Hello from Alexandria, Virginia!

[phalverson]

I came across this board looking for a guidance with a terribly embarrassing problem: the drumming from the balls on my sporran drives my wife crazy. I only just bought my first kilt a few weeks ago and I wasn't sure if this was something I was supposed to do something about. Then I came across @KennithSime;'s sporran thread, and discovered the obvious answer: I just need to buy more sporrans!

My mother's father was William Bruce. I grew up surrounded by lots of Bruce tartan (and, as a kid) a child-sized set of bagpipes that I played with great gusto but little skill. Most of the interest in my grandfather's Scottish heritage came from his wife, my grandmother (who herself was of English and Welsh heritage), I believe because she believed her husband was a direct descendent of Robert the Bruce. It wasn't until long after both my grandparents had passed that I finally got interested in genealogy, and eventually traced my grandfather's lineage to a George Brush born 1633 in Perth, Scotland (who might've been the son of a minor earl, no obvious connection to the Big Bruce himself), followed by 10 generations of Bruces (all named George, John, or William) settling first in the Massachusetts colony, later Philadelphia and then New Jersey.

I currently reside in Alexandria, Virginia, which was founded by three scotsmen in 1749 and continues to lean hard into its Scottish heritage. Every December they have a parade called the Scottish Walk -- kilts, bagpipes, and (for some reason) a lot of dogs. For years my wife and I would attend, and she would always remark how good she thought I would look in a kilt. Every year I would think about buying one, thinking it would be awesome to have it for the Walk, and every year I would remember too late. It wasn't until last November that i finally got my act together. I worked with the fine folks at USA Kilts to put together a semi-formal package, paid for express processing and priority shipping, and finally got everything just the week before the weekend of the parade. Only to find out that the woman who usually handles registration for the Bruce clan hadn't gotten the papers in in time. So I didn't march, but I did wander around in my kilt and jacket (passed on the fly plaid, cuz I still need a brooch pin).

I've since found a few other occasions to wear the tartan. Christmas day. New Year's eve. a night out at our local theatre (and hanging at the bar afterwards with friends). Decided not to for a funeral of a good friend, wouldn't have been appropriate. Looking for more.

My wife definitely approves (other than the sporran ball drumming). She probably thinks I'm a bit crazy with all this, and she's likely right (she usually is). Hoping to find here a community of like-minded kilt-wearers who can support my enthusiasm. And, perhaps, help me dampen those balls a bit.

[Jock Scot]

Welcome, from Inverness-shire.

[Kiltedjohn]

Welcome from a Scotsman living in the English midlands.
I had a similar problem with noisy tassels on the sporran - easily solved with a few drops of glue!

[kilted2000]

Welcome from the Home of the Blues!

[Father Bill]

Welcome to the “Great Rabble”!

[Crazy Dave]

Welcome from Wheaton Maryland!

[Sir William]

Welcome from the other side of Fairfax County.

We used to have an occasional kilt night but it's been a few years. Perhaps we need to start it up again.

I had the same problem with the tassels bouncing on my sporran. I solved the problem by getting a sporran (or two) that doesn't have tassels.

[Liam]

Welcome from Western Canada!

[Tomak]

Hello and welcome from Southern California.

[ObiSeanKenobi]

Welcome from just up 95 in Laurel, MD! My wife and I lived in or around Alexandria for a fair few years before moving up here to Crab Country. Now with two little ones we rarely make it across the river, but we might be compelled to make the trip for a kilt night or (more likely) the VA Renaissance Festival, if it's on this year.