,  I wish I could explain it better but I appreciate my awareness.  I hope it continues. If I know one thing, I know today was a gift.

Now what?  I remain,

A little less puzzled but puzzled nevertheless,

Mike

St Andrews Week

November 30th is St. Andrews Day, Scotland's national day.  Here in St. Andrews, it is celebrated with an 8 day festival of events and activities.  There are street entertainers, workshops, concerts, exhibitions, fireworks, Ceilidhs (pronounced, Kay-Lees. It is Scottish Folk dancing), a gala ball, a kite festival, the switching on of the Christmas lights and the St. Andrews University graduation with a colorful procession through the town.  The town is exerting an enormous collective effort to make this year's festival the best in its history.  Coincidently, our Thanksgiving falls during this week.  Ian Hamilton, the Chairman of St. Andrew's Week, and I were talking yesterday about marketing the festival in the States.  It may be something I get more involved with ( I can already see Chris shaking her head).  Our families will be here that week to celebrate Thanksgiving and to take me home!  (Yay!) It should be alot of fun!

I found a cool link today to a 24 hour webcam of the Old Course. You can take control of the camera and look around a bit.  Knock yourselves out, if you like.  You'll see that that once again, it's another beautifully sunny day here in St. Andrews.

If anyone would like to rent Monarchs House and have Kevin cook them Thanksgiving dinner next year, let me know.  No clean up, no fuss, no muss.  I know, it's a shameless plug but my first since I've been here.

That's it for today.  I have to go find something to do with myself.  Hope all is well with you, your families and loved ones. I remain,

Heading outdoors to enjoy the sunshine,

Mike

 

Weekend?

As the days flow into weeks here, I find I have less to talk about because my concentration level is high on work, working out, learning how to cook and other assorted goodies.  This week in particular, I haven't gone out at night at all and the weekend doesn't look any different.  In fact, the weekend doesn't feel any different than say, Monday.  It's odd not having plans at night.  It's odd not going out with friends and certainly, it's odd not being with Christine.  I guess it's all of my own choicing because if I wanted to be out here, it would be easy enough done.  But at the end of the day, I lose interest in any more stimuli.  My biggest moment at night during this week has been teaching some Scottish kids how to throw an American Football.  There we were, myself and 3 kids aged 15-17, standing in the middle of Queen's Terrace doing fly patterns and button hooks.  I can't picture that happening on the mall of Commonwealth Avenue.

Ah well, it's the weekend.  I decided to workout tomorrow too because in a peculiar way I have become a glutton for punishment.  Like all things, I'm in or I'm out.  Usually, I'm in.  These days, I've definately learned the value of the chill pill, like it or not.

Phone calls and emails are welcome and I will do my best to respond to all.  For now, it's back to work and until tomorrow, I remain,

Wondering what to do with myself.

Michael

 

6000 words

If a picture is worth a 1000 words then this should be enough.  Pic number 5 is Ryan, my crack smoking trainer.  Number 6 is my new girlfriend, Luisa, who shares a name with my maternal grandmother and is Amanda's niece.

On the Tellie

From the nation that brought you, Benny Hill, Monty Python's Flying Circus and Absolutely Fabulous, comes a new generation of television programming.  Over the past few years, we have seen "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", "The Weakest Link" and "American Idol" (adapted from the UK version, "Pop Idol") all emanate from the UK.  If the past is any indication of the future, I have seen the future of American TV and it's gonna get a lot worse. 

Last evening, in my flu like trance, I watched a series of consecutive shows that are sure to be on our sets in the US before long.  Reality TV is still very big stuff here but it's gone from the inane to the ridiculous.  My evening of television started with "Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver", a show that is as ridiculous as it sounds but made worse when one realizes it is a ongoing series not a special.  Next up was "Celebrity Wife Swap."  You may want to go back and read that again.  Better yet, see the web site if you don't believe me.  I won't waste time on the first two entries because "Celebrity Arse Painting" was the piece de resistance.  The basic premise of the show was 3 couples are given a photo of a celebrity and the women sit behind their men ( who are wearing ass exposing chaps) and make their arse look like the celebrity.  Last night's lucky celebs were Michael Jackson, Elton John and some other person I didn't know but who was replicated with a cigarette hanging out of the particpant's arse cheeks.  I wish I could give you a picture of this but when I search for it on Google there are too many things that even I won't look at. On tonight's television sked is "How Clean is Your House" and "Sex Rules", its episode is entitled "Sex Expresso".  It's about having sex with someone you just met and don't know.  Last week's epsiode was "F*%k Buddies", just to put it all in perspective for you.  Keep in mind this is mainsteam television.  Maybe I will stay in tonite. 

