Hope y’all had a happy All Saints Day! Here in New Mexico, today and tomorrow are Los Dias de los Muertos—the Days of the Dead. Today we celebrated the presence in our lives of those who’ve gone before and await us in heaven. Tomorrow (Nov. 2) is the Feast of All Souls, when we commune with our own beloved dead. May all your own families be with you in love today, no matter on which side of the veil.
And for a change of mood….
Got the following message yesterday from a British (and half-Scottish) friend [g]:
Light the Fiery Cross Diana,
An insult beyond bearing has been flung down at the feet of all things red and hairy!
At the Labour Party’s annual Scottish Conference yesterday Harriet Harman MP (Dep. Leader of the ousted Labour Party) declared Scottish MP Danny Alexander a “ginger rodent”, adding that while she was all for conservation she didn’t want to see one in the Highlands again. And this from the former Equality Minister, who has previously been known for being so politically correct that she more usually goes under the name of Harriet Harperson.
Said rodent, Danny Alexander, came back fighting Tweeting “I am proud to be ginger and rodents do valuable work cleaning up the mess others leave behind.”
I know, not exactly pistols at dawn is it?
So on behalf of our beloved gingers, I’m inviting you to lead the call to arms. (I would have asked Allan SD, but typically, where’s the Big Yin when ye need him? Likely basting himself on a Madeiran beach, probably resembling a smoky bacon crisp by now if I know Scotsmen in the sun.)
Is it to be borne that the English seek to rubbish Scots Pride once more with impunity … I think not (although it has to be said that Danny Alexander is more usually likened to Beaker from the Muppets and may therfore prefer this comparison)
Jamie wouldn’t stand for it … Claire would have her guts for garters
Light the Fiery Cross and gather the Clans!
Declare yourselves …The McDowall’s are here!
Sorcha
(Here’s a link to the full story should anyone be interested http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-11658228)
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Dear Sorcha–
As soon as I get up off the floor, I’ll go dig through the woodpile for a couple of suitable sticks. [G] Though as it’s Halloween, were I to march down San Antonio Street tonight with a fiery cross, people would likely just applaud and shout “EEEha!”, rather than inquiring into the just cause of such an incitement to riot.
As for the Big Yin, he tweeted once to say he’d survived the flight, wasn’t so sure about his job–and wouldn’t have internet until next week. You’re likely right about the beach, though I just went and looked, out of curiosity as to just how warm Madeira _is_ in almost-November. It’s 68 degrees F. as of 6 PM today, so probably quite toasty enough for a basking Scot. (It’s about that on my back patio in Santa Fe just now at noon; I’m wearing a sweatshirt and calf-high Uggs.)
May I have permission to quote your rallying call to arms on my blog, though? Would hate anyone to miss such eloquence.
Ginger rodents of the world, UNITE!!
--Diana
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And another friend, Ron Wodaski, helpfully supplied this Uncyclopedia page on the subject.
As the mother of a redhead, and wife of a redhead, and daughter of a redhead, as well as grandaughter and niece of several redheads, being a strawberry blonde myself (and apparently in denial of being ginger) – this is about the funniest thing I've read in ages. I suppose it was inevitable since we have 9 strains of Scots in us.
Here in New Mexico the redheads in my family tend to freckle so heavily that they appear to have a tan.
I've taught my redheaded granddaughters that gingers are unique and their numbers are dwindling, and that they must marry into the clan to propagate the species!!
With darkhaired husbands the ginger is a rarity these days, but the blood is strong and crops up once in a while…that and the blue eyes…
I enjoyed the post, there isn't much to laugh at in politics these days. Thanks
Harriet Harperson…. HA!
It seems that politicians all over the world share the common frustration of “wanna be comedians.” That was entertaining.
As the wife of a red haired, without an ounce of Scottish blood on his side or mine, I join the cause. We just have to be careful not to parade the burning cross too far south!
