Labor Day

Labor Day.

Brought to you by the AFL-CIO. The same folks that brought you the 8 hour work day and the weekend bring you a day off of work so you can BBQ while belittling union wages and working conditions. The same conditions that make your employer remain competitive.

Where have I heard an argument like that before.

Political whining aside, this was a VERY busy weekend for Carriage House as we went mobile to the 144th annual Highland Games and Clan Gathering in Pleasanton. A couple of readers of this blog are familiar with the Pleasanton fairgrounds of old, but when those grounds are covered in bagpipers, it looks quite different.

We've been going to this event for years, usually for just a couple of hours and always feel like we missed something. This year we planned ahead and hit both days all day. You might think that would be tough with these 2 girls in tow, but planning ahead made it all work out swimmingly.

Morgan enjoyed watching the Scottish Folk dancers with Mommy and liked seeing the real live princesses in the Living History section. For those of you not aware, the Living History section is an area of the grounds set aside for re-enactments from various centuries of the past. This leads to impromptu viking fights, knights in armor wandering aimlessly and the occasion procession for Mary, Queen of Scots. Her entire court, guards and all make a daily procession. While the Queen is out, her throne tent is occupied by the Baroness, who you can also visit and talk to, unless of course you are a terrified 3 year old.

The girls were given small favors from the Baroness, kind of an old school badge of allegiance. Morgan seemed more interested in the little girl in the snow white costume than the fully dressed midevil princess right in front of her. The next few years will see that change, I'm sure.

Kim and I got to visit all the booths and take in all the music and art we could handle. It truly is magical to see so many other people with similar interests in tradition and history.

Wicked Tinkers is a band we like that can only be described by the following video.


They were the finishing touch to two full days of adventure.

For years now, we've both been eying certain crafts at these fairs and decided this year we could combine our 8th wedding Anniversary and the games to gift one another those things we have been looking at.

That's how I got my kilt. For years I have wanted a dress kilt, in our newly established family tartan, but the occasions to wear a dress kilt fall under wedding, funeral and highland games.
Enter the Utilikilt. This is not your grandfather's kilt, mainly because I don't think your grandfather had one. It is cotton, so I can wash it, and the pleats are sewn in, so the shape will hold. Plus it has pockets. Higher end versions have all the pockets you can imagine, as well as a hammer sling. That's a bit much for me, so I chose the standard version.

It is far more comfortable than you might imagine.
And the salesman was brilliant. He measures your waist and pulls one down, unsnaps it and places it around your waist. Then, facing you closely tells you to "drop 'em," and down go your shorts. Standing there wearing the new kilt amongst others considering it, you feel silly at first, what with your pants around your ankles, but then the comfort sets in. You suddenly realize how hot those shorts were and how cool the kilt is.
When he asks what you think and you respond in the affirmative, he says, "Great, give me your shorts and I'll ring you up, you can just wear it out."

Got me. Kim was around the corner with the girls watching the 5 on 5 soccer tournament and I didn't want to pull the trigger all by my lonesome, so I sheepishly made an excuse and had him set it aside. 15 minutes later I was back to get it and wore it out. Kilts are nice. the snaps in the front mimic a sporran, or the little pouch worn with a traditional kilt. This keeps the front down as you move, or in a breeze, for reasons of modesty.

When asked by Kim when I would wear it, aside from the games, I thought of a number of places this flat black garment would go just fine. Perhaps even in Mexico next summer, so much easier to get changed into swim trunks.


Kim has been interested in wheat weaving creations similar to this one for years and after not seeing them on the first day, we made a point to find them on the second.
That was one of the great things about going both days. After day one we discussed what we missed and wanted to see the next day.

That and packing your own Guinness into the fairgrounds can save you a lot of money when they're charging $8 a beer. We grabbed an 8 pack of Guinness for just a little more than they wanted for 1 and just brought our own plastic cups. Stack them in the little cooler with the girls' snacks and bury that in the stroller and no one is the wiser. Saved us almost $50 in beer alone. Not that we'd spend that much, but it's savings all the same.

So now Monday Labor Day will be a house cleaning day, getting back on track, or at least as close as we can before the week catches up with us.

Enjoy your free day off while it lasts, and try a kilt!