Back with more tomorrow. I remain,

Fluffing up the pillows for a night in front of the tellie,

Mike

The Revenge of King Juan Carlos

Last night, I discovered another way to slow down.  I awoke at 3 am not knowing where I was but realizing quickly that something was amiss with my digestive system.  My mad dash to the bathroom was just in time for a technicolor yawn or three.  I cannot blame this episode on the epicurean delights of Scottish food.  I didn't take dinner last evening or eat on the plane back from Spain. The result of my late night sprints has placed me horizontal for the day alternating between cold sweats and shivers.  Fun eh?  And as you know, for men, there is no such thing as a small illness.  Philosophically, the question is, when there is no loved one around to hear your moaning, are you still in pain?

Nevertheless, the byproduct of my "illness" is that Ryan didn't get a chance to pummel me this morning.  I'm quickly running out of time on this journey and everyday counts.  (almost sounds like I'm enjoying this now?).

Here's a silly question that I would never have imagined me asking.  Does anyone have a good stuffing recipe.  You can email any recipe to dicarlom@aol.com.  Kevin, our chef, is going to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for us and may need an American recipe or two.  God, what am I turning into?!?!

That's it for now, I am still beat from my bout of King Juan Carlos' Revenge.  I'll write more domani.  Hope you are all well.

I remain,

Looking for a little sympathy,

Michael

Hola Scotland

I would not recommend visiting Espana, especially Marbella and the Costa de Sol, if you want to stay away from cigarettes or live life in moderation.  As my friend Zak put it to me succinctly, "face it, Mike.  Death is right around the corner. I give you two days before you smoke again."  Don't travel with Zak if you want to slow down for a second or two. 

In Spain, you get the feeling that life is right around the corner.  The food is exquisite, the nightlife is non-stop, the weather year-round is perfect and the people love to party.  The wrong place for me, right?  Actually, Chris and I had a great time although we didn't have enough "alone" time.  It was go-go-go from the minute we arrived.  Our hosts, the Laliberte's, made certain that we experienced everything the area had to offer. We sailed on a tri-masted vessel in the Mediterranean, I golfed (twice) at Valderamma, we dined at fantastic restaurants, sang, danced,  saw the Rock of Gibraltor, played one card, blind poker during a boozy mid-afternoon lunch, watched a total lunar eclipse at 2 A.M. and basically, made a general nuisance of ourselves for seven days.  It was "muy" fun and I'm glad to be back in sunny Scotland!  Ryan is going to kick my ass tomorrow morning!

I'm too tired to write more tonight but I'm back on schedule for tomorrow.  Hope you are all well.  Sue, for the record, the Spanish jokes are not funny.

I remain,

El dormir para la noche.

Mike

 

Wellie Tossing

"The world thinks eccentricity in great things, genius, but in small things, only crazy."

The United Kingdom has always had its disproportionate share of eccentrics.  In 2002, an ad campaign aired in Europe, Canada and the USA entitled "Only in Britain."  It celebrated British eccentricity as a tourist attraction. The ad proclaimed you could see waltzing in Trafalgar Square, Wellie Tossing competitions and the Pearly King and Queen. 

And speaking of eccentrics.......last evening, I attended a dinner party on Queens Terrace. One of the guests was a self-appointed Bishop, Antony, who is saying Mass today in Latin.  (author's note: If you are self-appointed, why not go all the way and name yourself a Cardinal) Dinner's grace was about how Tony Blair and Dubya aren't God and there are starving children in Africa. I'm sure that will come as a revelation to readers as it did to me last night. I really needed a co-conspirator. It was truly All Hallow's Eve.  (Am I being too cruel here?)

