Hi to All,

Been lurking for a while and finally decided to join. There is a lot of interesting information here.

What to say?

I'm an old fart & "vertically challenged", (5' 4") however, my weight has not changed for 40 years!!! Pure luck I guess! My commiserations to those less fortunate. (OK, I'll rub it in. I still have my hair! And it's long.)

One of lifes strange coincidences is that Hamish lives on top of a hill in Sussex, UK. (In the village of Storrington. (I grew up in Chichester.)) My High School was at the bottom of that hill. (Worthing Tech.) I am pretty sure that we have never met, but that can be corrected, should we find a need to do so!

I trained as an electronics engineering officer (Weapons & Radar) with the RN, (short service commision,) & later with the BBC. Then I emigrated to Canada to carry on as a TV (Television!!) engineer until 1990. Since then I have been working with my brother on typesetting books on my computer and making custom lighting solutions for museum photographic purposes.

I am also a certified welder & a Mercedes diesel mechanic. One of my friends once described me as a Renaissance Man, but I don't think he meant it as a compliment.

I built my first kilt by reverse-engineering an ex army Seaforth kilt. The pleat tapers were a disaster, but it looked OK if I wore it with an Aran sweater. (Well at least my Mum was pleased!) So, I looked on the web for help & ended up buying Barb's book. I will have to read it several times before I can figure out how to do it properly! My plan is to build a kilt or two in solid Navy first (OK, I know the RN isn't kilted, but maybe they should consider it.) & then try one pleated to the sett. (My apologies to the other bidder who wanted the Hunting Rose off eBay!) Then, KiltKamp 2007 in Victoria BC, to make a full-blown 8 yard 16 oz Strome kilt in "Maple Leaf" tartan. (Which I already have; 283UK Pounds! (Approx. $US 550) Eeek!)

JohnH. (Former Naval Person.)(Ancestors : English, Irish, Scottish, German & Swiss. (So far!))

OK. How do I sort out the avatar & the signature?