I’m getting married. I was going to dress it all up in fancy words, but well – I’m getting married. Woo Hoo! I told my handsome American boyfriend Peter that the reason I was flying over to Boston for a long weekend was because I miss him and didn’t want to wait until the spring before seeing him again. While that wasn’t actually a lie, I did have an ulterior motive that I hadn’t told him about – and that reason was that I wanted to propose. I was terrified that if I had waited until spring that I’d have blurted it out in a text message, and I wanted to do it properly, in person, on one knee in a romantic location after a posh meal in a posh restaurant. And that’s exactly what happened. Then he said yes, and it was magical.
We’ve not set a date yet, it’s going to take a good while before we can sort everything out, transatlantic relationships are a bummer involving lots of paperwork and visa applications and all sorts of other red tape. We hope that Peter will eventually move over here, but UK immigration is horrendous. There may be a way around things involving a German passport, because there’s a chance that my hunky American boyfriend is really my hunky American boyfriend with dual US-German citizenship, but Peter will have to speak to a specialist lawyer in the US first.
The point however is that whatever the obstacles we will overcome them, and the man I love and I are now officially on a journey together, one which ends with us living together as husband and husband. Nothing is going to happen quickly, but everything worthwhile is worth waiting for, whether that’s living with the person you love, or indeed Scottish independence. Both those things are going to happen.
This is just a short blog update. I’ve got a lot to do today. I’ll be back tomorrow being ascerbic. I just wanted to share my news.
BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE Barking Up the Right Tree has now been published and is an anthology of my articles for The National newspaper. You can submit an advance order for the book on the Vagabond Voices website at http://vagabondvoices.co.uk/?page_id=1993
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Congratulations and best wishes to both of you. Elspeth
Sent from my iPad
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All the very best of luck. I’ve had experience of UK-US immigration – all the very best with that as well. Hope your future is everything you want it to be, and in an independent Scotland too, before to long
Congratulations – Mrs Vole, the wains and myself send you all the best.
Well done. Happy for you both
Just going to let you know I’ve done the transatlantic relationship thing, it *sucks* until you get visas and crap sorted.
And the paperwork isn’t actually all that bad (at least for straight couples, I honestly don’t know if they make it harder for gay ones). Got another friend from the states who just got their fiancée visa last month, first application went through with no problems. Expensive as all hell, but other than that…
Good luck, and don’t worry if the first application gets rejected, it’s all part of the screening process, seeing if you care enough to harass them about getting it sorted.
Absolutely wonderful!
Wonderful! Wonderful Wonderful!
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >huge hugs to both of you!!!<
All the best of wishes to you both. Good to see you happy, Paul.
Oh congratulations! All the very best to you both. I do hope you don’t have too much trouble navigating the nightmare of UK immigration.
Congratulations Paul, you deserve all the happiness in the world. Hope the Dug approves.
Good luck WGD!
Happy to do your photography!
Fantastic, I hope you and your American hunk have a long and happy life together.
Congratulations Paul,
It has been a hard rain on you over the last few years.
I give you this, though the cat advert at the start may not be to the wee ginger dugs taste!
Oh frabjous day! Calloo callay!
How EXCITING! How absolutely WONDERFUL! And how romantic too. Sigh!
Congratulations. Fantastic. Big love to you both. Keep us informed!
So, you go direct! The power of the wee ginger dug!
Pure dead brilliant, so it izz.
Congratulations.
Very best wishes to you both and congratulations. Dave
>
How incredibly exciting. You so deserve some happiness after the shit couple of years you have been through. Huge congratulations. What a very happy Christmas you will have. xx
Congratulations! I am so pleased for you. X
Congratulations to you both. Any pics?
Reblogged this on Bampots Utd and commented:
congratulations to you both and a hope its a Glasgow Celtic tartan green theme event either way good celtic luck to you both !
Congratulations. I hope the visa crap doesn’t take too long to get sorted.
Bravo young man, bravo!
Every good wish to you both. The wee dug will have two human companions again. xx
Congratulations!