I have much to do today to get ready for Spain and I promised I would go to Dundee with Lucie today to buy a CD burner, so I'm off and running.  Happy weekend to you. I remain,

Practicing my Latin,

Mike

One Down

Today is the 3 week mark and the end of month 1.  I have accomplished some goals, the biggest of which is to stop smoking.  On the other hand, I haven't really noticed much difference in body weight distribution. I have surprised myself with the running.  I don't enjoy it (yet?) but my goal setting is dependent on running.  I don't think I have made much progress on my mental goals.  I'm still in the air about what I want to do.  Everyday, I set aside time to work on a plan of attack and it hasn't come together yet.  I've done much reading while away and would wholeheartedly recommend the book "Silence" by Shusaku Endo.  It is the second time I have read this book and it really is one of the best reads ever.  It is the story of two Portugese priests who set sail to Japan to nurture the nascent movement to Christianity in the 16th century. However, the main plot of "Silence" revolves around the priests perception of God's silence during the tragic suffering and martyrdom of Christians at the hands of the Japanese.  

Since I have been in St. Andrews, I have seen 21 consecutive rainless mostly sunny days, a double rainbow and the Northern Lights.  I have met some wonderful new people, reestablished friendships and even learned a few new jokes (A couple for you, Sue!)  I love the simple life of this town despite the fact there are plenty of distractions.

On Sunday, I leave St. Andrews with my bad golf game in tow to meet Christine on the Costa del Sol.  I'm looking forward to seeing her so much.  3 weeks doesn't sound like much time to be alone but I can tell you, I was underprepared for it. 

Happy Halloween all!  Thank you so much for the wonderful comments and emails and phone calls. 1 to go. Until next time, I remain,

Ripping the month off the calendar,

Mike

Lucie

Lucie

Kirstie

Kirstie

Trio

(From l to r) Allison, Kevin and Amanda

Guising

Repeat after me...

No Late Night Cigars!

Repeat as necessary.

Playing basketball today at 2 pm against a fit 25 year old is going to be a stiff challenge.  I may have to dig back into the memory banks for the soft 16 foot jump shot and keep it an outside game.  Or, I could cancel. 

I heard another interesting colloquilalism last evening. On Halloween, folks here go "trick or treating" and "guising."  Guising looks and feels like trick or treating with one large difference. Guising still involves going from door to door in masks and costumes but in order to recieve a treat, you must entertain your neighbors. It has something to do with warding off evil spirits which leads me back to one of my previous posts, "Truth or Scare."

And to be truthful, today, I need to scare off some of the effects of old demon alcohol before basketball.  I'll have photos of last evening's send off a little later today.

Back later, I remain,

Practicing an invisible jump shot with an invisible jump,

Mike

PS.  I just found out that the sky and stars that mesmerized me last night was none other than the Aurora Borealis.  No wonder.

THE Staff

Really....it's becoming hard to believe but it was one helluva splendiferous day.  This morning, I wore a short sleeve tee shirt and shorts.  I'm thinking that a seaside resort hotel with golf might do well here. Think about it.

Tonight, the Monarchs House staff and I went out for a wonderful dinner.  It was the last time the group would be together.  Amanda, Kevin, Allison, Lucie and Kirstie have all helped make MH what it is.

Amanda, our GM, is moving to Cantebury, England with her husband-to-be, Harry.  They marry on December 20th.  Harry is a terrific chap (notice how I am assimilating) and our loss is clearly his gain.  Much of Monarchs House's success can be attributed to Amanda's amazing attention to detail, her disarming charm and  her engaging personality. We will miss her immensely.  Amanda has trained her successor well and vice versa.  Next season's General Manager is Angus Mitchell, Amanda's dad.

We are also going to miss our friend, the lovely Lucie Hardie.  Lucie leaves for Spain shortly and threatens she may return.  If she does, we would welcome her back with open arms and so would our guests!

