Christmas morning I opened a package from my lovely wife (aka Wife here) that was the gift of ownership of one (1) square foot of pasture land on the property of Dunans Castle near Glendaruel, Argyll (Scotland), UK, thereby establishing me as an official "Laird of Dunans", a legal landowner registered in Scotland. The gift also entitles me to two free adult tours of the castle, unlimited visitation to "my" property, as well as fishing rights (by appointment)on the section of the Alt a Chaol Ghleann (a river) that runs through the property and under Dunans Bridge, an elegant triple arched old stone bridge that leads to the property and castle. My own email address hosted @lairdofdunans.com , use of the Dunans Insignia, letterhead, business cards, and some other neat stuff. Nice gift for a relative/member of the distant scottish diaspora.

Yesterday, I recieved via mail a belated Christmas package from my elder son, Calvin, and when I opened it i discovered that he had presented me with the gift of a similar, but only slightly less extravagant ownership of five (5) square feet of land on the Bandrum Estate in the Village of Saline near Dumferline, Kingdom of Fife (Scotland), UK, along with the official title of "Laird of Bandrum", property access, and a bunch of other neat stuff (no castle---bummer---but a neat little stone tower on the prow of the hill). The property has direct views of the beautiful Ochil Hills, the William Wallace Monument at Stirling, the Firth of Forth and the Forth Bridge, and abuts the Saline Golf Club (celebrating its centennial in 2012). Also a very nice and totally unexpected gift from my loving son.

I just registered both properties tonight so effective immediately you may all now begin addressing me as either Laird of Dunans or Laird of Bandrum, or just The Laird for short, whatever your preference. Consider me one of the landed gentry now. Must visit my property "in the country" sometime soon.

Both are basically fundraising efforts for land and/or castle preservation, maintenance, and restoration, but neither appears to have been prohibitively expensive or difficult, and each has an irrevocable title for 175 years, automatically renewable at no additional cost for up to 999 years, and is considered heritable estate to be passed down to future Foster generations.

I just wanted to take a moment to formally thank my beloved wife and dear loving son for the kind and thoughtful gifts, the perfect gift for the kiltie who has just about everything----except property in Scotland---until now. A "repatriation" of sorts.

Yours sincerely,

Jeffrey
Laird of Dunans, Laird of Bandrum