20th Anniversary Outlander VIDEO

For Our Friends in Scotland

Just got this from Mike Gibb of "Outlander The Musical" fame.  Note Diana Gabaldon's fav for Jamie - Allan Scott-Douglas - appearing live:

Just a quick reminder about this Saturday 30 July,  Tartan Day in Aberdeen:
 
RED HARLAW  
 
Premiere of my new short play (with music by Mairi Paton and Malcolm Dowie) with a cast that includes Allan Scott-Douglas and Michelle Bruce from the Outlander The Musical CD with Mark Kydd, who has appeared as Robert Burns in "Clarinda"
.
Performances at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm in the historic Drum Aisle of St Nicholas Church. Admission is free
 
DIANA GABALDON BOOK SIGNING  
 
In conjunction with Waterstones, Diana will be signing copies of her books and Outlander the Musical CD is the courtyard of St Nicholas Kirk between 12.00 and 1.00pm
 
Mike

Scotland - Monarch of the Glen - UK

You MUST go watch this video about the Land Reform Act that was passed in 2003 regarding the Scottish Highlands.  (It has nothing to do with the popular television show of the same name.)

If anyone has more info about how things have gone since the act was passed, please comment!  It's a very hard thing to research online.  Lots of legal mumbo jumbo and miles of data/info.  But what I'm looking for is this:  Is it working?  How have things changed?  For the better or worse?  An how do the (former?) estate owners feel now that it's been passed for 8 years?

**Note - You will see a quick ad before the video starts.   Thanks to Michelle for pointing that out!

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat Tonight!  9PM Eastern!

Pez! Claire and Jamie-Flavored Pez!

My apologies to new MOP friend, Carrie...for not getting this HILARIOUS photo up sooner.  I howled when I saw it, girlfriend!!  Something tells me Pocket Jamie will be featuring it on his wall verra soon!

The Ballad of Nessie

MOP friend Brandy emailed me about an adorable short film being shown before the new Winnie the Pooh movie, called "The Ballad of Nessie".  What is it about?  The Loch Ness monster!  And where is it set?  Scotland, of course! Seeing as I have two Winnie the Pooh-loving kids (whose parents are pretty smitten as well) I am so excited about this...because I'll actually get to SEE it!

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander chat tonight - 9PM Eastern!

French and Saunders: Monarch of the Glum

SPOILER ALERT:  Do not watch unless you have watched 4 seasons of Monarch of the Glen. 

I was the BIGGEST fan of Absolutely Fabulous back in the 90s and canna love Jennifer Saunders any more than I already do.  So you can imagine how beyond hysterical I find this parody of Monarch of the Glen - complete with Alasdair Mackenzie playing Archie.  I don't know who is funnier, Molly or Duncan.  Thank you SO MUCH to Jennifer J. for posting this!

Some Hae Meat!

Got this from MOP friend Becky who found it in an antique shop.  They JUST SAID THIS as grace at the dinner table on last night's episode of Monarch of the Glen.  It says:

Some hae meat and canna eat
And some wad eat who want it
But we hae meat and we can eat
So let the Lord be thankit

Monarch of the Glen...Again

SPOILER ALERT:  Do not read unless you have watched Season 6, Episode 3.

Um...Lexie AND Duncan are gone?!  Are you KIDDING me?!?  Who the heck is left?  Let's see...Molly...Golly...and that's about it from the original cast.  I like Jess...and Hector's brother Donald has grown on me to the point where I find him mildly amusing.  I also really like Ewan...and Paul.  So they are keeping me going...but wow...it's weird. 

And here's the thing.  I am really unhappy with Lexie's decision to go to New Zealand.  Archie took off and left her for months to go "find himself"...and she LOVES Glenbogle.  That place is more hers than Archie's at this point.  I TOTALLY wanted her to stay, divorce Archie, marry Paul and run the place.  It was SO true when Paul told her going to New Zealand was Archie's dream; not hers.  And she went anyway.  And why? Because Donald dug Molly five million years ago?  I'm sorry, that is NOT a good enough reason to pack up and move to New Zealand when you don't even want to be there.  Archie's a selfish douche.  Plain and simple.

And Duncan.  HELLO?  I keep hoping one of them will be back...but I doubt it.  I miss his kilt already...and he's only been gone half an episode.  WHAT a bummer. 

Monarch of the Glen - Take 2

OK if you have not yet watched Monarch of the Glen...you might want to skip this post as there will surely be spoilers.

I am currently on Season 6 - Episode 2.

A few things...

1 - Golly is HOT.  Do not underestimate the yumminess that is the Glenbogle Guillie.  (This was inspired by one of the Staceys over at TalkSupe).  He is the closest thing on the show to Jamie Fraser when it comes to personality.  He's got a way about him - total confidence - and he knows his shizzle when it comes to the Highlands of Scotland.  When I'm finished the series I plan to Google him and see what his minty ass is up to these days.

2 - Hey Archie - exactly WHAT is up your rear end all the time?  Sheesh  - have he and Lexie EVER been affectionate?  I know she would, but he's too busy putting her down, ignoring her and generally being a bad husband to bother actually smiling or holding her hand once in a while.