Kirstie is now attending  Edinburgh University and is a St. A's native.  Kirstie and I met a few days ago and I can confirm our guests' compliments. As I learned tonight, it's no surprise that Lucie and Kirstie are the best of mates.

Over the past several days, I suspect you've noticed my biting comments about the local cuisine. Kevin Low, our master chef, has enjoyed unanimous praise.  Kevin's  fare is second to none and would slay NYC, Paris and London locals.

Allison has been with us since the beginning and is quick with a smile and a story if you have time.  Between her and Kevin, Angus has a great nucleus for next season. 

I have much more to tell you tonight (the Gaja Sito Moresco is unbelievable!!) but I have to save some talking points

Here's to you and your loved ones. I couldn't miss you more. I remain,

Two sips away from the arms of Morpheus,

Mike

I was happy. Now, I'm annoyed. I just typed today's entry and it was erased in error. Grrrrrr..... I'll attempt to retype later after dinner.

Yours Aye

I'm just in from my run on the West Sands beach and despite not feeling quite myself today, the run made me feel better.  This is very scarey stuff for those of you who know me.

I was reviewing my journal entries over the past week or so and it seems to me that they read like "Scotland for the Uninitiated."  In fact, it sounds as if I don't like Scotland and the Scottish, when in fact just the opposite is true.  I showed Amanda the "Sounds Bad, is Bad" entry and she thought I was trying to make the case that all Scottish food is derived from a ritualistic dare system.  I'm sure my story of the wreckless ghost driving a car down one of Scotland's main highways has had nary an effect on tourism.

However, there was one thing I did notice.  I haven't covered the Scottish turn of phrase.  This is sure to get me in the soup again.  Let's start with the word "aye." I love "aye."  Depending on its usage it can mean either yes or always.  A couple of examples for your consideration, "Aye, Ah'm coming oot" (Yes, I'm coming out) or "He's aye gaun oot" (he's always going out).  Catchy huh?  In Boston, I used to own phrase # 1 and Christine staked her claim on phrase # 2.

Of course there are some Scottish words that do not appear anywhere in "American-English."  Take the word "spangy."  It means to jump from rooftop to rooftop.  I can hardly wait to come home and go spangying in the Back Bay.  Terry Mullaney are you game?

Another word I especially like is "eeejit."  It means idiot.  I like it because I have never seen a word with three consecutive "e's."  I am trying to confirm whether eeeembecil is a Scottish word.  Nothing on that yet.

A word indigenous to the County of Fife in Scotland is "parton" or "crab." It's not an unusual word but it's usage in a sentence is of particular interest.  "Whit are you lookin' at, ya wee parton-face?" 

As you can see the Scottish were and still are very colorful in addition to being extremely inventive (the dollar sign was invented at St. Andrews Uni.  More on that another time) We have only skimmed the surface of the Scottish vernacular and as more gems turn up, I will get them to you straight away.

Until then, I remain,

Yours aye,

Mike

Crossing Over

As far as autumn days are concerned, this one is rated 9.5 on a 10 scale.  It's warm, sunny and you can see forever.  Why people get concerned about weather when travelling here is a mystery to me.

I think I'm crossing over to enjoying my workouts.  Ryan called me this morning and told me he couldn't get out of London until later today.  He asked if we could get together tomorrow and I suggested 4 PM today after he arrives. I couldn't believe the words came out of my mouth.  I think Ryan was a bit incredulous also but he agreed to meet today. What the ______, over?

I saw Intolerable Cruelty last night at one of the New Picture House's three screens.  Also playing is Kill Bill and Finding Nemo.  I thought Catherine Zeta Jones looked amazing but her role was incredibly thin as was her's and George Clooney's acting.  Or lack therof.  Save your 8 dollars. 

Tomorrow, I am going to Perthshire (west of St. Andrews towards the middle of the country) and I may miss a day of journal upkeep.  I enjoy writing this journal because it keeps me focused.

Not much for you today as yesterday was a very relaxing day of watching football and golf on tv.  Hope you are all well.

 For now, I remain,

Waiting to kill Ryan..............for being late.

