Scotland - Day Three

Scotland - Day two

Still slow connection  -- this was the last driven pheasant shoot of the day.  It was a bitter wet cold approximately 30 degrees.  My faithful sidekick and trusted field guide,  Jimmy Lambie and I had a decent post.  

I am convinced it is colder (wind chill) sitting in some deer stands in South Texas in December. Alas the adrenalin of the fast flying pheasants keeps your blood pumping through the sleet and snow.    

Scotland

Night one of our Scotland adventure.  Our great friends and wonderful hosts, Cornelius, Celia, Tom and Sandra rolled out the red carpet.  This is all I can post for now since the internet is painfully slow and it is late here.  The birds will start flying at 9 AM!!!!

Details to follow....

Let It Snow...Let It Snow....Let It Snow....

B-I-N-G-O!!!

OK, there a long story to this but I will skip straight to the "cute and fuzzy" part. Sinclair kept asking her Daddy for "one more puppy"....."Daddy, just one more puppy and its good" (we proceeded to ignore the seventy two times she mentioned this. Especially, since she just got a puppy this summer - this FINAL Cavalier King Charles addition to our brood)

Well, I heard her say "Bingo, we love you so much" -- Assuming she was awake from her nap and talking to herself, I go to inspect further and discover her loving on another person's Christmas present that was dropped at our house. She said "Mommy, look what the Ho-Ho man brought me" I stuttered and stammered and said "I do not believe he is meant for us" (Tears welled up in her little two year old baby blues) I then proceeded to say (as my heart folded) "talk to your Daddy" (The original person that the dog was intended for opted NOT to take this cute thing)

Daddy arrives home....Repeat two year old verse

Looks like this this (eventually) large, yellow beast "Bingo" will makes its home at Casa Chaos!

Thanks to my girlfriend, Lisa Jane for snapping these!

What A Difference A Year Makes

A little more than 1 year ago Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) paid $100bn for ABN Amro (80% cash).


For this amount, RBS could today buy:

Citibank $22.5bn,
Morgan Stanley $10.5bn,
Goldman Sachs $21.0bn,
Merrill Lynch $12.3bn,
Deutsche Bank $13.0bn and
Barclays $12.7bn,

And still have $8bn change for an automaker or three ….

LOVING ME SOME CHUMBY

More detailed review to follow. My Chumby (Her name is "Gladys") arrived today and I love this little gadget!

I will know if my (bonus) son Daniel and son-in-law, "Lucky" reads this blog. (They tell me they do, but never seem to know about items I post) Well, they each got one for Christmas and will be able to widget me 24 and 7!!!!!

WhooooHoooooo!!!!

HALL OF FAME WORTHY

Tonight I have the distinguished honor of introducing Joanne King Herring into the Distinguished Women's Hall of Fame. So many know her as a "wealthy socialite" or a "right wing hero that ended the cold war". Julia Roberts depicted her in the movie, Charlie Wilson's War.

I just have her on speed dial under "incredible girlfriend" Our relationship has spanned almost two decades.

Where has the time gone?

More details to follow....

Joanne with Sec of State James Baker and Houston Mayor Bill White

Maria and Neil Bush, JHK, KK and John

Gobble...Gobble (feels more like "waddle-waddle")

This week has been a revolving door of food, friends, family and gratitude. We started our holiday at the farm on Tuesday and wrapped up a full week on Sunday. Everyone had their favorite post for play. My brother John Roger, Daniel and Mike loved spending time at the target range. JAMP and Sinclair were partial to the ponies, "Pinky" and "Big Mac" --- Mark, Zoey, Jack and Blain were reeling in fish as fast as they could cast their lines. All of these activities were conducted surround sound with the tunes of college football.



Jack and Zoey did their best catches from the bank, while Woody and Blain hung out in the boat

I was extremely impressed with my girlfriend Ryland's angler skills. Look at the fine form on JAMP...like Momma like son!

Liddie and Hailey both enjoyed long naps.....

Sinclair getting lessons from Aunt Shanna on her pony, "Big Mac"

So far, we are less than a week post Thanksgiving and this is the second tour we have taken through Santa's Wonderland. John loaded everyone in my ghetto sled (that would be ten people comfortably) and we turned up the XM Holiday music and cruised through the "Kisssmiss tunnels" as Sinclair loves to call them. We just cannot get enough of these FOUR MILLION lights!! I am really curious to know what their electrical bill is for just this month alone.

(please note that all the Santa's Wonderland photos were snapped by 9 yo, Jack -- during our "unFitney" moment that we let he and Zoey ride hanging out the sunroof while cruising through the Christmas display)

I do not suggest limboing on a full stomach, although Joy was REALLY good at it!

Clementine and Blain recharging their batteries....