1st - 7th April So, a few wee things happening on the writing front...am looking forward to getting away from the computer, washing machine, diy and stuff and just getting some new songs done...

But before that, a wee lunch with the mighty Gwen Stewart. What a wee star she is...mind you, it is difficult to hear anything about her...she is so into her wee boy, Max. Just back from Fuertaventura and it all about how they covered Max in sun cream and how they only managed to sunbathe when the wee man was asleep. Not that I minded, its always good to see someone smiling a la John Denver - ie, from ear to ear!

I guess I was a wee bit pre-menstrual this week too, cos I looked at my diary entry for one day and it just said 'HOUSE - dropping, tripping, breaking things' hmmm...

I remember this week too, on the Friday night. I had resolved to stay home and work and, you know, just generally do stuff...I'd had a busy week and wanted to play my guitar...and get an early bed...and read a book...and, you know, just general rock and roll stuff!

Well, phone rings - 11pm - 'hiya' said a drunken voice 'John and I were just coming round to see you...'. Fine, a steaming visit from pals late at night is always good - except when you are the only person sober - TRYING TO READ AN EFFIN BOOK. Not to worry though, I was the model host. And finally when they left, I got back to that book...only to hear someone at my front door at around midnight. A very drunk person was trying to get a key into the front door - ! Still, poured off to bed, after attempting some serious conversation - I managed to get back to the book. And, yet again, someone at the door. By now it was around 2am! Yep, my beloved big brother, not too drunk, yet still reminding me that I was the only sober person in the whole universe. He proceeded to sit with me and have heavy conversations over a bottle of red wine until about 3. 30pm - I love my family and my friends - honest I do - honest...I do...

My brother and sis-in-law had just returned from their magical trip to the Himalayas - you know walking for Maggie's cancer charity. It was Jules big birthday party (yep, younger than me - just!) Anyway, there was a big family party in Edinburgh...fifteen of us went through in a wee bus and had a pure scream. The upshot though, was that Mark & Jules managed to raise over £8000, yes that's EIGHT THOUSAND POUNDS for their charity - I think between them, their whole group raised about £200,000 - a quarter of what's required to build a new Maggies Centre - Quite astounding! Oh aye, and there's that other £19.95 from our car boot sale to add to that!

A wee thing I should mention is that during the party there was a raffle and, as with every family do, there was the obligatory CL pack to raffle - well my Dad won it and what do you think he did? Yep, he gave it back! I'm hoping its because he already has everything in it - but then with my dad...you never know...!

Also, now at forty years old I have finally got myself matching bedroom furniture - you know, bed, drawers, wardrobe. Well, the thing is, they were flat pack...you know build it up yourself and stuff. Well, I love this kind of thing and was looking forward to it, especially with my new tools and stuff. The packaging said that it would take about 6 hours - Now, maybe to a person who builds these things it would take six hours, but I think they should say '6 hours - PER DAY'!

No kidding, I was there for two days...my back is still in recovery! Wardrobe looks good though - only thing is that I had to lie it on the floor to look at it cos I can raise my head enough to look at it!


8th - 18th April On the 8th of April, a group of us, including Caitlin, went to Brussels to see my lovely uni pal Liesbett. I went last year at this time too and in preparation for this year, I'd fasted in my chocolate and crisps intake. When we got to Belgium, I all but made up for this lack of goodies. Same as last year - Chocolate, Crisps and Belgian Beer - YUMMO!

When I got back to Glasgow, there was a wee bit of work to do, but I was counting down for the trip to Lewis with my minidisc and my guitars...


19th - 30th April And so, it was up early, car all packed up with clean underwear, some food, guitars, hunners of books and paper and pens and it was off in my mum's trusty car, to Lewis.

Now I am Scottish, I love Scotland and I have had the pleasure to travel around it a lot. Not least of all last year with Eliza Gilkyson shouting 'freedom'. However, no matter how often I do the drive up to Lewis, through Skye and Glencoe, it never ceases to take my breath away. This is a beautiful country. I can't help myself, it just makes me cry - especially when the rain's beating off the windscreen endlessly - throughout the whole of the 7 hour drive and two hour ferry ride!

F-R-E-E-D-O-M!

Anyway, I drove through the moonscape called Harris, and got to my wee house...or at least I hoped it was mine. I just walked in shouting 'hello...hello' and there was no answer, so I made up the bed, unpacked the car and phoned my landlord - just to make sure. Luckily, it was my wee house. There was me, a wee neighbour and a loch full of seals - it was just heaven, absolute heaven.

I'd made a plan to get there and have a wee tea and then get an early bed, after such a long drive and all. Well, no need, as soon as that guitar was out, I was playing it. I had such a wonderful time. Prolific and relaxed. I also did a lot of reading and walking - well, there was little else to do...I only had one neighbour and I don't know where the nearest pub was. So, all I could do was work - bummer eh?

I read a lot of books too - including The Alchemist - a gift from one Jaqueline Cogan. A wonderful book. Also, a book called Inge and Mira - horrific, but also very rewarding (lots of song fodder in there too!)

Also, when I was up there, Poor Old Ben were playing. That was fun. Not least of all because I went to the show and played a wee short set of my own - very nice. An Lanntair is a great wee place in Stornoway...I played there about five years ago.

Alex, the girl who runs it, had asked me to play the next week - only problem was that it was the 'peat cutting weekend'! Eh?

Yep, in the first week of May, everyone goes out and cuts the peat for their fuel - such competition!

And competition it was, my friends came up for the weekend and we drove around the whole island for two days and all we saw was mound after mound of peat drying out - the smell was great...I think that we established that I love peat - sad, I know, but I love it. Mind you, if everyone keeps digging up this natural resource year after year, wont Lewis sink?

We did find a local restaurant - about four miles from my wee house - Bonaventure - which everyone had been recommending to me. I called the night after my gig in An Lanntair on the off chance that we would get a table for the next night and the conversation went something like this...

'...a table for three for tomorrow night? Are you full up?' 'not yet', came the French accent, what is your phone number?' 'oh, eh, I don't know, I'm staying at a friend's house and I don't know the number...can I give you a mobile?' (mobile's rarely work up there) 'no, no, where are you staying?' So, I told him and he says... 'oh, yes, you are staying in Brian's house, you are the singer, your are here for two weeks writing songs...' What can I say, its a small part of the world!

But then the pies de resistance...we fancied a wee drink at dinner, so tried to find a taxi number for the restaurant - eh naw!

We called the restaurant to find out if there was a taxi number and no there wasn't but not to worry - the guy only sent one of the waitresses to collect us and had his other chef drop us off at night - !

Now that's what I call service - absolutely wonderful. As it happens the food was amazing too!

So, needless to say, I had a great weekend with my pals - mind you, I'd had two weeks of complete solitude, talking to seals, reading, writing and singing...

And so, that is my short April entry...I had a tremendous time in Lewis. My big pal from Stornoway - John MacLeod (I know, original) was absolute delighted that I'd had such a brill time.

Its hard to put into words, but I really felt on the edge of the world. I felt inspired. I felt warm (in spite of the harsh weather) and I felt completely at ease. Lewis is a great gift that we all should see - and no, I don't work for the Scottish Tourist Board!

And now, back to Glasgow...that's always a good thing too - I love to get home. I love to write new songs - and I am dying to play them - so come along to the next gig you can.

Peace and  warmth...

Carol