SO SUNNY IT’S LIKE SCOTLAND
This week was great because it was al l about family.
My mum came up from Pensacola to stay and we went out for dinner a few times.
I know it’s been really nice in Scotland and there’s been plenty of sun. It’s been the same here in Carolina – exactly the same temperatures actually.
So it was a good time for us to celebrate Memorial Day.
I’ve never had any relatives die in service but my dad was in the Navy for 30 years.
They are all so selfless and there’s a special closeness with people in the military.
I’m glad my dad was i nvol v ed bec aus e , otherwise, he wouldn’t have met my mum in Arbroath and I wouldn’t have been born and lived in Scotland.
I learned a lot from that lifestyle and I got to see the world.
It’s funny when my mum is here because my kids hear how different her accent is.
She calls them “the bairns” and they think it’s hilarious. They’re starting to learn more about Scotland and love wearing their Scotland rugby tops.
Because mum lives in America, I don’t find her accent that strong.
But when she goes home and then comes back here again, it’s so different – she just picks it back up.
As a football fan, the great thing is Copa America starts this week and then, of course, Euro 2016 begins on Friday.
I’ve been challenged to a keepie - up competition by Cairo Santos – the Brazilian Kansas City Chiefs kicker – so I’ll need to practice.
The one good thing about the sunshine is there are lots of parties. People always ask if you can drink when you’re an NFL player.
Coach Rivera always says we c an do what we want as we ’re adults. But it ’s really important that you’re sensible.
Our team owner Paul Richardson has a car service for us if we go out. They take you then pick you up.
It’s free and nobody ever knows which player asked for the service or at what times or anything like that. Even if I’ve never used it, it’s great to know we have it.
It’s something all NFL teams should have, when you see some of the trouble players get into.
The Panthers are big on player safety so we’re always in good hands.