Highland Flings

When my mum told her dad that she planned to marry an Englishman my grandfather, so the story goes, sniped: Why would you want to marry a damned Sassunoch? That needs some explaining. "Sassunoch" is Scotch-Gaelic for Saxon-or Anglo-Saxon. The Gaelic language was outlawed by an Act of Parliament (English) in 1745. All Scottish tartans were too. Where does that leave me then; the grandson? Am I Scottish? Or am I just another "feckin' Inglis bastard". Highland Flings is my deep dive into the murky waters of Scottish fact and fantasy with a pack of unruly slew-dogges for guides. Hang on to your sporrans, lads and lassies. After this dip, you may come back up for air wondering who you are too.

About the author: Sandy Spencer was born in Scotland, grew up in Cornwall, was sent away to schools in Surrey and Dorset, lived for a time in Paris, lived for a much longer time in the US, lives now in England. He is not "from" any of those foreign parts. He is still trying to determine where he does belong-which is why he writes.