Let me start by saying this is not about me! Mrs.Zardoz is nothing but supportive and approving of the kilt!

At a recent Celtic fest here the wife and I met another kilt wearing fellow and his wife, I'll call him 'J', friends of a co-worker of mine. We had a great time at the fest talking about kilt wearing stories and meeting some other kilters etc. This fellow makes his own kilts, (he was wearing one I would have thought was a Scottish custom) and sporrans, as well as traditional musical instruments and furniture, quite a talented fellow!

'J' was interested in my Stillwater, hadn't heard of them. He was not aware of our forum, "Not much of a computer guy" he said. His wife said they had one but he hardly uses it, so I gave him a few websites to look at etc.

Where this story goes bad is at my work the next week, I was talking to my co-worker about how much we enjoyed the day and meeting his freinds etc., and my friend says J's wife wasn't too happy, that she said the whole deal "just re-enforced that damn kilt wearing thing" It seems that J is kilted pretty much of the time he's not at work, and his wife ain't happy.

She confided to my co-worker that she "just wished he'd wear pants once and a while" and was "tired of being such a spectacle when we go out". I asked has she ever told J that? And my friend said he assumed she had, but with little or no effect. Now I don't really know these folks well enough to have an opinion, but it seems that maybe kilt wearing isn't the only problem there. Maybe communication is too? I think the kilt is just the most obvious symbol of a bigger problem.

I think if my wife had a strong objection towards kilts, It's possible I wouldn't have got started. I figure you can't always do everything you want in any partnership, there has to be some give and take. For example; I have a few tattoo's, (whole family are bikers) after we got married, the wife told me she liked them fine, but wished I wouldn't get any more. I was OK with that, they started letting anybody have one by then anyway! But with kilts, she has been a enabler for me, telling me that the Sport Kilt was a good "training kilt" but get a "real one" etc..To the point where now if we go somewhere and I wear pants, she asks why I'm not kilted! I guess I am pretty lucky to have a wife of 16 years who will put up with all of my crap! And I really feel for those who don't!

I wonder if any of you folks here currently have, or have had a problem with a spouse or family like my new friend J's, and how did you cope?

Sorry to ramble, Z.