As a faded ginger (such being what happens with age) and the grandmother of a burning ginger (who has two burnetts for parents but two grandparents on opposite sides to pass on the genes) this was FUNNY!!
And I will as she grows do as ML and encourage my granddaughter to find another with ginger in the blood to keep the look going!
my father-in-law waited 81 years to get his real redhead. Mine was too faded by the time I married his son!
Sweatshirt & uggs @ 68F?? That's tank-top & flip-flops weather! You took your northerly book tour not a week too late (-;
Dear adventures–
I'm actually fairly resistant to cold weather, having grown up in Flagstaff. [g] But it depends what you're doing, too.
E.g., I went for a walk in shirtsleeves and sneakers yesterday evening (temp being about 48) and was perfectly comfortable. But if I'm sitting totally still, staring into a screen or a book, my core temp drops.
Cut off her…hair! Or maybe just dye it Ginger and see how she likes it. As one of 4 children who grew up being called 'ginger' or 'carrots', I find that I am still bothered by those who seem to have this prejudice against redheads. I prefer to believe they're just jealous. I'll help carry the cross – which is rather interesting in and of itself being that I'm Jewish and therefore not really comfortable with crosses *g*.
Fair enough, dear DG, fair enough. I knew you were made of tougher stuff than that! (-:
That has to be one of the funniest replies I have ever heard "rodents do valuable work cleaning up the mess others leave behind." And as a grandaughter of a red heid(Irish though), I always wanted to have her hair color, but only one grandchild of 19 was lucky enough to get it. We are all a little envious of our cousin, but at least it lives on in the family.
Sad to say, I only have a ginger rodent-killer at home. Yes, our resident leggy redhead, aka our dog, cleans up the rodents and their mess in the yard.
As for my family, our red hair originates in Belarus (or Clairol, depending on the family member…)
As I am ginger-haired at the moment (having chosen bottle #59 instead of #60), I will take up the cause–for a couple of months anyhow. I think I shouldn't burn a cross though as my son-in-law is of African descent and already thinks he'd hang in our small, country town. He's wrong, of course.
Ginger rodent could also be a description of a red squirrel. A sign in a store window of Findhorn, a quirky community in Scotland, said something to the effect of "dying grays mean more reds". Scotland is evidently trying to preserve its red hairy heritage by eradicating the invasive American gray (no relation to Lord John)squirrel.Immigration problems go both ways. The English "gifted" the U.S. with nuisance species like starlings and house sparrows, so giving the UK gray hair trying to keep their native rodents red seems a bit like karmic payback.
Just so you know, I don't think your tags (labels) are working (at the moment, they're all smushed up as one big tag, and there are no two entries with the exact same tag. This means it's impossible to search or filter with those tags and thus defeats the point of using them). I believe you need to separate them with commas, which will render them individual words.
I'm confused. Who's the Big Yin? The only person I know by that moniker is Billy Connolly, but it doesn't sound like you're talking about him. The story is hilarious, though.
Dear silverflight–
Thanks, didn't know that!
–Diana
Dear Amy–
In this case, the Big Yin is Allan Scott-Douglas (the nice young actor who sings the role of Jamie Fraser on the OUTLANDER:The Musical CD)–he's 6'4", with red hair. [g] (And presently working on the island of Madeira.)
–Diana
I was going to say if you light a burning cross in the USA we are not talking about Scots anymore. You better be ready to explain your self. We have redheads sprinkled through out our family but we are getting pretty watered down. My Dads side is English, my Moms Irish. So they did their part for the peace cause.
Love this!
We have traces of ginger in various generations. #1 son (19) grows ginger facial hair.
Personally mine tends to be more of the "clariol" strain lol
And here in NZ we have "hug a ginga day". But the pc brigade are trying their level best to stop it.
Dear Sally–
Is being ginger not politically correct? Goodness. Perhaps your pc brigade should get in touch with Ms. Harperson. [g]