Here’s to a long and happy marriage.
Will Ginger be attending as Best Dug?
Lovely news. You and the dug deserve much happiness. But don’t be going soft now 😉 We’ve an election to win!
[…] Back from Boston with big news […]
Many congratulations Paul, will be great to have another decent person in Scotland. x
Congratulations to you both. Wishing you a peaceful and loving future. The German route might just be the way to go. I have a friend in Puerto Rico who has dual nationality (born in Germany to US soldier family) and that’s the way she’s going. Her problem was not keeping up her German credentials, but last I heard she was getting that sorted.
All the best xxxxx
Oh happy days Paul!!!! Congratulations to you both, may you be happy together in an Indy Scotland!!! Hope the dug approves!!! Shame you couldn’t have Christmas together. XX
Fantastic news Paul
I read all the time but never comment
Have a great new year together
Many many many congratulations Paul. You really do deserve every happiness, what great news xx
ooh..scottish independence wedding day possibility. congratulations. onwards etc
Great news, you deserve all the happiness 🙂
Many congratulations, Paul!
Congratulations Paul and Peter! Hope all goes well for you. Xxx I too, at the grand age of 74, am getting married to an expat living in the Netherlands whom I met during the Indyref.Turned out we were from neighbouring towns here in Scotland!!Life is sweet!
Congrats to you too, Marie! Here’s to a lifetime of love. And happiness for both of you x
Aw! Lovely and very romantic.
It would be fantastic if it coincided with Scotland’s Independence Day.
Your handsome fella does know that you cannot leave the country before Independence Day — does he?( there would be an inordinate number of desperate folk hingin’ on to the tail of the plane to prevent him spiriting you away)
Oh, wonderful! I’m very happy for you. I hope you will have many good years together. Just don’t get too soft and dreamy and romantic in these blogs of yours, now – keep up the good work, please please please!
Congratulations! A wee bit of happy news makes a change from every other “news” story in the rest of the meeja.
Delighted for you and your fiancé! Congratulations and wishing you many, many years of happily married life.
……hope that doesn’t mean we’re losing you and the wee dug to America though!!!
Warmest, best wishes for your future together,
Morna Kirk
Sent from my iPad
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Morna,
One of our best advocates lives in Bath.
(Despite the fact that he and me have fallen out.)
There is no reason whatsoever that Paul Kavanagh couldn’t do just as good job from the USA as he does from Glasgow East.
I think, correct me if I am wrong, that this idea burns in him like a torch?
That Scotland shall be Free.
I doubt it would matter where he settled, the message would be the same.
This is, perhaps, the most brilliantly written, witty (and to quote it’s author) ascerbic sites you could ever wish for.
I very much doubt that your worries will amount to much. I could see Paul Kavanagh as a major player in Party Political Politics, hopefully of an SNP variety.
wow!!! congratulations – wearing the kilt??
He’s been told that kilt wearing at the wedding is non-negotiable.
Congratulations. Just to remind you that he’s just as lucky to have a handsome Scottish man. What a catch. The kilts can only make it perfect.
There’s a former Edinburgh native who runs a kilt business somewhere in Boston. We hired kilts from there for my daughter’s wedding in Dallas TX. The range mightn’t suit Scots but handy for Americans who need something from their side of the pond.
All the best to youz both. Happiness is always a good place to be.
Congratulations. Hope ye’s have many happy years together 🙂
Congratulations and best wishes to both of you.
Keep blogging.
💖
So chuffed for you both! Wishing you every health and happiness … heart warming news! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Congtratulations to you and your new partner- to -be.
Hope it all goes well with immigration
sincerest best withes Paul,
What a lovely, unexpected surprise! Heart-warming!
To think I had sorta presumed you were pre-Christmas visiting aged aunts and uncles in Scotland!
Wonderful news. Sincere congratulations to you both
Glass raised to Paul and Peter –
Hope you have a long and very happy life together, wherever that might turn out to be!
