My end to 2019

[wolf creek knives]

I think I had the best December 31 in my history. My daughter gave me a CD player for Christmas as my wife says I "think to much" while I'm in the shop. So today was spent in the shop with my new CD player playing some of my collection of Massed Bands and Bagpipe music. All that was missing was the taste of a good Scotch Whisky. Happy New Year fellow IAP members and I hope 2020 brings you everything in life that is good.

 

[howsitwork]

Well I've ended on a quiet note having just rewatched two episodes of David Attenborough s "Seven Worlds , One planet "programme on the wonders of nature . Marvellous photography and an inspiring presenter.

Tomorrow I start with some palm wood impregnated blanks on the more accurate collet mandrel I finally relocated from its " safe place ".

A happy , healthy and prosperous New Year to one and all. Stay safe , make people happy and as an ex scout "do a good deed every day " when you can.

Ian

 

[pshrynk]

There are four possible combinations there: Music with Turning, Music with Scotch, Scotch with Turning, and Music with Scotch with Turning. Only 50% of them are a good idea...

 

[wolf creek knives]

There are four possible combinations there: Music with Turning, Music with Scotch, Scotch with Turning, and Music with Scotch with Turning. Only 50% of them are a good idea...

I can no longer drink alcohol so I guess it's just music and turning. Either one I'm good with, music and turning or turning and music.

 

[Woodchipper]

WCK, if you like fife/drum/bagpipe music, link for Edinburgh Tattoo in Scotland. It's an international competition of precision drill teams and musicians. Fascinating! I first saw it on public TV several years ago.
https://www.edintattoo.co.uk/
Edit- My wife and I were in Townsend, TN, several years ago. The bagpipe "club" in Knoxville, TN performed on the front lawn of a local hotel. Had a chance to talk with the director. He gave the rundown about the bagpipe, its components and how it is played. He mentioned that only a couple of members were of Scottish heritage. I told him I knew a fellow what was a fifth Scotch. I always liked the bagpipe scene in the movie, Patton.

 

[wolf creek knives]

WCK, if you like fife/drum/bagpipe music, link for Edinburgh Tattoo in Scotland. It's an international competition of precision drill teams and musicians. Fascinating! I first saw it on public TV several years ago.
https://www.edintattoo.co.uk/
Edit- My wife and I were in Townsend, TN, several years ago. The bagpipe "club" in Knoxville, TN performed on the front lawn of a local hotel. Had a chance to talk with the director. He gave the rundown about the bagpipe, its components and how it is played. He mentioned that only a couple of members were of Scottish heritage. I told him I knew a fellow what was a fifth Scotch. I always liked the bagpipe scene in the movie, Patton.

I guess I'm 3/4 Scott. Both my grandfathers were Scott's as was one of my grandmothers (my fathers mother). My father was first generation in the U.S. after my grandfather and grandmother immigrated from Scotland via Canada. I grew up listening to the pipes and bands with my father. I've also been to many of the Highland games and seen the bands and a lot of the different events. I especially like the Caber toss. I tried doing it one time a long time ago and all I did was have the Caber (pole) come back and almost hit me.
I do have a lot of LP's from the different Scottish bands and such but recently started buying Cd's so I can play them in the Truck and car but also in the shop. When most people hear the CD's I get some pretty weird looks from them, but I enjoy it, as does my wife, so I'm a happy camper.
And yes, sadly, the pipes are becoming a thing of the past I fear. I tried to get my granddaughters interested in them but it's just "not my thing". I've seen a lot of men wearing Kilts recently which I find interesting and my youngest granddaughter told me when she gets married she wants me, my son and her father to wear Kilts for her wedding. We'll see, but I did try to explain to her that I have some really ugly legs but it didn't seem to dissuade her from the Kilts.
My wife and I, with the family, are planning on a vacation to Scotland in probably 4 more years. I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully can find some distant family while were there.

 

[Woodchipper]

So hope there isn't a stiff breeze and the wedding is in the summer. Look at the schedule for Edinburgh- would be most interesting and entertaining. We had the Black Watch in Chattanooga several years ago...missed it. Wife doesn't like bagpipes and accordions.
Highlands, North Carolina has Highland games. A friend tosses the caber even though he is mostly Irish!

 

[pshrynk]

Can't... resist...

Why do bagpipers walk around as they play?

To get away from the noise.

 

[pshrynk]

And...

What is worn beneath the kilt?

Nothing is worn, it's all fully functional.


Stop me before I get dangerous...

 

[wolf creek knives]

So hope there isn't a stiff breeze and the wedding is in the summer. Look at the schedule for Edinburgh- would be most interesting and entertaining. We had the Black Watch in Chattanooga several years ago...missed it. Wife doesn't like bagpipes and accordions.
Highlands, North Carolina has Highland games. A friend tosses the caber even though he is mostly Irish!

I can't say how many times I've seen the Black Watch play. The last time I saw them was a few years back while I was working in CA. There's a venue there called The Gallo Center which has around 1,000 seats, very small and intimate. Obviously the stage is small but they still were able to "march" around a bit. It was a very nice gathering but the thing I noticed most was the age of the crowd, I was 60 and everyone else looked very old compared to me. As to wind, most ladies always wondering what's under the Kilt. At the concert there were a bunch of older ladies sitting in the very front and most had big smiles on their faces

 

[wolf creek knives]

Can't... resist...

Why do bagpipers walk around as they play?

To get away from the noise.

It's an acquired sound kind of like a good Scotch Whisky. But remember, I've been listening to the pipes since I was born.

 

[Woodchipper]

good Scotch Whisky

Single or blend? In my younger years, I stumbled across a brand, King George, that was inexpensive and a good Scotch. Just drop in a couple of ice cubes and enough water to raise the humidity. Never mixed with soda! Why ruin good Scotch? When I was at Fort Jackson in fall, 1969, a bunch of guys were from the NYC area. A guy in our training company, with his wife, was a dorm monitor at USC. We introduced the NYC guys to Coca Cola and bourbon at their apartment. Raved over it! Are we still on topic? Need to go back to #1.

 

[wolf creek knives]

Single Malt all the way, although I don't drink a whole lot anymore. But when I did drink Scotch it was always a name that started with Glen (as in Glenfiddich or Glenlevitt) and I always drank it neat, no ice, no water. I've had a lot of Scotch's over the years and one business meeting in Vegas a number of years ago almost bit me. Seems the three other gentlemen with me were Scotch drinker's too. So I told them to order what ever they wanted which they did. Several drinks later I got my bill and it was well over $1,200.00 (I think we had 2 drinks each). Well once I got back into my chair I asked the guy doing the ordering what the heck we were drinking, forgot the name but boy was it expensive. Funny thing was, my boss was sitting at the bar pretty well three sheets to the wind so I told the bartender to give my bill to him to pay. We got up really quick and left. He never said a thing about the bill, his expense account had a lot more on than mine did and I never allowed those guys to call the Scotch after that.