Happy Hogmanay!

Check out this fantastic blog post from Paul Bommer on Hogmanay.  It explains Scottish custom of being the first-footer - the first person over the threshold in the new year.  My husband's mother (who's father was from Paisley) always insisted my husband and his brothers and sisters come back into the house with a gift after they'd been out on New Year's Eve.  She'd leave a basket of oranges at the front door so they could take one and carry it over the threshold.  Gotta love Scottish customs.

Monarch of the Glen in 2013

Make 2013 the year that you finally watch Monarch of the Glen !

It's like a huge, steaming pile of Scottish goodness, dropped directly into your lap!

The Wee Man

I canna WAIT for this film.  Not only is John Hannah in it...but some of you will remember Martin Compston as Ewan on Monarch of the Glen.  He's tremendous and seems to be playing a seasoned, gangster, grown-up version of the same character in The Wee Man!

MOP Character Contest Entries Coming Shortly

I am just now going through and reading all the entries via email, along with the names of everyone who sent them...and can say that I am somewhat floored.  People I expected to ham it up, didn't...some I wouldn't have expected...did!

I am going to post all of the entries soon. If you do NOT want your name to be printed along with your entry, please email me again and let me know.

We are SO doing this again, soon!

PS - Another male Outlander fan...I love it!  You need to come to MOP Chat one of these days, mister! :)

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat tonight.  9PM Eastern.

The My Outlander Purgatory Character Contest WINNERS

I am so excited to announce the winning entries of the My Outlander Purgatory character contest! 

But first...let me tell you how we picked the winners.  Tracey and I each picked 8 entries...and then compared notes.  Interestingly enough, 5 out of the 8 were a match.  Of the 5, we each picked 3 and compared notes...and all 3 were the same!  We each picked an "honorable mention" as well.  

Let me just say that every single one of those entries was tremendous.  I wish they could all be winners...because they were so well thought-out.  Whether they were longer and more descriptive...or a quick one-liner, we really enjoyed them all...and hope you did, too!

And now...for the winners of the MOP Character Contest (drumroll please): 

WINNERS (3):

• I would want to be Claire, not only because she has Jamie, but because she has the best genes ever. The woman does not age! She still has a nice arse at 47 (Joe Abernathy would tap that), and I am telling you, that is nearly impossible! (At least it is in my gene pool-- our arses make it until about 18 and then wave their white flag at old man Gravity.) She's also a career woman in a time when there was no such thing, knowing the healing properties of every plant in the 18th and 20th century, from Scotland to North America. Yeah, there are some negatives-- body lice, battles, strumpets trying to steal her man, and Frank from 1948-1966, to mention a few-- but having a devoted, warm, supportive, and sweet man like the Lord of Lallybroch by her side, an impressive, century-spanning resume, and a great body into her 50s... there is no other choice for me.

• I would love to be the girl who gave Jamie his son....Geneva Dunsany. I think of her and wondered what the relationship would have been between them if she had lived. I am certain Jamie would not have been able to stay away from his son, especially in those years after he was released from his bond. Geneva wanted Jamie. He was gentle with her when he bedded her and even though she was a wicked wee bizum, I would fantasize that with the birth of the baby things may have been different between them. So, yea, I would be GenevHO, if only for that one night..... sigh.

• I'd be Donas, so I could have Jamie riding me all day!

HONORABLE MENTIONS (2):

• I would be Frank because then at least one of us would be able to answer the question "What did Frank know?"

• I'd be Frank. 'Cause I'm a bit of a douche.

I find it verra interesting that both honorable mentions are about Frank.  Always 2nd best, poor guy!

Now that we know the winning entries...let's find out who the winners are!  If you are one of our 3 winners, please comment below and let us know who you are.  Also - send me an email at carol@myoutlanderpurgatory.com, letting me know what (1 credit) audio book you want from audible.com...and what email address to send it to. 

I will post ALL entries after we find out the winners...and it's up to the rest of you whether or not you want to come clean about who you are!! :)

Thanks again to all who entered; we've had a blast.  Something tells me I'll be running another contest again verra soon!

MOP Character Contest has Officially Ended

Thanks to all who entered the My Outlander Purgatory Character Contest!

The three winners will be posted this Monday, December 17th!

Last Day for the MOP Outlander Character Contest!

OK Lads and Lassies...this is the last day to enter the My Outlander Purgatory Character Contest...for the chance to win a free Audiobook on Audible.com!

LOVE the entries so far.  It's going to be ridiculously hard to choose.  Tracey and I will be hashing it out this weekend...and I'll post the winners on Monday.