3 - Ignoring the previous post, it must be said that - after all these seasons - Alastair Mackenzie is one hot piece of hotness.

4 - Molly is the best character on the show.  I love her so much.  I wish she'd come to my house and be grandmother to my kids.  I'd even get off my ass and plant that huge garden I keep threatening to design, complete with meandering path and statues of little boys peeing.

5 - Paul is another big, ol' hunk of the tasty.  

6 - Every new season, my hub and I hold our breath to see what Lexie's going to look like.  Will her hair be short or long?  Solid or striped?  Will she have lost weight?  Or perhaps had a few meat pies over the break?  And will she be sporting a belly shirt or a Jackie O suit.  One never knows with Lexie.  She keeps us all on our toes.

7 - I miss the shit out of KilWillie.  Every time and I mean EVERY time he came on the screen, my hub and I would go "Kilwillie!!!"  And did y'all know the man WROTE Gosford Park?  No really.  Julian Fellowes.  Look his adorable ass up. 

8 - I can't even talk about Hector without crying.

9 - KilWillie's sister said something SO Kilwillie in last night's episode, I nearly fell off the couch.  I like her and her Angelica Huston-esque spunkiness.  I'm so glad they've taken her from "utter beotch" to decent-enough "KilWillie in a dashing ladies pantsuit" whose mischief has been taken from a 9 to about a 4.

10 - I'm dying to give Katrina a makeover at Ouidad.  From one crazy-assed curly head to another:  Hooka, get some PRODUCT in that hair!"

Looking forward to reading all the comments after I've finished the series.  There is a season 7, isn't there?!  PS - Julia - THANK YOU, I had no idea about Season 5's special features!  I watch it on tv with Netflix and AppleTV!

Oh and Post Scriptum Scriptum:  I just tried to find some photos and saw a HUGE spoiler. Dangit!!!

Monarch of the Glen Update

Holy GATHERING, Batman!

I am watching Season 5 - Episode 9 of Monarch of the Glen - and they are having a MacDonald Clan Gathering!  And there's even a clan Quaich (pronounced "Quake".)

If you are not already watching this fantastic series...WHY?!

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat tonight at 9PM Eastern.  Be there or be square! :)

Outlander - 20th Anniversary Edition

Check out what I got today at TarJAY.    It comes with a faux, leather cover (more like thick, embossed paper with padding) and a "rippin' ribbon" bookmark.  :)

The One Obsessed with Outlander

Got this adorable video from (darling) Nikki (otherwise known as "Hooka!" by Tracey and myself) who runs Diana Gabaldon's Youtube channel.

Alex seems way cool and we'd love it if she'd come join the Outlander discussion over here at MOP and share some of her "younger set" insights!

Lookie what Lesley Found on eBay!

Check out this AWESOME Fraser pin on eBayUK!

Diana Gabaldon in USA Today

Check out this fantastic article in USA Today about Herself!

THIS is Verra Cool

Check out this 18th Century Scottish Sword on Ebay!

No Chat Tonight! Happy Fourth of July!

Chat is canceled tonight in observance of the 235th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

See "An Echo in the Bone" for further clarification.  :)

Dirty Diana

Keep forgetting to mention...  The other night at dinner, Diana mentioned this little piece of unadulterated fun would be on her blog soon - and it showed up the next day.  Do make sure to read all about it so you know what to expect. 

You will have a right good laugh...but be careful around kiddies or at work.  Yeah.  It's like that.  ;)

Compuserve Dinner with Diana

So as you may know, Tracey and I took the train into NYC on Wednesday night to meet up with the folks from Compuserve...and a woman named...what was it again?  Oh yes.  Diana Gabaldon.  It's always a thrill to be in her presence as she is so REAL, I dinna know what to do with myself.

When we walked in, we were greeted by Diana's hubby Doug who said "Carol and Tracey!" Upon hearing this, we both had to hold ourselves steady lest we'd fall on the floor.  I thought, "He knows us?  He knows who we are?"  And right then, as if he heard my inner crazy, he promptly said "I've seen your videos."  Oh no.  Oh noooo.  I immediately told him I am somewhat suprised because - when we're making them - I never really consider that anyone is going to actually watch them - least of all TRJF (The Real Jamie Fraser).  Mortified, party of 1?  Not Tracey...she thinks it's hilarious.  Then again SHE'S not the one who was being a complete moron on the video from St. Andrew's in October.

***And my most sincere apologies to Doug because I don't think we said "Goodbye"!  And I would have loved a picture with him.  (So we could prove to you that he really wasn't running away from us or anything. ;)   Hopefully I'll have my thinking brain on next time.

So anyhoo...we were lucky enough to sit with the awesome Laura, Maria and Giovanna from "OBC" - the Outlander Book Club.  They put up with our jabbering and made us laugh - and even cry ("Dinna fash, there's the two of us now".)

We also met Jane and Maria and Carla (Lady Oliver and her adorable baby, Aisha!) and Sheila who so graciously plans the "dinners with Diana".

A good time was most certainly had by all...and I hope they let us back in for the next dinner-with-Diana! :)