Post Grandfather '07 Thoughts

**Balaamsass51** · 17th July 07, 03:40 PM

Grandfather '07 !!!!!

First - Grandfather Rocks!

Jimmy Carbomb - Barleyjuice is great. Didn't know you were XMarks. Catch up with you next year.

Can't say enough about "Gary's Celtic Jam" on Friday and the "Celtic Rock Concert" on Saturday. Albannach, Ed Miller, Henri's Notions, The Blair Band, The Killdares, Mother Grove, Barley Juice, Coyeote Run, David Ross.

The campground was a blast. Our trailer was totally surrounded, the Watson banner couldn't be seen. Albannach camped nearby, spent some time around their fire (with a whole lot of others). My son ScottishRebel and his friends thought it was great that they were right there "with the people" as he says.

The whisky tasting and auction at the campground put on by the St Andrews Society of MacRae Meadous was awsome. Where else can you sample 15 or so brands of the water of life!

This was a different games for my family than last year. Last time we wandered around, enjoying the music in the groves, the athletics, etc. This year we spent a great deal of time helping out at the Scottish Tartans Authority tent and the Council of Scottish Clans and Associations tent. Perhaps my wife, son, or I talked to some of you and didn't even know it.

Matt Newsome couldn't come, of course he is usually at the Tartan Museum tent. His daughter had the audacity to be born at the same time the games are held, and the family laid down the law that he had to be home this year. Hope you can get away next year Matt.

Bought 2 Watson ties, a flask with leather cover and belt holder from Hyde & Heddle, several music CD's, lots of great food. Those fire departments give good value for the money with their food vending.

Greetings to my Scottish cousins in Clan Buchannen, Forbes, Hay, and MacDuff.

Oh yeah, saw the ghost of the mountain come down and pipe Sunday night after all the day visitors left. My son got involved in the marshmellow fight between the two areas of the campground - think his side won.

Utilikilts and Sport kilts on sale. Lots of females in kilts. Know utilikilts come in a standard length, too long for me but folks seem to like them.

Anyway, enough talk. Anybody else with input about this years games ??

Matt

**Tattoo Bradley** · 17th July 07, 03:49 PM

I would love to make it to those games some day. Always sounds like SUCH a blast.

**Jimmy Carbomb** · 18th July 07, 12:26 PM

The Southern Hospitality was at its best at Grandfather Mountain... and it was greatly appreciated.

The family atmosphere mixed well with the "serious" party mongers. Donovan did one hill of a job in organizing the flow. Shame he couldn't do something about those untimely rains. Fortunately, we're always prepared to go acoustic when necessary.

With the number of people there, it would be nice to see a Kilt Company with tartans on the site for the endless supply of charge cards and unkilted. Had UtiliKilts carried a load of stock there, they could have made a KILLING. Other than that, there were SportKilts and expensive hand-sewns.

With the immediate invitation of the powers-that-be... we WILL be back in 2008.

**MacMoose** · 19th July 07, 05:46 AM

I arrived on the mountain on Monday, and had a few days to relax before it got crazy.

I want to give a nod to Camerons British Foods for brining a freezer order up for me (no shipping charges!!! Woot!) They made up a 5 1/2 pound Haggis for me and my group (and it was very tasty!) as well as a supply of black and white puddings, and some Danish bacon. I was a very popular guy come breakfast time!

I would concur with Jimmy about the vendors, we do need more kilt suppliers, and those that are already there need to carry more stock. I think I had talked three lads talked into buying themselves a kilt, and there were none to be found! Ach, the commission I missed....

I always enjoy the whisky seminar, but this year I was really dismayed at the way I was bullied and pushed through the procedure, not given near enough time to sample as many varieties and worse yet, enjoy them. I didn't think it was supposed to be a race! The following auction was good fun, my group of friends had donated quite a few items, so it was fun to see them go for good prices, very gratifying to the donors.

Good to meet a few friendly XMarks faces at the Harp tent. It was a shame I had to dash off to attend to my Clan duties back at the tent, but it was good to have a few XMarks folks stop by for a wee sweetie or two (won't mention names, but a passion for licorice All Sorts is involved!)

