A Little Bit of Scotland in Portland...

Ah, the wonder of our shrinking world! Ever since I lost my mom, I have been touched by the spirit of "family", and her family springs from the Clan Campbell heritage of northwestern Scotland. I have walked on the very soil that our ancestors walked on so many generations ago when, in 2003, my wonderful husband took me and my failing eyesight to see where this amazing Campbell Clan came from. We have an extensive history dating as far back as the mind can imagine. Not all of it can be documented, as there were no records kept past the 1400's or so, but most of it is authentic.

This past weekend, my hustand treated me to a little glimpse of what it might be like to attend a Highland Games in old Scotland. This one was held in Gresham, OR (a suburb of Portland) on the campus of Mt. Hood Community College. It was a full day of competition and entertainment. I was particularly mesmorized by the Pipe and Drum band competition. Every band, from the youth bands to the seasoned ones was supurb. I love the bag pipes.

We ate Scottish food and visited a little bit of Scotland in the many booths that came to show their wares. Dean was tempted to buy a "Utilikilt" (a kilt that one could actually dress up in and wear to work!) but he resisted! I thought he would be pretty cute wearing it to walk on the beach -- and it would be really cool! I didn't resist temptation, and bought a cute little Scottish jumper and blouse. It has a peasant look to it and will be great fun to wear the next time we attend a Scottish Rite "Robby" Burns dinner in Portland (to be held in January.)

I think the highlight of the games for both of us was watching the big, burly men lift a 120 lb. pole nearly as long as half a telephone pole, but not quite as big around, and throw it, trying to stand it on end at the 12 o'clock point on it's opposite end. The winner actually did it and went over a bit. We couldn't believe anyone could pick up that size of a pole on it's end and run with it and then throw it to get it to turn over! It was amazing to watch. This event is called "the caber toss."

We definitely plan on attending next year, because there is no way you can see everything in just one day. I got to visit with the Clan Campbell representative and we talked about the various areas in Scotland where the Clan settled. I also talked to a Clan Henderson representative, and his information was quite interesting. Gerry's clan came from a little village called Kirkaldy in about the middle of the country, in Fife County, on the eastern coast on the "Firth of Forth" (that is the name of the river.) When we were in Scotland, I visited that area, too.

All in all, it was a fun day and we came home with many memories.

I Have Been Taken Back In Time...

Sometimes we have our memories jogged by our senses, like smelling an old after shave you haven't smelled in a very long time, and knowing exactly who wore it; or smelling freshly baked cookies and visualizing your mom just taking a sheet of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven and she taps your hand as you reach for one and says, "let them cool off first!"; or the sight of a place visited long ago and you can remember who you were there with and it only seems like yesterday.

I had my memory jogged just this past week, when an old friend of the Hendersons answered my "hello" on facebook and brought me up to date with the happenings in his life. That old friend is Dean Grow, who still lives in southern California, has a pretty new wife (of 12 years) and brought me up to date with his family. He also sent me pictures from Rowland Heights days. When I got them, I literally cried as I remembered the trip he and his (then) wife, Connie and Gerry and I made to Lake Tahoe for some summer fun in the sun in the mountains. Oh, we had a grand time there. We went to see Johnny Mathis at Harrah's in Tahoe and the opening act for that show was a brand new comedian just getting a start by the name of Jay Leno. Those few pictures brought back such wonderful memories of some "good old days."

Those days are gone forever, and some of what transpired after that was not so happy, but we can remember happy times and be grateful for them. I thanked Dean for the picture of Gerry and I and Connie. I don't have many pictures left of Gerry, and this is a good one.

May we never forget...

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day is an incredible opportunity for Americans to come together and remember just why it is that we celebrate this day. And if you can't remember, then perhaps you ought to take a little journey down the road of history that paved a difficult path that led to freedom from tyranny.

I haven't forgotten! No, I wasn't there, but I grew up in a time when country and flag were honored and the men and women who served in our military were saluted and thanked for the sacrifices of the few to protect the freedom of the many. I grew up in a time when not only was I taught by my parents to respect for symbol of liberty that we fly on flag poles all across this great land, but we were also taught those same principles in our schools. I was a very small child when the Japanese bombers were flying over our southern California coasts and we lived in darkness at night and listened to the air raid sirens and watched the search lights light up the skies over Santa Monica. World War II touched my life very closely. My dad served as an Air Raid Warden and when the warning came to "turn out the lights", my dad donned his helmet and went off somewhere to search the skies and keep our city safe.

I didn't really appreciate those things, until years later when I learned about the atrocities that were going on in war-torn Europe during that awful war. America was there to defend those nations and was responsible for the freedoms they enjoy today. I didn't have to be there to know that the cause of freedom is a righteous cause.

Many gave their lives in the Revolutionary War, but they did not die in vane. It will ever be so, that there will be a hand full of dedicated souls who will offer up their lives for this almighty cause. I love my country! I honor my flag! And I wish each and every one of you a Fourth of July that will bring tears to your eyes as you remember why we celebrate. God bless you all, and may God continue to bless America.