Greetings from Orange County, California

[MarkThomas]

I have known virtually my entire life that my primary heritage is Scots. Although enough German snuck in to bestow a German family name, I have 50% Scots on my Father's side - my Grandmother was born in Clydebank, family name Carrick. On my Mother's side I receive what I am told is an even distribution of English, Irish and Scots. My wife and I will be having DNA testing performed soon to see what additional light is shed. The bottom line for me is that I consider myself to be primarily Scottish.

I attended my first Highland games this weekend at HMS Queen Mary and loved it. I purchased a sport kilt to wear in the US Navy tartan as I served in the Navy and none were available in the Kennedy clan tartan. It was between Black Watch and US Navy, so I let my wife be the deciding vote. I loved wearing the kilt so much that I kept it on when we went for dinner at our local pub. My wife insists that I was 'hit on' two separate times, but I think she was just a bit drunk! I do plan to purchase a proper 8 yard kilt but I will have to save my pennies for a bit to do it up right.

I am looking forward to reading and learning on this site and welcome any advice, anecdotes or cautionary tales anyone may wish to share!

Mark

[Mike in Dayton]

Welcome to the group. There is a lot of good information here to help you select your next kilt.

Mike

[ASinclair]

Hello, Mark!

[Spartan Tartan]

from Rhode Island

[1oldsarge]

Welcome, Mark, from the Inland Empire....
-greg-

[Hawk]

Welcome to the XMTS Community Mark.....
Good to have another Vet here with us.....
Looking forward to any kilted photos your wife may have snuck and got at your first public event.....

Hawk

[joek]

Welcome from cold, snowy Western PA !

[mookien]

Mark: Welcome from the Jemez mountains of northern New Mexico! I hope you enjoy the XMTS forum.

I empathize with your "problem". When my wife and I go to the pub, I get hit on, too, ... by the balled-up fists of my wife, ... and she's stone sober.

John

[MarkThomas]

Thank you all for the welcome and kind replies! Here is one of me in my kilt less than 10 min after I put it on for the first time. I am not sure at all why I look like I have a stick up my backside, my wife had just insisted I get a kilt and then insisted on a sporran and chain. I distracted her with rum before she could get hose, flash and a sgian dubh for me as well. Good problem to have, eh?

[ChristopherHarrell]

from Midland, Texas!!!