Yesterday I was wearing a Blue Ramsay kilt to lunch in college. Although it was by no means the first time they'd seen me in a kilt, I don't always wear one to lunch and so I got some "Is it a special day?" questions.

The second time this happened, and before I had time to think up a smart answer, the very attractive lady sitting across the table from me butted in to say "No, it's just joie de vivre!".

She had spotted, and she was right, that I do walk with an extra spring in my step when I am wearing a kilt. Putting on the kilt does raise my spirits. And I certainly was in a good mood having led a health walk (kilted, of course) that morning in brilliant sunshine with an autumn nip in the air. To have my high spirits recognized so clearly - and by one of the fair sex - made my day.

Later another female colleague - a fellow Scot and a great tease - said she really liked the way I had colour co-ordinated my skirt with the rest of my outfit (dark blue shirt and flashes, black sweater, belt, sporran & hose). She knows very well (she has tried several times before) that I won't rise to bait of the "skirt" word and it certainly wasn't going to let it dent my mood on this occasion. In fact her appreciation just managed to add to my pleasure.

I stepped out with even more joie de vivre that afternoon.