Tuesday, April 19, 2011

All Things Glen



Yes, yes, the movie of a similar (or expanded) name was great... I know.  This glengarry hat of mine is worn with a kilt at weddings when kilts are stipulated for the groomsmen and guests, or to funerals where pipes may be played and the widow tells you in a letter:

"Marshall would have wanted his grand-nephews all in kilts, you boys meant so much to him.  The reception will be at the Caledonia Club, and [barman] will let you finish Marshall's remaining reserves.  Jerry told me that he still has three very good single malts back there from Marshall's account so I've told [club manager] that you can sign for it whenever you want."

Note: I was 13. 


I have also worn it spey-casting during salmon runs just to out-kooky the snobs.  Didn't work.

The stand-by Maxwell Kiltie and argyle socks.

THICK silk spotted tie was something like $7 new a few years ago.

Another Glen, is the Glen Plaid (technically Glen Urquhart Plaid).  A certain foppish Prince once nearly made it his, but it endures today as a great pattern.  In the northern, northern, northern New Hampshire town of Pittsburg, there are three Connecticut Lakes (the headwaters of the Connecticut River) which all begin as a six-inch trickling spring.  On the First Connecticut Lake, is The Glen, a fishing and hunting lodge where we've been going for several generations.  My Nanna handed my ass to me in a game of croquet, and Grandfather and I shared his final day of flyfishing before his health ruled out his beloved pursuit.  I later commissioned a custom spey-rod from JP Ross, and named it after Grandfather.  When I showed it to him last summer, he held it, slowly mock-casted for a minute, and very characteristically said a quiet "Thank you", this time in an unexpectedly sweet tone, followed by a nearly imperceptible sigh.  The sigh was maybe a bit for the gift, perhaps for memories of flyfishing friends now gone, but probably for the awful acknowledgment that with time, all things pass... even the once-immortal loves. 


Suit is not suitable for winter


If you have any relative older than you, write them a letter... with a pen, on actual paper, and mail it.  Articulate your thoughts or just pour it out... but send it.

4 comments:

  1. A most handsome hat and sentiment. My balmoral and I have become very good friends this year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'll have to share this with my husband. His grandfather (our son's namesake)taught him how to fly fish, a pastime that my husband is most passionate about. He's now passing along the tradition to our son. And I totally agree with your thoughts on letter-writing. It's a dying art and we can't let it go.

    ReplyDelete
  3. My grandfather was a big fly fisherman. I've never tried - I've never even been freshwater fishing. Perhaps we'll take a trip to The Glen.

    It's hard to watch our elders age. And scary, too.

    ReplyDelete

Let's keep it clean... but if you DO have to get foul, at least give it a bit of wit. Also, advertising disguised as comments will be deleted, unless it is clever.