Our Cousin Jeanne

Today we drove from Inveraray to Campbeltown. On the way, we decided, based on a blurb in the guidebook, to stop at an old Abbey that was also something to do with the Macalister Clan. It sounded like an interesting place with nice grounds.We arrived and parked. Then we went up to the door and you had to ring the bell, which we did. A woman answered and asked if we wanted the tour of the house. We asked how long it would take and she said about 45 minutes. We sort of hesitated, as we were somewhat anxious to get to Campbeltown, thinking maybe the distillery would be open, even on Sunday. She sort of scolded us for being in a hurry, saying, "Americans are always in a hurry." Then she added, "I'm an American." Sue then said, "Of course, because we can understand you." Then Sue explained that we had spent a lot of time in Stonehaven researching our Barclay heritage. The woman looked at us strangely, and said, "You aren't Barclays, are you?" As it turns out, she is also a Barclay. Traced back to the same line as us, earlier than the Barclays who went to America. She has been in all the places in Stonehaven, including the mausoleum on the Ury Estate that we were unable to find. And she had pictures. She is the widow of the last Macalister Laird, who died a couple years ago.

So she invited us in to join a tour with two ladies that she already had in progress, and then she said she would show us her Barclay information. So we joined the tour of this beautiful house, with all kinds of mementos and artifacts and stuff. Then she showed us this room:

So what we learned is that she is 81 years old, from the east coast of the US and lived in California for a long time. She met her husband at a gathering of the clans, and married him in 1985 or so. She is a hand quilter and a collector. She took us into her private part of the house and showed us all her Barclay information, and made some copies of things for us. In her living room, she has heart things hanging on the walls (Sue has some photos of those that I will upload later), Country Living magazines, collections of duck decoys, and quilted stuffed hearts. It was uncanny. More photos:Baba made several quilts of this very same pattern. Sue and I both have one somewhere.

More of Jean's quilts:
And finally, the three "cousins" together:

Ancestral Home

In Stonehaven, Scotland, we are finding out lots of information about our Barclay ancestors. This is a photo of the house on the Urie estate, occupied by our Barclays in the 1600's and 1700's. This house is not the original built by the Barclays, but is built on the same site and we think must have some of the original on it somewhere. It is currently being restored, but work has stopped due to lack of funds. More on all this later when we get photos sorted out and stuff. We tromped all around this estate. Had to park on the outside and walk through. Working on uploading some photos to Picasa album but too late tonight. Tomorrow we head to Aberdeen and then a very roundabout route to end up in Pitochry. We're going to check out the Towie Barclays on the way. Distantly related somehow.

But we know for sure that our Thomas Barclay who went to America in the 1700's is the son of David Barclay of Cheapside who founded Barclay's Bank.

The Scottish Army Recruitment Center

After a fun Saturday night out in Stirling observing the men dressed up in kilts, Rich thought it would be fun to join the Scottish Army because part of the deal is they give you a kilt.

(I'm on a lousy internet connection. More later when we get somewhere with a better connection.)

Bye Bye, George

Since we got rid of that big goat we had, Capricorn, George has become progressively more obnoxious. He butted the other goats and wouldn't let them eat. The last straw was earlier this week when he pounded against the gate in their shed that separated the goat/sheep area from the grain and hay storage area, until he had successfully broken the latch and opened the gate. He let everyone into the storage area, where they ate a bunch of alfalfa, trampled the chicken feed bag, trampled the hay and straw and made a big mess. They also left goat and sheep poops on the platform of the new chicken coop Rich is building, which is attached to the goat/sheep shed. Plus, his little hoarse voice has been growing louder, and he has been more demanding, and starts yelling at us at about 3:00 to be fed, and doesn't stop until we feed him his molasses coated grain. Enough was enough. I put an ad on Craig's List and sold him for $15, to a good home in Carlton where his companion animals will be a horse and an old dog. Too bad so sad for George, who we loved and hated at the same time. But it is a relief to have him gone. The other animals behave much better!

Jane (James) is a Rooster Too!

Uh oh. So I'm behind in posting, but about last weekend, Jane (James) started crowing. He is a Silver Spangled Hamburg Bantam.

And here is a better picture of Henry, since the one I put in already was so dark.