A Wee Bit O' Scotland in Dayton!

Brenda and I went to the Celtic Festival Saturday night at Riverscape. After a heavy downpower in the afternoon, it was a beautiful evening for a festival.  We were lucky enough to get a table by the main stage and we stayed for several hours.  It certainly brought back memories of our recent trip to Scotland!

Haggis and Chips were sold. Haggis is to Scotland what Hamburgers are to the States.  I wasn't brave enough to try it! Traditional haggis is baked in a sheep's stomach. 

A young girl prepares to go on stage. We saw some great clogging. 

Yes, we saw men in kilts. I particularly liked the T-shirt this man wore. It says "It's a kilt! If I wore something under it, it would be a skirt."

This final photo was taken by Brenda in Scotland. Always fascinated by men wearing kilts, she was especially interested in these bikers!

            

Hope you have are having a great week and that I'll see you at Chimney's this Thursday.

Bikers in 

Scotland

Let's Try Something New!

I just read an article about a housewife in South Korea who sang for over 75 hours at a Seoul karaoke bar, breaking the Guinness World Record.  She sang 1, 283 songs before she gave up, at the appeal of her family to quit for her health.  She was given 30 second breaks between songs and a 5 minute break every hour. She was also barred from singing any song she had sung in the past 4 hours.  That is a lot of singing and a lot of songs!  As I read this article, I was thinking of how many weeks we seem to sing the same songs over and over.  Knowing what songs we do well, we tend to stay in our comfort zone and repeatedly sing the same songs.   I will challenge myself, and you, to try something new!  I'll be at the VFW Post 9927 on Wilmington Pike tomorrow night (Friday).  Come join me and let's sing some new tunes!

By the way, Congratulations to Matt and Carey Ann, as they "try something new"! They are getting married this weekend!  We wish them much happiness.  We took up a collection for them last week at Chimney's and gave them a card and some money.  They plan to put the money towards their honeymoon to San Francisco and the wine country.  

Wha's Like Us?

Wha's Like Us?  No one! The Scots are wonderfully unique!!  We have returned from Scotland, with many wonderful memories.  A big THANK YOU is extended to Bill and Denise, Mum and Dad, and Muriel and Brian for opening up their homes and hearts to us.  We also want to thank John and Shirley, John and Sheila, and our new friends, Pat, Fiona and Colin.  

Here a just a few highlights of our trip:

Exploring quaint fishing villages in Fife.  Cottages in the villages are painted in rainbow colors. We loved walking through the streets, hearing the calls of the seagulls and always being close to the sea. 

Discovering a windmill from the 1700's in St. Moran's. The windmill pumped seawater into saltpans, where  salt was made.

                                                                

Edinburgh Castle

Handling a sword at Edinburgh Castle,

that dated from the 17th century. 

Touring beautiful Glamis Castle. This was the childhood home of the Queen Mother and the birthplace of Princess Margaret. We truly felt like we were invited into someone's home. The Castle is currently occupied  by the Strathmore family. We were honored to meet the Dowager Countess of Strathmore in Glamis. We spoke with her at length, hearing the story about how she met her husband (the Earl) and how she recently saved the Post Office of Glamis village. She was absolutely delightful and we really enjoyed speaking with her.               

Glamis Castle and the Countess

Celebrating our anniversary at a wonderful Italian 

restaurant with Denise and Bill.

Karaoke tidbits:  Do you remember the song "Five Hundred Miles" by the Performers?  We were told that it is considered by many Scots to be the new national anthem of Scotland!

I hope to see you back at Chimney's in Miamisburg this Thursday, July 16th for more karaoke fun.  And, for you wine drinkers, stop by a Taste of Wine in Miamisburg on July 17th for entertainment and indulgence!

Cheers!  Cary

Fun In Scotland

We arrived in Scotland to sunny hot weather, and were immediately greeted with champagne on Denise and Bill's lovely patio. Brenda says she always brings nice weather with her and this trip is no exception. We have had lovely weather since we arrived and actually are sunburnt! We have been exploring fishing villages and towns, been to a wonderful concert by Scottish songwriter and performer Michael Marra, and taken long walks along the sea. Our wonderful friends, Denise and Bill even held a special Fourth of July Party for us! Everyone wore red, white and blue and we even had a cowboy (Bill). And, of course, Karaoke was involved!

