Rudy's Rants

Sgeulachd Bheag, Poileataigeach

Chunnaic mi an sgeulachd seo ann an litir “chain” a fhuair mi mar post-dealain (‘sa Bheurla) an-uiridh. Smaoinich mi gun robh e gu math èibhinn (ach is docha gu bheil am poileataics agaibh eadar-dhealaichte ). Rinn mi eadar-theangachadh, agus dh’innse mi an sgeulachd aig tachartas Gàidhlig no dhà.

Tha an sgeulachd sgriobhte fon-a-seo, ach nach èisdibh sibh ris an audio an toiseach?

Ruairidh

A Bheil Ceann-Suidhe Bush Ann?

Aon latha, anns a’ bhliadhna 2009, chaidh seann duine chun gheata air beulaibh an Taigh Ghil ann an Washington, D.C. Thuirt e “A bheil Ceann-Suidhe Bush ann? Tha mi ag iarraidh bruidhinn ris.”

Fhreagair an saighdear a bh’aig a’ gheata, “Chan eil e an-seo. Chan eil e ann tuilleadh.”

“Ceart, ma tha”, thuirt an seann duine, agus dh’fhalbh e.

An ath latha, chaidh an aon bhodach chun gheata aig an Taigh Geal, agus dh’fhaighneachd e, “Am faod mi bruidhinn ri Ceann-Suidhe Bush?”

Mar a thachair, bha an aon t-saighdear air a dhleastanas, agus fhreagair e, “Mar a thuirt mi riuibh an-dè, chan eil Maighstir Bush ann. Dh’fhàg e oifis a’ Chinn-Suidhe.”

“OK, ma tha”, thuirt am bodach, agus thug e a chasan leis.

Chaidh an ath latha, agus nach ann an nochd an aon duine aig a gheata, agus thuirt e, “Tha mi ag iarraidh comhradh le Ceann-Suidhe Bush”.

Uill, bha an saighdear a’ fas beagan feargach a-nis. Fhreagair e, “Thuirt mi riuibh ron-a-seo nach eil Maighstir Bush ann. Cha bhi e ann. Chan esan an Ceann-Suidhe tuilleadh, ‘s cha bhith esan a’ suidhe anns an oifis sin gu brath tuilleadh. Nach eil sin soillear dhuibh?”

“O, tha sin gu math soilleir dhomhsa,” thuirt an seann duine, “ach tha e cho math a bhith ga chluinntinn”.

Mar sin, sheas an saighdear direach, rinn e nochdach-urraim, agus thuirt e “Chi mi a-maireach sibh.

 

 A Bheil Ceann-Suidhe Bush Ann?: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (86)

Johnston Canyon Trail

The most beautiful hike (of five) that Alice and I took on our recent Pacific Northwest vacation was the Johnston Canyon Trail in Banff National Park, in Alberta, Canada. After returning home, I noticed that this hike is listed in one of our tour guides as one of the six best hikes in British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies!

This was such a dynamic and photogenic place that I decided to make a short video so I could show it to y’all. And here it is. Hope you enjoy it!

Rudy

httpv://youtu.be/sH45MIvOgJ4

 

 Johnston Canyon Trail [2:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (148)

Mu mo Dheidhinn, ‘s mo Bhlog

Is mise Rudy Ramsey. Tha mi a’ fuireach ann am Parker, Colorado, anns na Staitean Aonaichte. Thoisich mi air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh o chionn mu dheich bliadhna. Tha coimhearsnachd bheag de luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig ann an-seo, agus innsidh mi dhuibh mu a deidhinn uaireagan.

Thug mise ‘s mo bhean turus a dh’Alba dhuinn fhìn ann an 1992, mar thiodhlac airson ar coig-air-fhicheadaimh ceann-latha posaidh. ‘S toil leum a radh gun do thachair mi ri ceòl ceilteach agus uisge-beatha air an turus sin, agus tha fiamh-ghàire air a bhith orm fad na tìde bho’n uair sin, ach chan eil sinn cinnteach de am fear dhiubh as adhbhar dha sin.

Bha mi a’ seinn anns an fhras fad beagan bliadhnaichean, nuair a chur mi romham gun robh an t-àm air tighinn a bhith ga h-ionnsachadh gu fìor. Thoisich mi air leasanan ann an Gàidhlig a’ ghabhail, agus thoisich mi air seinn gu poblach. Cha robh e fada gus an robh mi a’ seinn (gu dona, tha mi cinnteach) ann am farpaisean, cuideachd.

Tha mi air a bhith gu math fortanach leis na tidsearan Gàidhlig agam (innsidh mi dhuibh mun deidhinn uaireigin), agus tha mi “fileanta” a-nis, ged a tha mòran, mòran agam ri ionnsachadh fhathast. Agus bidh mi a’ seinn ann am Mòd na h-Alba am-bliadhna, airson an darna turus. Bhuannaich mi Mòd Ameireagaidh ann an 2005, agus fhuair mi an darna àite ann an dà fharpais aig Mòd na h-Alba an-uiridh. Feuchaidh mi nas cruaidhe am-bliadhna.