Mike

Prince William

I meant to tell you this story yesterday but it just slipped my mind.  Friday night our guests at Monarchs House, Chuck, Dan, Sue, Vikki and Diane, went over to the Westport, a nearby watering hole.  The Westport also happens to be Prince William's bar of choice these days while he studies at the University.  Sure enough, our guests' and the Prince's paths collided.

The Prince was at the bar with his "friend", who according to Vikki was, "a very cheesy looking, skinny girl with big boobs."  (author's note: what's wrong with that?)

 After a couple of adult beverages, William leaned over to Vikki and opined, " I quite fancy that girl" about his friend.

Vikki, Sue and Diane tripled teamed the unexpecting Prince with, "we would never say something like that in the States."

"Why not?" The Prince retorted, "how about, I get off on that girl?"

"Not quite" the girls exuded.  " In the States we would say, she's a hottie."

William loved it and repeated it with a very long, poshy, British "H".

And the girls had met and loved their Prince.

Aren't happy endings great?

Happy daylight savings time.

I remain,

Looking for that extra hour to fall back on.

Mike

 

A Day Off

Two terrific things happened today.  I finally moved back into Monarchs House and unpacked for awhile and secondly, I got a day off from my workouts.  Yay!  I'm sitting in the living room in Monarchs House looking out the window to a Montana like sky with very flat light over the distant hills.  It is just another glorious day here. 

I feel like I am accomplishing my goals step by step.  The workouts are just part of it.  I've worked, read, thought, planned, relaxed and socialized all in moderation.  Most important of all, the biggest goal has been accomplished, to quit smoking.  The one thing that I have not been able to do is to get a full night's sleep.  I always wake up around 4 am and read until 6 am or so.  I can't crack that old habit even though my body certainly is weary enough.  I guess, everything in due time. 

Speaking of time, it's time for me to go enjoy the day.  I miss you all.

I remain,

Full of vim and vigor,

Mike

ps keep those comments flowing, it makes writing easier

Sounds Bad, Is Bad

The old saying "what you eat is where you are" rings especially true in Scotland.  However, there are a few tips worth mentioning for your dining pleasure.  The primary suggestion and the one I'm covering today is,  if it sounds bad, it generally is bad.  There are notable exceptions and I'll mention a few at the end of this note. But let's get right down to it.

Your starter dish will be Cullen Skink.  It's a soup made from haddock but also includes poached eggs.  I fail to see the natural marriage of these ingredients but take it from someone who has tasted it, sounds bad, is way bad. Your intermediate starter is the lovely sounding Giblet Pie.  This may be the last thing you will ever eat.  Rigor mortis sets in nearly immediately.  I will spare you the ingredients. Ahhh, the main course....today, we'll be having pigeon casserole.  No ordinary pigeons these, they must be plump and they must be young.  And don't forget to throw in a knob of butter and a cup of Armagnac. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. For dessert (the Scottish can't be blamed for this one, it's primarily an English dish), you will be savouring Spotted Dick.  It's a log shaped suet pudding with currants. I assume the currants are thrown in there to keep you off balance. Surprisingly there is a big market for "spotted richard".  Heinz makes a canned version.  Yummy.  

You probably noticed that I made no mention of the national dish, Haggis.  I like it.  It does sound bad but it is very good.  Imagine a cross between Thanksgiving stuffing and a sausage and you have a rough idea on its taste. My best tip for eating it is to forget what it is.  Let's leave it at that.

My favorite "sounds bad" but is very good is not Haggis.  It's the auspiciously named, Roastit Bubblyjock and Cheston Crappin'.  All hail roast turkey and chestnut stuffing! 

For me, it becomes more and more apparent every day that the Scots should have let the Romans conquer them, steal a few recipes and then, given them the boot.

By the way, nothing like the above is ever served at Monarchs House.  Bon Appetite.

I remain,

Slightly nauseous,

Mike

Truth or Scare

It's dificult to believe that Halloween with its goblins and witches is upon us already. But imagine a place where you can encounter ghosts and the paranormal every month.  Due to it's somewhat bloody history, ghosts are not unusual in Scotland. However, they are positively commonplace in St. Andrews and the County of Fife.

