Hello from Asheville!

**Lulu** · 16th July 15, 02:02 PM

Hi everybody!

SUPER newbie here. I am the wife of a super awesome dude, and we're coming up on our first anniversary in about a month. I haven't got any Scots in me at all, so this is something totally new. Husband's brimming with Scots/Irish though, and in an effort to help him get in touch with his heritage I've been doing some poking around.

We and I attended the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games this past weekend (our first games!) and we're absolutely hooked! Husband found his clan (he's a MacLaren) for the first time, and he is the proud owner of his very first kilt! It's a MacLaren SportKilt, so nothing fancy, but we're hoping to get much, much more involved with kilt-wearing, games-attending, and maybe some historical reenacting stuff.

I've been lurking the forum here and there, and you guys all seem so smart and awesome and helpful that I couldn't not join in! So I hope you all don't mind another inquisitive mind here to pick your brains and get lots and lots of advice.

**Father Bill** · 16th July 15, 02:20 PM

Welcome to the "Great Rabble!"

**Tarheel** · 16th July 15, 02:26 PM

Well met my dear. As you may ascertain from my "login name", I am NC born and bred. Your hubby will certainly want to dive in and get everything Scottish now that he has discovered the Highland blood flows in his veins. Tell him to slow down, it is so easy to go overboard with that he might find it distasteful in the end.
Then again, maybe not. I'm glad to have you two (with you as his proxy) here. Welcome.

**Lulu** · 16th July 15, 02:38 PM

Thank you! He's a massive history buff, and shockingly hasn't studied Scottish history yet-so I think Pandora's Box is wideeeee open at this point. I'm just tagging along for the ride (and, ya know, the kilts

).

**cessna152towser** · 16th July 15, 03:08 PM

from Scotland.

**Dughlas mor** · 16th July 15, 03:25 PM

Welcome, Lulu. It sounds like a new chapter of your lives may be about to open. If your husband hasn`t read any Scottish history, he has a lot of fascinating reading ahead of him! I might also recommend "A History of Scotland," a very well done 10 part series from the BBC. Great to have you both with us.

**Tomak** · 16th July 15, 03:36 PM

Hello and welcome from Southern California.

**ASinclair** · 16th July 15, 04:10 PM

Hello Lulu!

My sweetie, carolinanan117, and I convened for Clan Sinclair at Grandfather Mountain. If you went by the Clan MacLaren tent, you probably met our friends Fran and Chuck Lawson or Mark Peterson. We will be convening at Scotland County Highland Games in October, so if you and your hubby attend, do stop by our Clan Sinclair tent for a visit and a wee dram.

**mookien** · 16th July 15, 04:11 PM

Welcome from the mountains of northern New Mexico! I hope you enjoy the XMTS forum. My wife and I played in a USVBA (volleyball) tournament in Asheville many years ago. It was a lovely city and we had a great time.