Paying it forward----tell us your tale (no bragging)

**cessna152towser** · 25th February 11, 01:05 PM

I've received so many kindnesses from xmarkers over the years, I really feel you are like family.
A_Hay made me a beautiful leather sporran with embossed Cunningham Unicorn.
LAScotswoman gave me her late father's Cunningham tartan waistcoat and welcomed me into her home and showed me around LA and Hollywood when I went to Ventura Seaside Games.
SteveAshton and his wife TheKiltedKnome hosted me for a week in their home in Victoria BC.
Ancienne Alliance and his wife LadyChrystel hosted me in their home in the French Alps.
SteveB hosted me in Boston MA and at the NH Highland Games as well as driving me between these places.
CSCunningham drove me around sightseeing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
BigMikey gave me a beautiful pair of knitted hose toppers.
McMurdo showed me around Toronto and he and MacMoose, MacHummel, ccga3359, Wompet and others clubbed together to treat me to a flight in a Stearman at Canadian Warplane Heritage at Hamilton Ontario.
When I was pickpocketed in Spain several members offered to wire money to me and I gratefully accepted one of these offers.
When my wife Ann died over 100 members offered their condolences.
I have received lots of other generous gifts and kindnesses from xmarkers, apologies if I have not named you here.
Yet all I have ever been able to do in return is offer to drive xmarkers around when you come to Scotland and so far A_Hay has been the only member to accept the hospitality of staying in my guest room for a few days.

**macwilkin** · 25th February 11, 01:34 PM

Alex's generosity should also be recognised; several years ago he donated a Scottish St. Andrew's Cross flag to our local Scottish society. The flag has the more correct Pantone 300 blue, instead of the darker "navy" blue that is more common.

T.

**Brian K** · 25th February 11, 01:54 PM

Reading this thread has warmed my heart many times. I don't think I needed the wisdom of joining the forum validated, but if I did this would do it.

Occasionally someone will say that we are not a "real' clan. Well, perhaps we are not a clan that would be recognized as such by the proper authorities who regulate such things, but we function more as a clan or family than many who are recognized as such.

The generosity of the people of XMTS, both material and spiritual, is unparalleled in my experience on the web. The care and concern we show for each other, despite not being related by blood or marriage, is rivaled only by churches and fraternal organizations as far as I can see.

'Tis a fine clan to belong to indeed

Regards,

Brian

**ForresterModern** · 25th February 11, 02:00 PM

This past summer, when I arrived a day early for my Golfing Scotland Oddysey, Alex picked me up from the Glasgow airport, presented me with my honorary dandelion (OOTD), chauffeured me to my hotel and then squired me around the shopping district of Glasgow, before we shared a wonderful dinner and drinks at a local pub we wandered across. Great company, great conversation, an excellent and gracious host. I only wish my post-transatlantic flight brain had been working better, so I would have remembered to take a few pictures, instead of loafing about town like a zombie in a kilt. Thank you Alex, you know not how important and comforting the simpler things like that are to a visitor to a strange land. We shall meet again my friend, here, there, or somewhere, and share a dram or six.

jeff

**English Bloke** · 25th February 11, 06:13 PM

Alex is a remarkable chap.

I have met him several times now and look forward to our next meeting.

In April 2009 I announced on the Forum, a Kilt night in Preston Lancashire. (there were no Kilties here to my knowledge so it was a bit of a long shot...)

Four people turned up. Me, Philip Tibbetts, (designer of the Hailsowen and Black Country Tartans) who happens to currently live in the Preston Area, Chas who travelled up from Norfolk specially and Alex (Cessna152Towser) who travelled down from Hawick. I am still grateful to all these Blokes for bothering to make my little venture a grand success at short notice.

Cheers chaps!

