Skootzkitty's Litter Box of Stuff

YUM! One of the MANY reason to be proud to be a Scot!!! :-D

This Scot has arrived in Texas to compete - and to find a bride By EVA-MARIE AYALA Star-Telegram Staff Writer STAR-TELEGRAM/RON T. ENNISSTAR-TELEGRAM/RON T. ENNIS --> The caber toss is one of Gregor Edmunds' best events.

Gregor Edmunds was only half joking when he filled out his marital status as "single, looking for a Texas bride."

Edmunds, the 309-pound reigning World Highland Games champion, was coming for the first time to attend this weekend's Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games when planners noticed his answer.

"He said that's what he wanted, so we're going to help him out," said Teddye Holloway, a festival organizer.

The three-day festival, in its 22nd year, celebrates all aspects of Scottish heritage with food, activities, dancing and games. This year it hosts the World Highland Games, which includes hammer throwing, shot-putting and caber tossing (long logs similar to telephone poles).

On Saturday, women ages 24 to 35 have a chance to win a chaperoned date with Edmunds. They have until noon to sign up at the T-shirt booth by the front entrance.

I heard you were really excited to come to Texas. Why?

Steak houses and beautiful Texas women. I've never been to Texas and wanted to meet Texas women. I've always liked foreign women.

Why would a woman want to go on a date with you?

Oh, I'm quite different. With the games, I get to see a lot of the world. I'm a quite colorful character.

Do you know how to cook?

Of course. You don't get to be my size without knowing how to cook.

Do you want a family?

I think two kids would be a good start to see how hellish things go, but a small army would be nice.

What's the greatest gift Scotland gave the world?

Well let's see, we gave you TV, telephones, steam power -- only the source of the Industrial Revolution, games now found in the Olympics, penicillin and Gregor Edmunds.

Is that so? Well, what do you wish people knew about Scotland that most don't?

It's an interesting and beautiful place with little stories and wonderful tales to tell.

How did you get involved in Highland games?

The story begins with my father when he got into it. I wanted to be a skateboarder. But on my 10th birthday I asked for a skateboard, and he gave me a shot put. I left it in the garage gathering dust. Then in my 20s, I realized I was getting older and finally appreciated the games.

Texas Scottish Festival

The festival begins tonight at 8 p.m. at UT-Arlington's Maverick Stadium with the calling of the clans and a fireworks finale. Admission ranges from $4 for children to $10 or $15 for adults. For a complete schedule of events, go to www.texasscottishfestival.com.

Reasons to love the Scots

Golf

While the sport's exact origins are debatable, many cite Scotland as its homeland. References to golf can be found in Scottish history as far back as the 1400s.

Inventions

The monkey wrench, stretch leotards, Liquid Paper, the light bulb, Morse code and Dr Pepper are all attributed to people of Scottish descent.

Space travel

John Glenn and Neil Armstrong are of Scottish lineage, as is Alan Bean, of the Apollo 12 lunar landing, who took swatches of his clan's tartan and left a piece on the moon.

Texas State Capitol

Yes, our state Capitol. In the 1880s, when Texas was in desperate need to build a new capitol after the old one burned down, an Illinois contractor offered to pay for construction in exchange for 3 million acres. But he soon sold his interest to a group of Illinois businessmen of Scottish descent, who worked to finance the Capitol. The men built the legendary XIT Ranch in the Panhandle.

Sources: Texas Scottish Heritage Society; www.rampantscotland.com