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I really enjoyed the History Post-Grad gathering last night at the manse and then at the Machar. Gosh I love the Scottish pubs. There is one bar here called 'Black Friars' where I love to get a pub meal with my man...



anyhoo - the meeting went well and Ash says that I just have 'it' when it comes to crowds and dealing with people. I think that comes from me having moved around so much and my natural inner dragonish self coming out. Despite being a Cancer - it behooves people to remember that I AM a dragon too! Dragons never ever hide their light under a basket!



Also, met a really nice lady named Elizabeth from NSW, Australia who is a lecturer here now. She is studying France in the modern period - very interesting topic and I wouldn't mind getting to know her better - she is very cool.



Mackie (my new advisor since Allan left to get more MONEY) - he is going to be great for me to have. He calls my dissertation topic a loser (i.e. he means that Lord William was a loser - which he was in the greater sense of it all) but he 'gets it'. I am going to be the expert on the Jacobite era Dukes of Atholl in the world! I have a feeling that Mackie is pleased to have me to mold as he is not perturbed by either my strength of character or my intelligence. This is a much better match for me in terms of making progress and with Jane Stevenson riding shotgun as my advisor the writing aspects should be well in hand.



Things are really settling down for me and I am truly a very happy person. I am in love and happy there and my academic life just seems to keep getting better and better.



I am really looking forward to the trip to Blair-Atholl Castle. :D Monsta is coming with me if he is still here and not offshore yet. A whole week in the highlands with my man - and over Halloween no less!

Interesting things afoot at uni!



My adviser has departed for the fairer shores of that former polytechnic on the Clyde, Strathclyde Uni so now I am under the supervision of Andrew MacKillop. I had to have a meeting the day after being diagnosed with the kidney infection, with him and the Deputy Head of DHP to ascertain that I knew that Macinnes was the best supervisor for me and that Aberdeen couldn't offer me a better one with that level of expertise.



"Fine'', says I, as Allan was not that great to me to be honest. I don't need to go into too many reasons why, but suffice to say that being out of the uni loop for as long as I was, I need more direction than expertise. I can be my own expert, thank you very much.



So I then proceeded to Blair-Atholl the following Tuesday and was so sore all over...still on antibiotics and Monsta couldn't get me to stay home so made sure that I was collected by a taxi for the train and I had my meds so was basically zombified until Perth. After arriving in Blair-Atholl, I sorted out my B&B and walked out to the castle to meet with Jane Anderson. I also toured the castle and was mighty impressed! (See my portfolio for some pictures).



The next day Jane and I worked together and I got through five bundles of old letters. What a goldmine! I won't spill all yet; I will save it for my book, but as much as history changes, some things stay the same. Parents and children are not as different as we might like to think...only circumstances and science have shaped a different world I believe.



Anyhoo - Jane told me that Lord William gets more letters than any other person at the castle. It appears that since he never married and was quite the, ahem..., ladies man - he has a world-wide reputation as 'that Duke guy we might be related to'...lol! Seems more people think he is their long-lost ancestor (albeit on the wrong side of the blanket, mind you) than almost any other early modern era toff!



I picked a good subject to research and write a book about it!



I will be heading back to Blair-Atholl for a week over Halloween. I am glad to be feeling better and will have to talk all about how interesting it is there when I get back ;)

It is time for me to give yet another paper...



Today at 4 pm. Yay...



I have a lot of new news but will have to get to it later. I still have a lot to do at the moment.



Will be back on later with bells on to let you all know how well things have gone!



Cheers :D



Cheryl