I KID YOU NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MACTAVISH]

YESTERDAY WAS , AS USUAL ,HECTIC. I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE TIME FOR A QUICK CHAT TO MO OR GRAB A COFFEE. THE DAYS ARE SO BUSY. MOSTLY TRAVELLING. FOR INSTANCE, SUNDAY UNTIL TUESDAY IM IN AYR AND THEN EDINBURGH UNTIL THURSDAY LATE THEN DOWN TO WIRRAL FOR WEEKEND BEFORE THE NEXT ONSLAUGHT!YESTERDAY I HAD TO BE IN LONDON AND DECIDED TO KILL TWO BIRDS ETC. IVE SORTED OUT THE CROSS/WORDING/ MAKING OF....IVE YET TO SORT OUT THE PRECISE TIME OF PLACING. CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL I ACTUALLY SPEAK TO MARSHAL ON DAY.
 WENT FOR A DRINK IN THE EARL GREY AND METOLD FRIENDS; SERGEANTS CAMERON AND CORBETT OF THE SCOTS GUARDS TRAINING STAFF WHO DRAGGED ME TO THEIR MESS FOR SOMEONES 'DINING OUT'. THIS IS A MILITARY CUSTOM WHERE, ON FINISH OF SERVICE, YOUR PEERS GIVE YOU A 'SEND OFF'. ITS BASICALLY A MEAL AND BOOZE UP THAT BEGINS IN GOOD TASTE AND ENDS IN MAYHEM. I HAD NO MESS DRESS BUT WAS ALLOWED TO ATTEND IN MY REGIMENTAL KILT/BROGUES AND SHIRT SLEEVES. THE DRINKS FLOWED FREELY AND ABUNDANTLY - AND, BEING A GUEST(WITHOUT NO ACCESSABLE MESS BILL!)I PAID FOR NOTHING! THE PERFECT SCOTS EVENING!
AT 2300 HOURS I PASSED THE FRONT OF BUCK HOUSE STAGGERED DOWN THE MALL, PAST JIMMY'S(ST. JAMES PALACE) DECIDED TO TAKE A SHORT CUT - MISSING OUT TRAFALGER SQUARE- TOWARDS DOWNING STREET, UP SOME STEPS I RECALLED USING BEFORE, PAST THE SIDE OF JIMMY'S. AT THE TOP OF THE STEPS I FOUND MYSELF IN A SQUARE OF LUXURY HOUSES THAT EXITED ONTO A BUSY STREET. STOOD THERE TRYING TO GET MY BEARINGS AND TOTTERING A WEE BIT. DUG OUT MY MOBILE TRYING TO FIND A TAXI NUMBER. A DOOR OF ONE OF THE HOUSES(WREN HOUSE?) OPENED AND A COUPLE CAME DOWN A FEW STEPS.HE HAD BOW TIE/DINNER SUIT. SHE A FLOOR LENGTH DRESS AND STOLE.HE HAD A GREY BEARD AND SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL.THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY EN ROUTE SOMEWHERE AND HAD COME UPON AN INEBRIATED JOCK ON THEIR DOORSTEP.
'ARE YOU ALLRIGHT YOUNG MAN(IM THE WRONG SIDE OF 50!)? THE MAN ASKED
I MUMBLED SOMETHING ABOUT 'DINING OUT'....
'OH, WE THOUGHT YOU WERE ON DUTY!' THE MAN THEN EXPLAINED TO HIS WIFE THE PRINCIPLE OF'DINING OUT' WRONGLY ASSUMING THAT THE 'DINING OUT' HAD BEEN MINE . THEY THEN ASKED ME ALL ABOUT MY SERVICE AND THANKED ME FOR THE ROLE I'D PLAYED.IT BECAME TOO COMPLICATED TO EXPLAIN THAT I'D ATTENDED SOMEONE ELSES 'DINING OUT'.
THEY EACH SHOOK MY HAND AND, AS THEY WERE HEADING DOWN THE STEPS I'D JUST COME UP THEY POINTED TO THE JUNCTION WHERE THEY ASSURED ME I'D GET A PASSING TAXI.
 I WAVED FURTHER THANKS TO THEM FROM THE SQUARE END. ITS NOT OFTEN YOUR'E CHATTING TO PRINCE AND PRINCESS MICHAEL OF KENT!

[Duke Thompson]

Great story!  All we get in Florida is the Presidental candidates stumping for votes!

[Donna]

See what happens when MacTavish goes out without adult supervision!

[Mary]

Thank goodness you weren't wearing a Clan Thom(p)son Society t-shirt or something or we could have been permanently blackballed ~   

BTW ----  I found the photos of the Thompson dagger that Tom had been trying to find. I posted it under the Border Reivers forum at the bottom of page 2.
If you go to the home page and type in THOMPSON DAGGER it should take you to the right area. Let us know what you think!

You definitely lead an interesting life, MACTAVISH!  Far different than a sleepy mountain top in Tennessee!

Keep us posted on the the events of the weekend............

Mary

[MACTAVISH]

blackballed mary.........the thompsons...surely you guys can do no wrong.incidentally do you know where the term 'you blaggard!' came whence? its the guards and their red tunics. in olden times, for punishment - jankers(fatigue duty) the guards were made to wear their tunics inside out with the black lining showing..hence the term for a scoundrel blaggard= blackguard.
will keep you posted on my sometimes incredible life but booner can have the film rights!

[Barbara]

MacT, you do lead an interesting life and meet all sorts of interesting people!  I do love your posts!!!   What a book you could write!

Barbara