Long time reader but I don’t think I’ve ever commented, since it just gets lost in the mass of others, but on this occasion I will break my silence:
CONGRATULATIONS 🙂
May the two of you have the best of Glaswegian stag nights’, a fantastic wedding, a brilliant honeymoon and a beautiful life together. No matter what passport (US, German, British or dare I hope, Scottish) it’s on 🙂
Congratulations. It’s wonderful news. Best wishes to both of you. X
Nice one, Paul!
Delighted to hear your wonderful news. I hope everything goes smoothly for you both, having just relocated back to Scotland from Canada I know just what a hassle all the paperwork can be and I have dual citizenship !!
Just happen to have a bottle of bubbles open so my toast to Paul and Peter is “wishing you both much happiness and a peaceful and contented life together”.
Congratulations Paul. Great news on top of hearing from the National that you are to be a regular contributer. (be sure they pay you well!)
One proviso though. All bets are off if your American friend’s name is Trump!
Congratulations! I love a happy ending,
Incidentally, are you still going to be writing for the National???
Brilliant News, gratz to you both xx
Paul, so pleased and happy for you both. Congratulations, and a very warm welcome to Peter to Scotland when you get the visa thing sorted. Well done.
Many congratulations and I am delighted to read that you will be doubling your National contributions.
That’s lovely and I’m glad you’ve met someone who makes you happy.
Wishing you both all the best x
What a brilliant early Christmas present – for all of us!! So happy to read your good news – Merry Kissmas to you both xx and hugs tae the dug 🙂
Great news, Paul. I hope the red tape stuff goes smoothly and you and Peter have a long and happy marriage.
Many congrats to you both. Do love good news!
Congratulations! Wishing you both all the best x
Congratulations and all best wishes on your journey together 🙂 🙂 🙂
Congratulations Paul. I wish you and your man every happiness.
Have you explained to him that he has to share you with us? I’m sure he will be very proud to.
Congratulations to both. Hope you’ll be very happy.
Congratulations.
All the best to you both.
Heartiest congratulations to you both.
Tris and Munguin.
Meal do naidheachd!
Well done, that man!
Many congratulations to you both!
Good luck with the visa.
congrats from our family and we really hope you have a wonderful life together xxxx
Just perfect, absolutely perfect. :o)
Best to you both Paul.
I know about those immigration monkeys. Had a friend visit about 15 years ago and they were given 6 whole hours on Scottish soil before being deported. Make sure you dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s pal! :o)
What lovely news. Congratulations and every good wish to the three of you!
Paul, we have never met, and I have never commented here before, but I have read this blog since before the referendum, and I’m now sat in the bath crying with happiness for you both. Congratulations.
Congratulations, Paul, I wish you both a long and happy life together!
Very happy to hear your news today. Look forward to tomorrow’s National for a wee keek at your beau… All the best x
Congratulations Paul. All the best for a long and happy married life.
I hope this won’t mean too many distractions to your eagerly awaited writings, or will it be further inspiration…?
Congrats to you both. I wish you every happiness – you deserve it.
I knew it. I knew it. I knew it! Congratulations to the both of you – welcome to the club. We did it 8 years ago but for reasons of legit simplicity had to redirect the rites to Belfast. It worked!
Congratulations, the two of you.
I hope it all goes smoothly sorting things out. I think you deserve this after all you’ve been through, pal, I’m well pleased! Is the Dug going to play a role in proceedings? 😀
Congratulations to you both, all the best.
Congratulations to you both, wishing you love, friendship and a lot of sparkle! Peter is a lucky man, and I would just ask him to recognise how much we, your followers….friends….admirers?…..comrades..yes..comrades…value and appreciate how much you have and, do, contribute to our cause…….please join us Peter! Here in Scotland you are so very welcome for bringing joy to the heart of our much loved Paul n Dug.
Great news, I’m so happy for you!
Am sure I speak for all of our YES family in wishing you and Peter the very best. My son spent a week in Boston last June, Paul hostelling and really, really loved it. Great city, great pubs, great people and the Red Sox too.
