What Are You Doing In Real Life II

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

Fantastic pics, Aktung... been waiting patiently for you to check back in. See any Red Squirrels?

Actually I did along with a three-some serious master-of-the-rut stags, with several antler-points apiece, crossing the roadway at Skye. I had several Scottish venison pies and a lot of smoked salmon too! Red squirrels aside: of some interest was the sporran of the famed 93rd Highlanders Argyll and Sutherland regiment (museum at Stirling Castle) known as the 'swinging six' with officers badgerhead........Considering the constant 'badgering' of the infamous campaigns from the War of 1812, Crimean War Boer War, Western Front, D-Day, fall of Malaysia etc...'tis a sure bet the 'swinging seventh' .....wasn't!

In 1814 the 93rd embarked for the Americas in an ill fated attempt to capture New Orleans. On the 23rd Dec 1814 the American forces made a stand behind the well fortified Rodriguez Canal. The 93rd were able to push to the centre of the ditch but without ladders were unable to advance further and with no orders to retreat remained in position, slowly being cut down by the American line. Finally the surviving General Lambert gave the order to retreat and the 93rd fell back with parade-ground precision leaving three-quarters of their original strength behind. This laid the foundation for a reputation of discipline and courage. Ironically due to a lack of communication neither side was aware that a peace deal had been signed two weeks before the battle. In 1854 the Regiment gained the nickname ‘The Thin Red Line’ at the Battle of Balaklava during the Crimean War, when they were the only thing that stood between the undefended British base and the 25,000 strong Russian Cavalry. This great feat of arms is still recognized today by the plain red and white dicing worn on the cap band.

I made a donation as The museum is almost entirely maintained through public donations; the modest grant from the Ministry of Defence has been withdrawn. They are depicted in the Crimean Balaclava Battle painting of the Thin Red Line: the expression of which is practically a universal metaphor!Poster's note: I'm partial to the picture as the firepower of the three-band percussion 1853 Pattern Model Enfield .577 Minié-ball rifled-musket, widely used in the American Civil War, gave a clear tactical advantage to the infantry over the less well-armed Russians. I still shoot this weapon in the 1854 two-band variant; later converted to (Snyder breechloader): deadly with ladder-sights: 500/800 yards. Rule one: Keep your powder dry! Rule two: don't ever get hit with this:

[Eichhörnchen]

Thanks, Aktung... terrific post!

And afore the mists are dispelled:

[Aktungbby]

And afore the mists are dispelled:

^ Have U managed to cozen the fair Moira with the polar bear rug in front of the fireplace with a dram of ... mulled Drambuie? ya romantic bugger! We stopped at Glenfiddich in Dufftown which owns the label since 2014; where I enjoyed a sumptuous slice of raisin whisky cake! U needn't buy the original: http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/01/diy-vs-buy-how-to-make-homemade-drambuie-scotch-honey-liqueur-project.html There'll B "Tit 4 Tat" after that...your 'rusty nail' notwithstandin'! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Nail_(cocktail) My own bride discovered a taste for a Speyside's Aberlour-also owned by Chivas. Oddly, this one is matured in two casks: Most whiskeys are aged in American bourbon casks, a standard for many single malts. Aberlour, after aging in bourbon casks, are finished in casks previously used to mature varieties of fortified wines or (Spanish) sherry. Usually whiskey is made only in used American oak barrels or Spanish sherry oak barrels; At the Chivas distillery, the wood vats, 30' tall, were made from Oregon pine! My own taste has altered in the six years since my last visit. My tastebuds like 21+ year old stuff and really couldn't handle Islay peat-fired whisky; this trip I was pleasantly surprised to find I actually like peat-fired stuff. I sampled the smoky peat in Laphroaig and enjoyed it...obviously a maturation of some sort... er how to make a 'smokey nail' possibly 2 B enjoyed on a large sheepskin currently in transit from Skyeskyn: Scotland's only sheepskin tannery, where I toured, also acquiring my new motorman's lambskin cap on the Waternish Peninsula; a blessing as the weather was brisk and wet.

[Eichhörnchen]

I took these 2 photos of Moira a couple of hours ago.

Of course she had to pull faces.

Moira in 1986, just before we married.

[Fubar2Niner]

Wonderful pics E. Moira certainly looks a peach, the pics in the cherry blossom remind me of something I seen waaaaaaaay back, buggered if I can remember though. Queen of the May p'haps ?

Fubes

PS You want to see some of the faces my mrs pulls, no camera needed

[Eichhörnchen]

Moira says thank you very much, Fubes

[STEED]

Back to work tonight, better crack on with the ironing my shirt.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by STEED

Back to work tonight, better crack on with the ironing my shirt.

No need to iron one, here's a spare

[STEED]

^

Shirt not T-shirt.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by STEED

^

Shirt not T-shirt.

Ah, okay....no problem

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Ah, okay....no problem

Plain white jim, plain white..

[Jimbuna]

Just took the boy to Newcastle Airport, he is off to Thailand for a three week holiday.

Such a hard life

[Aktungbby]

^I hope it was a nonstop on British Airways! My own flight Oakland to London was 10 hours but the excellent food service (Two meals) and movies on-demand made it quite enjoyable. All the Brit pilots on all four of the plane rides were excellent and made really good landings. (hey I'm a fussy ol' Cessna jock) We used both Iberia and British Airways. Security is sure tough though! both my wife and I were pulled aside twice each for extra scanning (patdowns, handscans and extra passport ID check etc ) we must look very suspicious indeed... As a Kincaid on the left(me) and a virtuous MacClean on the right ...Suspicious indeed??!!-could be my wife's anti-Sassenach glare

[Jimbuna]

Unusually for him no, when on company business he insists on BA but this time he is flying Emirates to Dubai then on to Bangkok but I'm extremely confident it is down to cost

One bonus (in his opinion anyway), he messaged me to say the captain is British.





Nice picture of the wife and you

[Sailor Steve]

Just got home from seeing an old friend's show. The music was pure country - the old-fashioned, '50s sort of country. Not my style, but my friend is one of the best guitar pickers I've ever known, and he and his band put on a great show. Now it's 0235 and way past my bedtime.