"St. Andrews by the Northern Sea, that is a haunted town to me."

I'm sure you need convincing.  How about the "ghost car" driven by a malevolent looking man that speeds down the "A7" causing reoccuring accidents?  You need more don't you?  Of course you do.  There's always the assassinated Archbishop of St. Andrews, James Beaton, who rides down Strathkinness Road in a phantom coach drawn by four large horses.  The murdered Prior who can be observed on moonlit nights watching over the Tower of St. Rules might convince you. The "white lady" would definately scare your hair straight.  It's not unusual for this ghosty woman to run right through you by the square tower.  I know I'm not making a strong case for you but name one other country who recognizes the Ghost Tracking profession.  A few years ago, Amanda, our general manager at Monarchs House, saw a wee, ghoulish, girl at the foot of her bed.

See for yourself, visit St. Andrews.  Have a ghoul on us.  I would be curious to read any of your own ghost stories but until then, I remain,

Sleeping with the covers over my head.

Michael

ps:  Do you think the running is making me hallucinate?

On the Roof

Have you ever heard the story about the guy that left his home in Boston to go on a business trip to California and leaves his beloved cat in his brother's care?  Well, just two days later he calls his brother and asks how the cat is and his brother informs him that the cat died. 

Distraught over his cat's death he says to his brother, "how could you break that type of news so callously?" 

 To which his brother responds, " how else could I do it other than take the direct approach?"

"Look," he cries, "the first time I call, you tell me the cat is stuck on the roof and you can't get her down.  The second time I call, you tell me the fire department has tried to retrieve her to no avail. On my third call to you, you can tell me the cat is still on the roof and hasn't had a bite to eat in days. The next time I call, you tell me we did everything possible to save the cat but she finally died.  That way I'm prepared." 

The brother agreed, " I understand, my approach was callous."

"Well anyways, I'm sure you did everything you could to save the cat.  By the way, how's Ma doing?"

"She's on the roof!"

A good workout today with a little yoga in about an hour so I'm on the run abit.  In case you are wondering about Ryan, my trainer, well..................he's on the roof!

Hope all is well with all of you. I remain,

At Walshie's suggestion changing allegiances to become the new President of the Patriots St. Andrews Fan Club.

Mike

Kill Ryan

My workout today can best be summed up by quoting the famous philosopher, Dick Greyson who once blurted, "Holy burning biceps, Batman!"

Ryan, my trainer and closet crack pipe smoker, today revealed my laughable upper body condition.  By the end of today's session,  I felt like a limbless cast member of "Kill Bill."  Saturday's day of rest cannot arrive soon enough.

After my run yesterday, I felt surprisingly energized.  In the afternoon, I went for a long walk around the town and was reminded of this simple town's beauty and elegance.  I many ways, St. Andrew's is a microcosm of Boston. St. Andrew's and Boston's vitality derive from their inordinately high percentage of college students and their proximity to the ocean.  Both towns are rich in education, culture, architecture and history.  But I continue to observe one significant difference between St. Andrew's and Boston.  The people here could give Bostonians a lesson or two about friendliness.  If you visit here, it will be one of the first things you will notice.

Not much for today, I'm actually too bloody tired to type.  I know, it's a lame excuse.  I am sticking to the plan however and that's what counts.

At the moment, I remain,

Devising yet another plan, this one,  to "Kill Ryan"

Mike

Running Sucks

All of you runners out there-----I don't know how you do it. I kept forgetting to breathe on my 3 Mile jog along the West Sands Beach.  However, the view this morning was magnificent.  The surf was up and the sun backlit the ocean's spray while the "Aulde Grey Town" stood majestically in the background.  It was a wonderful sight.