I've been thinking about my own answer...which I have not posted yet.  There are different ways to look at this.  Who is the most interesting?  Who would I love to play?  Who does everyone love the most?

I think I have my answer.  It won't be nearly as interesting as most of yours...but I'll post that on Monday, too.  :)

Whisky Cookie Recipe

Anonymous left this on a previous post...but I thought it warranted a repost!  Thanks, Anon!

Whiskey Cookies

1 lb. butter, softened 

2c. powdered sugar (sifted) 

1 egg yolk 

2 generous shots whiskey 

4 c. flour 

Beat butter until fluffy. Add ingredients in order given. Drop by 1/2 tsp. full onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place pecan, candied cherries, chocolate jimmies, colored sugars or dip half in chocolate and sprinkle with fine crushed nuts. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Watch for cookies to brown around edges. Makes 8 dozen and they freeze well.

Lifescapes: Scottish Moors

I listened to Lifescapes: Scottish Moors nonstop while reading the Outlander series...and figured I'd link to it during the holidays.

Get this - Amazon has it listed for $47.89 new!  I guess they don't make it anymore??  (The Bronze Horseman fans are thinking "Tatian's Table" right about now.)  If you're buying it for yourself, they do list it for $3.25 used.  Not a bad deal.

SCOTLAND: The Autobiography - 2,000 Years of Scottish History By Those Who Saw It Happen

Look at this gorgeous book!

I am ordering this for myself and telling my hubby to wrap it up!

"A vivid, wide-ranging, and engrossing account of Scotland's history, composed of timeless stories by those who experienced it first-hand. Contributors range from Tacitus, Mary, Queen of Scots, and Oliver Cromwell to Adam Smith, David Livingstone, and Billy Connolly. These include not only historic moments--from Bannockburn to the opening of the new parliament in 1999--but also testimonies like that of the eightyear- old factory worker who was dangled by his ear out of a third-floor window for making a mistake; the survivors of the 1746 Battle of Culloden, who wished perhaps that they had died on the field; the breakthrough moment for John Logie Baird, inventor of television; and, the genesis of great works of literature recorded by Conan Doyle, Stevenson, and the editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica. From the battlefield to the sports field, this is living, accessible history told by crofters, criminals, servants, housewives, poets, journalists, nurses, politicians, prisoners, comedians, sportsmen, and many more."

Post scriptum:  I JUST BOUGHT IT.  Absolutely amazing book...beyond words.  If you get a chance, read the story, "Jacobite Orphans, 1746" by John MacDonald.  It sounds like something right out of a Diana Gabaldon book.  Just grabs you "right here".  

Christmastime Bannocks

Something about this time of year makes me want...no need...bannocks.  So yesterday, I made some and centered a gathering around them!  I had some friends over for quiche, coffee cake and the aforementioned bannocks.  I served them with not only strawberry and blueberry jam...but also apple butter and lemon curd.  You don't even KNOW how good they were.

Holy COW those things are scrumptious.  I posted the recipe a while back before I made them for my Outlander party with my book club.  

If you haven't yet tried them, lorddddd get out there and make some!

Attention MOP Contest Entries!

The entries are already coming in!  To those of you who have already entered, we have a request.  To avoid discrepancies about who sent the winning entries, please cut and paste your entry to an email and send it here (contest@mypurgatory.com.)  This email will be read *after* we've picked the winners.

Already enjoying the entries!!  Keep 'em coming!

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat tonight.  9PM Eastern.

My Outlander Purgatory Character Contest!

Lads and Lassies!  I give you...the first ever...My Outlander Purgatory Character Contest!

Three lucky winners will be awarded the audio book of their choice from Audible.com!

So what's the contest??

If you were an Outlander series character, who would you be, and why? 

A few simple rules...

• To enter, post your answer under this post as a comment.  Please post comments anonymously.  (Just sign out and sign back in as "anonymous" before you post.  NO NAMES!)  :)  THEN - cut and paste your entry and email it here (contest@mypurgatory.com). (That way, we will have proof the entry came from you when we are finished judging...AND I can post everyone's entries on the blog.)

• Contest ends Friday, December 14th at Midnight.  Winners will be announced Monday, December 17th. 

• Entries will be judged by Carol and Tracey and will be based on originality!!  Also - length of entry does NOT matter.  One sentence or ten sentences...it's up to you!

• Audiobook credit (1) will be sent to you by Carol, via email. 