Tha mi an sas ann An Comunn Gaidhealach, America. Bidh mi a’ dol chun an deireadh-seachdainn bogaidh aca mar as àbhaist, agus chun a’ Mhòid, agus tha mi nam bhall ùr air bòrd nan stiùirichean. Ged a thoisich mi air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh airson a bhith a’ seinn orain ceilteach, tha i fhèin cudromach dhomh a-nis.

Tha mòran chuspairean eile anns a bheil uidh agam cuideachd, agus chan eil mi airson blog a dheanamh air direach aon dhiubh. Air an adhbhar sin, cuiridh mi “posts” an-seo anns a’ Bheurla cuideachd, ach tha e comasach dhuibh a bhith a’ faicinn nan teachdaireachdan Gàidhlig a-mhain leis a’ cheangal seo:

http://www.ramsisle.com/rudysrants/?cat=7

no ‘s urrain dhuibh an ceangal seo a chleachdadh airson “RSS Feed” Gàidhlig:

http://www.ramsisle.com/rudysrants?feed=rss2&cat=7

Tha fàilte romhaibh beachdan fhàgail an-seo. ‘S docha gum faic mi a dh’aithghearr sibh.

Ruairidh (no Rudy)

Our Pacific Northwest Vacation

Alice and I just returned from a 21-day driving tour of the Pacific Northwest, including Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Vancouver Island (British Columbia), Banff National Park (Alberta), Montana, and Wyoming. This is our first North American vacation in a long time, and our first long driving vacation ever. We had a great time, had very enjoyable visits with four relatives and their families, and saw some truly beautiful parks.

This vacation was a bit more manic than we usually attempt, as we had a lot of specific things we wanted to do. Aside from the vacation spots, summarized in photos below, we had nice visits with

• Rudy’s sister, Shawna Ramsey, and Patrick, in Reno, Nevada
• Alice’s sister, Jeanne Haster, and Jim, Katie, and Ben, in Portland, Oregon
• Alice’s nephew, Robert Farrell, and Ginger, in Seattle, Washington
• Alice’s cousin, Vicki Holbrook, and Chuck, in Whitefish, Montana

Here’s a very brief set of photo highlights, intended for family and friends. They may or may not be interested, but I can’t imagine that anyone else will be.

Colorado River, Fisher Towers, and Mount Waas, near Moab, Utah (6/10/2007)
Double Arch, Arches National Park, Utah (6/11/2007)
Rudy with his sister, Shawna, at Lake Tahoe, near Reno, Nevada (6/13/2007)
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon (6/15/2007) Pictures don’t do it justice!
Chinese Garden, Portland, Oregon (6/17/2007)
Gatsby Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia (6/19/2007) Our lodging.
High Tea at the Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia (6/20/2007) With Denver Post Travel section (we’re hoping to get into print)
Alice at Butchart Garden, near Victoria, British Columbia (6/21/2007)
Iron Mine Bay, Pikes Road Trails, East Sooke, British Columbia (6/22/2007)
Lake Agnes from the Teahouse, Banff National Park, Alberta (6/25/2007) After a 2.2-mile uphill trail. We nearly froze at the top. You can see the wind in the photo!
Above Upper Falls, Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta (6/26/2007)
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (6/29/2007)

I also did some coffee-related things, attending the Pacific Northwest Home Roaster’s Gathering and experiencing several very special coffee shops in Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, and even Whitefish, Montana. I hereby express my gratitude to Alice for her tolerance.

Especially enjoyable were several hikes we did, and I shot video of my favorite, Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park. I plan to prepare a short video on this hike. Banff is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

Hatchling Goes Dancing

In June 2007, my company (Z-Axis Corporation) had a podcast contest for its employees. We’ve been using podcasting in our corporate marketing and internal training activities for awhile, and this exercise was intended to encourage folks at Z-Axis to learn more about the technology. I decided to take the opportunity to do a brief video about our race car (“Hatchling”) and the Solo2 autocross racing that I do with our son, Devin.

Devin was actually the reason I got back into autocross racing after a gap of nearly 40 years. I raced a Formcar Formula Vee in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) competition in the 1960s, and did a lot of autocross racing and rallying as well (both Alice and I won Midwest Division SCCA championships in the 60s, Alice in the women’s class and me overall). Well, around 2005, Devin’s interest in cars (especially Japanese sports cars), racing, and tuning was getting him involved with a street-racing crowd. Not a good thing, in my opinon (and in Devin’s retrospective opinion, as well). I decided that SCCA was a much more positive outlet for this energy, and took him to a local SCCA autocross. He was instantly completely at home, and we decided to build a race car together (a 1989 Honda Civic Si Hatchback). We chose this car because it tends to be the fastest car in the most competitive affordable class (Street Touring – Stock). We’ve been having a great time. This video shows what we’re doing.

I should mention that there’s a bit of suggestive language in this video, as I spiced it up slightly for the contest. It didn’t win, but I think folks enjoyed it. I hope you will, too.

 

 Hatchling Goes Dancing [3:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (217)