Hope you and your intended are not tempted to move. Selfishly, we need you….. and Peter here among us.
Congratulations to you both. 🙂
All the very best. I wish you everything you wish for yourself.
that’s lovely 🙂
Congrats! Here’s a possible way to get around any potential UK visa restrictions:
http://www.workpermit.com/news/2015-01-19/court-ruling-in-favour-of-non-eu-family-members-of-eu-citizens
Basically Peter would have to get a residency permit for another EU member state and then he’d be able to travel from that EU member state to the UK without needing a visa, so long as you’re married of course!
It might be a lot easier to get a residency permit for Spain (fjust an example – you’d need to check which EU country is the best option) and once he’s got that, he wouldn’t need a visa to travel to the UK from another EU country.
Very best wishes to you an yur man. What a braw bit o news. Lang may yur lumb reek. Hope the Dug approves.
Always read and love your blog. Never commented before. Congratulations, much happiness.
Paul, those who have not loved and lost cannot understand the pain and grief of loss. They cannot understand the need for hope for the future. Please accept my best wishes.
Les.
My comment was in response to Johnny Come Lately’s comment, which has now disappeared.
Thanks Sue. I just deleted his comment – I thought it was a bit snide.
Aw ra best pal…
Magic news….
Bloody well done and congratulations – big bollocks – I shat bricks when I proposed on the Eiffel Tower, and we’d been living together for 20yrs. She said no btw. Just kidding, but the brick effect still stand :).
Smashing news congratulations been through the UK visa process stressful expensive and long drawn oot process but worth it in the end x
Late to the party, but wanted to add to all the congratulations. Wow, look at the long list already. Paul – feel the love.
Wow – congrats! I am originally from the Boston area and I have both a US and German passport, and have lived in Scotland for 25 years as an EU citizen (dunno what I will do if Brexit…) Let me know if you need a wedding singer…
Big Congratulations, good to see you happy after all the sadness you have come through Paul. I am dual nationality too, UK/Germany and I used my German passport because its cheaper and I don’t have to use a “British” passport. I’ve never had any problems so fingers crossed Peter will get in with his.
Aw Paul….that’s wonderful news. Over the moon for you!
Congratulations to you both. Hope you have many happy years ahead of yule
That is lovely news indeed, congratulations. All the very best for a future full of harmony, luck and love for you, Peter and the dug.
Annelise S
Very happy for you both 😊 Congratulations!
Congratulations. Wonderful news. Love to you both and the Dug.
As a solidly heterosexual guy all I can do is simply add my congratulations and very best wishes. I can only hope you have as long as my wife and I have had. The Kiwi bit of me says Kia Kaha.
Great news Paul, wishing you all best and every happiness. Thanks for all the inspiration and strength you have given us over the last few years.
I really can’t see much point in heterosexual marriage these days, when there’s really little stigma attached to living with a sexual partner in a more or less permanent relationship. Except perhaps where nationality/residence issues come up. Or children possibly, but then maybe not?
So whatever arguments you might advance for homosexual marriage must be even more debatable. Equality I suppose is a good basis, but frankly the whole institution, marriage that is, stinks. It’s surely the only contract an adult enters into where the terms are non-negotiable between the parties concerned.
Sorry, Mr. W. G. Dug, but the whole affair feels vaguely sleezy to me.
That’s fine. I’m not proposing to marry you.
Your comment is like a broken pencil Marconatrix.
I think your post shows a certain lack of respect, tact and taste and is inappropriate at this time, regardless of your personal views.
Well, bah humbug to you too.
You may not realise that whilst it is fine in most cases for heterosexual relationships, that they have few, but still have some problems, Same Sex relationships had no protection, if you remember Paul had problems with Andy’s pension for an example.
Why the bitterness, this is a happy moment for Paul and we his followers are happy for him. Stop raining on his parade.