Speaking of wonderful sights, I saw something yesterday that I didn't know existed in nature.  Yesterday afternoon, I was reading a book in a conservatory overlooking a neighbor's (Jill Hardie) garden.  I was pouring through pages of my book, Bird by Bird, oblivious to my surroundings when I heard a slight rain hitting the plexi-glass roof of the conservatory.  At first, it was relatively quiet and erratic before bursting into a very noisy deluge.  Now it had my attention.  I looked up and out and saw the sun shining in one direction, rain clouds overhead and a huge double rainbow!!!  Bless my lucky charms.  After the rainbows faded away, I turned my attention back to my book and realized that Jill's 3 Pugs, Violet, Ruby and Martha, and her 2 Jack Russells, Tattie and Clover, were curled up all over me.  I had a good laugh realizing this kind of thing just doesn't happen to me in Boston. 

That's today's entry.  And writing this journal is significantly easier than running, I'll tell you.  Till next time,

I remain,

Covered in Pug hair,

Mike

Chariots of Fire

Tomorrow morning at the crack of nine o'clock, I will attempt to reenact the Chariots of Fire slow motion run along St. Andrew's West Sands Beach. The difference between the movie and my effort is, the movie's slow motion will be my actual speed!  My personal trainer insists that I will be a "runner" by November's end.  I tell him to put his crack pipe away.  As you can see, there is a nice friendly banter between us.

In my effort to retain the "Doppler" nickname, I present todays weather:  for the first time since I arrived, the heavens finally opened up........for 3 minutes.  The locals are wildly celebrating the end of the year long drought.  The end of that downpour, totalling 1/100th of an inch of rain, brought a beautiful fall day.  I did read moments ago that Nebraska is experiencing a heatwave!  Imagine, it will be 95 degrees there today.  What's with that?

One other thing I would like to bring you up to date on, I have quit smoking.  Finally.  Sell short all the tobacco companies as soon as possible.  Breathe free or die, baby!  Not to worry, I will not become one of those militant ex-smokers, just an ex-smoker.

That's all for now, must go out and enjoy the day.  Maybe a 5 mile run or something.  Not.

I remain,

Sticking to the plan,

Mike

Red Sox Nation

Ouch Ouch and Double Ouch. 

My reward for staying up until 5:30 am to watch the Yankees/Red Sox seventh game was another lesson in Red Sox fidelity.  Peter Gammons once said it best, " they killed our fathers and grandfathers before us and now the bastards are coming for us."  From my vantage point 3000 miles away, I can see much finger pointing in Boston.  I wonder what it looks like from space?

My first week in Scotland has proceeded swimmingly.  A surprise visit from Andy Adelson and David Laliberte highlighted the week (in addition to a highly profitable poker game).  Somewhat amazingly, I haven't seen a drop of rain in 7 days!  I think Scottish weather is amazing and reports of great rains are used to keep tourists away.  I could be wrong.

My second week here will be much quieter than week one.  My intention is to stay current with this journal and to keep you up to date.  Thus far, no Prince William sightings for me, although Amanda did see him walking down North Street on Wednesday.  More stories forthcoming.  I miss you all.

For now, I remain,

Former President of The Red Sox Fan Club of St. Andrews

Mike DiCarlo

The Beginning.......

I am an old dog!

Nevertheless, I want to prove to myself that I am still capable of learning (especially about myself).  I want to prove my passion for life.  I want to regain focus. I want to be inspired again.

I want to read several books, practice yoga, reacquaint myself with the game of golf, relearn to cook, make some new friends, learn some new jokes.  I will practice my faith. 

I want you to know, this is not a mid-life crisis.  I'm really happy being me!  However, I recently realized my physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion and deemed that a recharge was critical.

I will miss my wonderful, lovely wife immensely.  I would not be able to go off and do this without a bucket load of understanding from Christine. Thank you, love of my life. Luckily, Chris and I will spend time together in Southern Spain at the beginning of November and then again in Scotland at month's end.  This is by far the longest amount of time we have spent apart in 12 years.  YIKES!!! 

I cannot tell you how much I already miss my family and friends.   All of you help define me.  I am blessed by your friendship. I will think of you everyday, as always.

I'm in my office right now looking out the window toward land's end.  I can't help wonder what's beyond.  I can't help but be excited and afraid.  It is new.  It is different.

Stay tuned.

Stay well.

I'll miss all of you.