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.