Dear Contributor,
thank you for writing in to our problem page regarding your prejudices. I can assure you that it is not normal to ejaculate copiously in public like this. You should also consider seeing a specialist about your issues, someone who can advise on “better together” relationships and who gives a fuck about your sleazy feelings. Perhaps I can suggest some self-help therapy. As you are evidently in a committed sexual relationship with yourself at this time, next time you are feeling sleazy, find something to occupy your hands, preferably far away from a keyboard. Pulling and sharing does not mean you have to pleasure yourself and at the same time expose yourself in public with your tawdry insights into your own inadequacies.
You, sir or madam, really are a cynical person. As far as I’m concerned anything that increases the amount of hope, love and happiness on this earth is a beautiful thing – regardless of the gender of those who share those feelings. Away and be a miseryguts somewhere else; the rest of us are delighted by Paul’s good news.
marconatrix, I could not disagree with your strange analysis more if I tried. Paul is blissfully happy, a state he very much deserves to be in. This is not the time or place to be going off on weird paranoid rants about marriage or whatever it is you were going on about.
Wishing you both all the very best for the future. Great news.
Congratulations & I wish you both a very happy future.
Congrats indeed. 🌞
I am so happy for both of you. I don’t comment very often on here but read your blog faithfully. I hope your guy knows he has to share you with all of us. We just couldn’t do without you. Wish you all the best for the future.
If anyone deserves happiness its you Paul, ending the year with a broad smile,congratulations to you both.
Congratulations Paul and good luck
Congratulations xx
Congratulations!
Congratulations and I wish you well in the future as Mr and Mr Dug 🙂
Love it!
🙂
So happy for you both 💙💜💙💜💙💜
Congratulations on your fabulous news 🙂
Very happy for you, Seth the dug sends happy thoughts to Ginger too,
Fit rare, completely and wonderfully terrific. Happiness for ever. YES YES YES!!!!!!
Meal do naidheachd Paul. S’math a rinn thu!
Congratulations Paul. I hope you have a long, healthy and happy life together.
Congratulations to both of you. Best wishes for a long and happy life together.
So happy for both of you Paul (got a big sill grin on my coupon now), may you both enjoy a long and happy marriage (thanks for making my day!)
Congratulation Paul and Peter, very many best wishes to both of you.
p.s. I assume Ginger approves and has given Peter his consent?
congrats wee dug! that’s awesome. I’m from good ol’ ‘Murica too & married a lovely wee ginger Scotsman , with unending UK visa issues (we’ve ended up in Ireland: I’ve now got EU residency up yours Cameron & May!).
If your man can get German citizenship I’d highly recommend that. A few friends have done so, and he’d need his family’s immigration papers to the US & birth certificates to prove they were born in Germany, plus some other documents too.
Good luck 🙂
Congratulations! Wishing you both all the best for your future together.
So very pleased for you both. Congratulations xx
Congratulations Paul and Peter and Dug. Wonderful news!
Some news makes you smile from the heart outwards, and radiates away for ages.
This news does that, superb.
The very best wishes for you both, plus the dug of course.
Congratulations Paul and Peter and best wishes. I take it the Dug had the casting vote on whether to live in Boston or Glasgow?
I was getting fed up with all the pre-Christmas arrangements when I came across your blog late. You have really made my day! So happy for you both. Can’t stop grinning. Many congratulations.
What wonderful, wonderful news – many congratulations to you both.
But wait – jings, crivens, will Wee Ginge have to undergo a name change … as in Peter, Paul and – MARY ?!! One sniff of that and he’ll be ‘leaving on a jet plane’ !!
Brilliant news! Congratulations to you both.
Fabulous. What a difference a year makes.
I am so happy for you, many congratulations. It’s wonderful to find light at the end of the tunnel and to know you have found happiness again.
Need to add my congratulations. Best wishes to you both! xx
congratulations and best wshes for a long and happy life together
Oh right! : Lang may yer lum reek Paul!
“I’ll be back tomorrow being ascerbic.” LOL! And good for you Paul on the domestic bliss front. Lot’s of happiness to you both. Keep the dug sluggin’, good bro. Best regards!