Cheerio! Cary

Shifting Into Vacation Mode

     Brenda and I are getting ready to leave for Scotland to stay with our very special friends, Denise and Bill. For Brenda, this is like "going back home". She has spent many springs and summers in Scotland, starting at age 15.  For me, it is a new adventure.  We stay in Carnoustie, right across from the golf course where the British open is often held. I was in Carnoustie with Brenda several years ago but we only stayed a few days since we were also traveling in England. I am looking forward to settling in this time and exploring the country. And, yes, I am taking my karaoke system with me for some special parties that are planned!  

    Last year, we met Denise and Bill in Malta.  What a wonderful time we had!  Our plane arrived on time, but our luggage didn't make it for 4 days. This time, we are both taking carry on luggage in addition to our checked bags so that we are more prepared.  Brenda packs days ahead, cleans the house from top to bottom before we leave (?) and buys "gourmet food" to leave for our dog and Brenden.  I will cut the grass one last time, and procrastinate packing until the night before! Then, off we will head for our 26 hour journey (flight times are ridiculous!).  We plan to walk along the seaside, visit castles, drink in the sights, nourish our souls by exploring bits of history and make more special memories with our friends.  

Here's to summer!  Cary

A Touch of Mexico

                      Our Mexican Patio

     At this time last year, Brenda and I were preparing to leave to Mexico to celebrate our anniversary with our wonderful friends from Scotland.  We love to go to Mexico, in fact, we were there 3 times in 9 months that year!  We always return from Mexico with some decor, a few bottles of Agavero tequila, and lots of great memories.  We have created a little Mexican patio in our backyard.  We brought back gourd lights and pottery from Playa del Carmen.  We have also been purchasing beautiful Mexican pottery from our favorite shop in Beavercreek, A Little Bit of Mexico.  Delia, owner, just got a new shipment of pottery in yesterday. Go check it out!  Delia's husband, Steve, is a karaoke singer too.  

     We hope you can join us at Chimney's in Miamisburg Thursday night. Brenden can mix you a great Margarita!  Who knows? Matt may serve his wonderful chicken enchiladas again this week.  For you Karaoke fans, I will be at VFW Post 9927 in Kettering this Friday night. 

    Hasta la vista! Cary

 

   OUR FROG, LIZARDS

          AND PARROT

Music Is My LIfe!

Welcome to my new blog! Through this, I hope to keep family and friends informed of my activities, as well as to network with others. Brenda and I have had a busy week! Wednesday night, we attended a wedding reception for our friends, Doug and Cindi Findlay at Benham's Grove. Congratulations, Doug and Cindi. We wish you the very best and many years of happiness. Thursday night, was Karaoke at Chimney's Inn. It is always so fun to see our friends each week. If you haven't been to this yet, it is a great night of entertainment and Matt's food is always wonderful! Oh, and check out the cute bartender...our son, Brenden! Friday night, I sang at Taste of Wine in Miamisburg. I am there the 3rd Friday of the month, and it is always a fantastic night! This night is for wine drinkers only, so if wine is your indulgence, grab a bottle off the shelf and join us. A big thanks to the singers who came to join us (Judy, Jamie, Jan, Ruth Ann, Jerry, Angela, Larry, Mike and his "singers"). And thanks to June and Judi, George and Becky and all the regulars at the Taste of Wine. Don't miss hearing Mike Nolan play the spoons! It is a great evening. Saturday night, Brenda and I went to a special birthday celebration for Ya-Ya Erendira, the baby of the group. What a wonderful evening it was! A true Mexican birthday fiesta! The hosts, Delia and Steve threw a fantastic party. We danced until midnight, and of course, singing was involved! Brenda thought she may make it through an evening without karaoke, but it was not to be. She always teases me for singing my way through the day and night....yes, I sing in the shower, and also when I do laundry, dishes, cut the grass, walk the dog, shop, etc. Yes, music is my life! And, my friends and family are a very important part of my life too. Hope to see or hear from you soon! Musically, Cary