I'm new to the XMTS community and wanted to introduce myself and offer a cool, soggy hello from Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

I started playing pipes near the end of high school and hooked up with the Keith Highlanders Pipe Band early in college. I played with them for many years, but those guys work hard and keep busy schedule, and not being that fond of competition, I retired and hung up the pipes some years back.

While I've spent much time in a kilt, it's always been a band kilt and I've never owned my own. I turn 50 in just a few weeks, and my mother wanted me to have Graham kilt in honor of her grandfather and my great grandfather. The order has been placed and it's all over but the waiting. A more generous and meaningful gift I cannot imagine, and I shall wear it with pride and reverence.

I am also a Mason and a Shriner, so there will be ample opportunity to enjoy the kilt, blow the dust out of those pipes, maybe even play a round or three of kilted golf.

This is a great group and I've already learned a lot and been entertained while lurking the last couple of weeks.

Dan