**vmac3205** · 25th February 11, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by cessna152towser

I've received so many kindnesses from xmarkers over the years, I really feel you are like family.
A_Hay made me a beautiful leather sporran with embossed Cunningham Unicorn.
LAScotswoman gave me her late father's Cunningham tartan waistcoat and welcomed me into her home and showed me around LA and Hollywood when I went to Ventura Seaside Games.
SteveAshton and his wife TheKiltedKnome hosted me for a week in their home in Victoria BC.
Ancienne Alliance and his wife LadyChrystel hosted me in their home in the French Alps.
SteveB hosted me in Boston MA and at the NH Highland Games as well as driving me between these places.
CSCunningham drove me around sightseeing in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
BigMikey gave me a beautiful pair of knitted hose toppers.
McMurdo showed me around Toronto and he and MacMoose, MacHummel, ccga3359, Wompet and others clubbed together to treat me to a flight in a Stearman at Canadian Warplane Heritage at Hamilton Ontario.
When I was pickpocketed in Spain several members offered to wire money to me and I gratefully accepted one of these offers.
When my wife Ann died over 100 members offered their condolences.
I have received lots of other generous gifts and kindnesses from xmarkers, apologies if I have not named you here.
Yet all I have ever been able to do in return is offer to drive xmarkers around when you come to Scotland and so far A_Hay has been the only member to accept the hospitality of staying in my guest room for a few days.

Yes, but you were so gracious to take us to the airport, and on the great tour around Glasgow. Thank you, Alex.

**MacGuffin** · 26th February 11, 03:44 AM

Thanks to Leslie (LAscotswoman) I was able to get tickets for the Queen Mary this last weekend.My family and I greatly appreciated the kind gesture.

**CMcG** · 2nd March 11, 07:15 AM

Thanks to Jock Scot and KFCarter for generously donating a tie to me so that I could participate in the ABF Tie Chain. Being on a student budget, it is definitely the nicest piece of neckwear I own! Speaking of the ABF Tie Chain, who's next?

Thanks to davidlpope for sending me a pair of diced hose to go with my MacQuarrie modern kilt and waistcoat combo. After I posted a thread asking for help sorting out my formal gear, he saw that diced hose would really complete the outfit. When I asked if I could at least pay for postage, davidlpope said:

Originally Posted by davidlpope

As far as reimbursing me for shipping costs- thank you for your generous offer, but please consider the hose and the shipping as "a gift with a condition": In the distant future, and when you have odds and ends of highland dress in your closet which you no longer wear, please forward them to someone who could make good use of them, postage covered!

Best of luck and let us know if you ever get down to North Carolina...

Cordially,

David

What a gentleman and the epitome of what this thread is all about!

I don't have a pic with the diced hose yet but here is one with the ABF tie.

**ForresterModern** · 2nd March 11, 07:52 AM

"Originally Posted by davidlpope
As far as reimbursing me for shipping costs- thank you for your generous offer, but please consider the hose and the shipping as "a gift with a condition": In the distant future, and when you have odds and ends of highland dress in your closet which you no longer wear, please forward them to someone who could make good use of them, postage covered!

Best of luck and let us know if you ever get down to North Carolina...

Cordially,

David"

The precise definition of pay it forward. Well done David. Now your turn C when you are able.

**Kilted Jeeper** · 2nd March 11, 12:02 PM

This is not kilt or even Scot's related but it's such an incredible story (IMHO) that I have to share....
A few years ago my wife and I were returning from a camping vacation to our home. It was a very hot day and the AC in the house hadn't really kicked in since we were just home. My wife had removed her wedding and engagment rings and had them stored in a plastic case with our tolietries. She pulled out some stuff and the plastic case with her rings fell into the sink and both rings went down the drain with the water running. She turned the water off and we simply decided that we would not use that sink and I would pull the rings from the trap in the morning. The next morning I checked and the rings were not in the trap. We have municiple sewer and after a few phone calls it was determined that the rings were gone.

2 days shy of 1 year later I come home to find an envelope in my mailbox. In the envelope was both rings along with a note saying "I think your wife lost these and I thought she would want them back". The note was not signed and there was no postage or return address on the envelope. It's been 3 years now and to this day we still have no idea who returned the rings, how they found them or how they even knew who they belonged too or where we lived.