The Minister's Cat

Went to see a local production of Scrooge: The Musical last night...and thought of all of you when they performed "The Minister's Cat".

Here's one I found on Youtube.  Giggle.

Happy Anniversary Tracey!

Just want to throw out a very special Happy Anniversary to my Outlander Mentor and sister, Tracey...and her awesome hubby, John.  Woot!

An Independent Scotland, Eh?

Interesting theories about what things will be like if the referendum for an independent Scotland is passed in 2014.

Pssst!  The Link has been updated...so try it again if you weren't able to see the article last time!

Joseph Morgan as Stephen Bonnet?

Does anyone else think that Joseph Morgan would make a fantastic Stephen Bonnet?  I mean...dinna get me wrong, lads and lassies; the man could play any number of characters and be tremendous.  Hell, I'd be willing to see him in a Lord John role.  But I'm used to seeing him be both charasmatic and vicious as Klaus on the Vampire Diaries...so Bonnet's not such a stretch.

A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows eBooks: $1.99!

Thanks to Julie in Jersey for this very cool info:

A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows: An Outlander Novella [Kindle Edition]

Diana Gabaldon (Author)

Kindle Price: $1.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet

Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.

This price was set by the publisher

Kindle edition is due out on 12/3/12. --Julie in Jersey 

And Thanks to JenniferTN for sending this about Barnes and Noble:

It is available at Barnes and Noble for $1.99 as well. That's for all those Nook users out there. 

Loaf 'N Jug...and Outlander!

I just received this email from Lara and it totally and completely made my day.  Guaranteed it's going to make yours, as well.  I love the Outlander universe!!!!

I have the most awesomest thing to tell you. So, I don't know if you know this, but I've said a couple times, to Clay anyway, that if I ever run into some money, I'm going to rent a castle in Scotland, charter a plane and take us all there on a mega GATHERING. Anyway, I just stopped at the "Loaf n' Jug", yes, that's it's real name... our local stop and rob, and bought $20 worth of Powerball tix...because the jackpot is like $550 mil and I never gamble or buy lottery tix...but I can't not when the jackpot is that high. Anyway, again, the cashier and I were chatting and she said she never buys tix either and she should because the only thing she wants is a trip to Scotland. My mouth fell open and I was like, "OMG, ME TOO! I'm going to take my whole book club friends with me!" Then she says, "What book?!?!?! DIANA GABALDON?" It was a full on middle of nowhere South Dakota Outlander moment. Then she says, "Well Jamie is mine so back off!" I about fell out right there in the middle of the store with a bunch of cowboys watching. We giggled and laughed and practically hugged. Made my day. So long story short, when I win Powerball and we all go to Scotland, I'm taking the cashier from the Loaf n' Jug in Box Elder, South Dakota with us.

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat tonight.  9PM Eastern.

Kindle Fire - Cool "Cyber Monday" Deal

VERY cool deal for Cyber Monday - get a Kindle Fire for only $129!  Enter FIREDEAL at checkout!

Gabriel Aubry Scuffle: Please! Not the Face!

So a while ago, Diana Gabaldon posted on her blog that she thought Gabriel Aubry "did in fact have a strong resemblance to Mr. Fraser, in terms of facial physiognomy".

Apparently Mr. Aubry had a scuffle with Oliver Martinez the other day and has a pretty beaten up face.

Now...normally I pay little attention to this type of Page 6 celebudrama...but after coming across the photos, I couldn't help thinking that this is what Jamie Fraser would look like after a fight!

All roads lead to Outlander folks...all roads lead to Outlander.

T' Scotland!

Just got this from my friend Hugh from Paisley.  T' Scotland!  Enjoy!

Torn

Sometimes I just have to repost...and this is one of those times.  If you are a Twilight fan AND an Outlander fan...you will get a kick out of this.  If you are not, you still just might.  :)

Scotland the Brave Ringtone

I felt the need to mention that my hubby, Tom has recently set "Scotland the Brave" to be his new ringtone on his phone...and it is very, very cool.  I figured I can't do this because we'll both be running to the phone every time we hear it...but at least you guys can!

Random Outlander Question

SPOILER ALERT:  DO NOT read this unless you have read VOYAGER - the 3rd book in the Outlander series!!

Do you ever wake up in the morning and go about your day, when all of a sudden it hits you all over again like a ton of bricks:

"Holy shit!  Jamie married Laoghaire!!!"

Me too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Celtic Music

Thanks to Diane for this lovely find!

Outlander Chat Tonight

Outlander Chat tonight.  9PM Eastern.