That is such brilliant news. I’m so glad that you’ve found someone to love and be happy with (apart from the dug of course!). Makes life so worth while. Good luck with the visas. Luckily the internet stretches right across the Atlantic.
Congratulations to you and Peter – Happy news!…wishing you “Aw ra Best””
over the moon for you…..congrats!
Gawd did I need some good news today – and you were the good news Santa I needed! Love and lifelong happiness to you two, and hope the Dug will welcome Peter with wags and yips of joy
Not surprised he said “Yes” – you’ve had a lot of practice advocating the affirmative…
Congrats to Messrs Dug. One Union we’ll all say Aye to xx
First post here. Chuffed tae bits and as happy for you as a’body else!
Mazel tov on yah wicked good news (ask Peter, he’ll explain), and a very Marry Christmas to you!
@weegingerdug
“Thanks Sue. I just deleted his comment – I thought it was a bit snide”
Come on. Much as I enjoy most of your political blogs I would hope we could both agree, that many of your writings are full of snide remarks/digs, many on personal scale.
Are you the only one allowed to make snide remarks? You critisise the msm for it’s censorship. Please don’t go down the same road.
Yeah, but I NEVER make personal remarks about a person’s grief. That’s the difference. If you can’t see that there’s something wrong with you.
Paul, don’t waste your energies on replying to the 2 low life’s who don’t have the ability to distinguish between what’s business and what’s personal and whose prejudice is coming through loud and clear for the rest of us to see – and treat with the disdain it deserves 🙂 BTW what a HANDSOME chap your fellah is! X
Congratulations on a successful Yes campaign. A’ the best.
Well Paul you can see by the number of messages here how pleased everybody is for you. The very best of luck to you both. X.
So happy for you Paul, what great news.
Sorry I’m at the end of the queue as usual, just trying to catch up with everything after an extended work trip,
I hope you are both very happy.
No quite at the end. 😀
Paul I’ll just repeat what I said on the other place last night, congratulations, if anyone is deserving of some happiness it’s your good self.
Btw by my back of a fag packet calculations (much mair reliable than Dippity Dug or JaBa’s):
168 comments total (including this one)
2 snidey.
That’s a 98.8% approval rating, so f*ck the naysayers! From the other 166 of us, may your life together be everything you wish it to be 😊
Late to the party again-saw the good news on twitter & thought ‘Yes, Christmas has arrived at last’. Very best wishes to you both & for your future together. Congratulations to you both & the Dug. I’m sure you will be very happy together. You deserve it 🙂
Just seen you’re back Paul.
Congratulations to you both!
A bit late but what great news! Congratulations and lots of love, luck and laughter to you both!
I dunno, I go away for few days and there’s a celebration party. 😀
Brilliant news Paul.
Be Happy.
Mr&Mrs M.
Congratulations – isn’t Yes such a wonderful word! Love will find a way for you to be together in a Trump free zone….
Great news! I’ve gone through the transatlantic visa process, and studied immigration law. It’s a nightmare, but will be good in the end. You’re in a strong position because of his dual citizenship. Give me a shout if you want advice or just someone to rant at. UK immigration policy is awful.
Paul, I’m late on here and was a bit intimidated about making a comment at all given half of Scotland’s already been on to give their congratulations. but, better late than never, I suppose. And you’ve given me so much pleasure and entertainment over the years, ever since the days you used to post comments on the Herald website from Spain. Well done, you emotional Scotsman, you. I’m sure you’ll work out the practicalities and I wish all the very best of happiness together.
Ahhhhhh!!!!!!! So excited for you and Peter sweetheart!!! Brilliant news!!! But no, your hunky boyfriend is not American, German or anything else, because he’s your hunky American-possibly-German FIANCÉ!!!!!!! Yay!!!!! So many exclamation marks I know but it’s hard to convey bouncing around the room making excited squeaky noises without them 😀
Love to you both ❤ xxxx