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Ithemselves obe such, myhusbandandI went through themotions ofpickingoutgirlnames.My mother'smaiden name wasMenzies,and during eachpregnancy putit in thegirlcolumnof thename ist. Andeach imemy husbandookedat it withfur-rowedbrowand said,Terrible.No one willunderstandwhat it is. She'llhaveo spelltten timesa dayher whole life."He appar-entlycouldn'thear the bagpipes,couldn'tenvisiona bonniebabe swaddledn tartan.But, like me, for centuriesolks have beenmadforplaidand all theScotch heritage

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Opposite:WebsterHouse n the Crossroodshos on ostonishinglgdiversecollectiono/tartonware,ncluding hesesundrg tems.Tartanware s aformofMauchlineware, ycamoreoxesand ho-useholdtemsthat originatedromatown in the countyofEast Ayrshire, Scotland, ofthe samename. Mauchlinehad long been knownfor itsquarriesand for its boxmaking.Mauchline'swaterofAyrstoneswereexcel-lent forsharpeningsteel blades.Williamand Andrew Smithwere stonemasonsnthelate l8th centurywhopackagedheirproductnplaidboxes.It wasafortuitouspackagingdvantage,indeed marketinggenius.Several actorsconvergedo catapult the Smiths'plaidpackagingnto collectinghall offame.First,KingGeorge VofEngland isitedEdinburghin 1822. owhat? Big deal?Well,t wastothe Scotch.Ceorge's isitmarked he firsttime in nearly wo centurieshat a reigningmonarchhad visited he country.t'son thesame sland,or heaven's ake.ScotsmanSir Walter Scott,who hadcapturedhe King'sattentionwith his novelWaverlq,lannedsomethingof a ColinCowlie extravaganzao capturethe King's