Sunday's deluge was merely a minor setback. As one of the local Games here in the Charlotte area always mentions in their programs "There is no such thing as bad weather, just poor choices in clothing" It gave my partner and I chance to have a bit of lunch and a few nips of the water of life. OK, a lot of nips.

Looking forward to the Foothill and Waxhaw Games later this year!

**anythingshiny** · 20th July 07, 02:36 PM

matt,

glad ya enjoyed the games brother..not sure who gave ya the info on the UK lengths, but they were incorrect.

UK dosnt use any "standard" size, but rather a waist and drop measurement ( pretty much the standard kneel and measure method)

the lengths are avail anywhere from 17 in to 26..with 20 being the standard "xtra short" off the rack size...they charge a couple of bucks to "chop" one less than 20 inches.

The inventory was on the light side this year...and we sold a TON on friday...chances are if you came by anytime after friday evening...there was nothing in a size that was your preferred.

hopefully we wrapped a tape around ya and wrote down a size for ya!

aight...enough soapbox...glad you enjoyed the games...i know i had a complete and utter ball!!!

between the folks and the whisky and the music...i bet i didnt sleep more than 8 hrs thurs to mon!

peace and bike grease

**Balaamsass51** · 21st July 07, 03:56 AM

Hello MacMoose - Yes the whisky tasting was a mess. Talked with one of the folks who put it on and the problem is that just too many people (hundreds) show up for it. It started out small and has grown beyond control. I know the St. Andrews Society folks are trying to come up with a better plan/setting for next year.

Hello anythingshiny - Actually, even though I agree, I heard several men say that they thought the UK's were too long. But that seems to be the trend. A new friend who I met at the games (camping), who thought he would never get a kilt bought a UK, then never took it off for the last 2 days! Friday was a good day, many of the Clan tents had some of their best visits with Games goers on Friday.

Matt

**anythingshiny** · 21st July 07, 08:56 AM

yeah..i think what happens is folks get in and WANT one...no matter if its "too long" and dont want to wait for a chop or to order one in a more "proper" length..

i typically go by the standard "kneeling" length..and most of us will strongly encourage folks to keep it on the shorter side..to avoid the trollop effect...but a few folks regularly wear them tween the bottom of the knee cap and the shin...WAY long in my book.

im washing all mine today as they are due...eheh...added a bit of caked on dirt, whiskey, fire smoke, hippie sweat from the drum circles and beer at the games...

**Randy** · 21st July 07, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by MacMoose

Good to meet a few friendly XMarks faces at the Harp tent. It was a shame I had to dash off to attend to my Clan duties back at the tent, but it was good to have a few XMarks folks stop by for a wee sweetie or two (won't mention names, but a passion for licorice All Sorts is involved!)

Thanks for reminding me, she would have bought a bigger purse for that tasty licorice! You are lucky she left that fancy bowl. Now I need to know where you get it from. Please fess up.

**darkbirthright** · 22nd July 07, 08:53 AM

Hello everyone. I’m back from the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, where I was a featured author. As promised, we took photographs of the game and the performers, including my friends from Albannach.

There were too many to post here, so I uploaded 32 pictures to a photo site. Be sure to look at all 3 pages of pics.
http://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=jntreat&AID=4663009

Albannach websites:
www.albannachonline.com
www.albannachusa.com

Albannach will be appearing at the New Hampshire Highland Games
September 21-23 Loon Mountain, NH
www.nhscot.org

I will be there as well. Enjoy!

Visit my website! There is a link on the homepage to all of our Scotland photography.
http://www.darkbirthright.com

**MacMoose** · 23rd July 07, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Randy

Thanks for reminding me, she would have bought a bigger purse for that tasty licorice! You are lucky she left that fancy bowl. Now I need to know where you get it from. Please fess up.

The search continues. I never seem to find it in the same place twice, but that last batch came from a friend who was up in Cleveland, OH for a visit and spotted them. I tend to buy them in Canada, where they are easier to find, but I haven't been home in two years. FYI, they are made by a company called Bassett's, and they are called Licorice All Sorts. I am sure our cousins in the UK are wondering what all the fuss is about, but trust me, they are fairly rare over here in the colonies! I will keep you in mind, if I find a large cache!