1st-12th

Well, I don't intend to start this month ranting, but, I'm going to start this month ranting.

You remember that the record distribution people had asked us to put the release date back from November to January 30th.no bother; we got it all sorted out. All the press was ready and out for January 30th. All the radio was co-ordinated for January 30th and we even had a few shows for that time too, with the February shows hot on the heels, ready for the release date and what do you know.? There were no records in the shops!

Well, needless to say, David spoke to the folk who then said, sorry we didn't inform you, but we've put it back till the end of Feb.eh? Well, when were you going to tell us?

However, all is not lost, patient fans meant that stores have got it into the shops and I really appreciate your support throughout this mix up. If you've got it, I hope that you are enjoying it.

Okay, rant over.

So, February.well, this started with a nice wee time of being broken into real life again. Seeing folk, getting back to work, answering those gazillion emails and letters.

After last year's 28 day detox, we'd decided to keep up that one month per year detox thing and as well as that, a week a month. So, first week in Feb was what is now going to be known as 'detox week' as opposed to 'detox month' - ugh! My liver and kidneys had better bloody well appreciate this!

Well, it was cr*p! I just couldn't be bothered and looked like Victor Meldrew at the top of that volcano in Guatemala again! (By the way, I said last month that the volcano was 4000 metres when it was actually only 3000 metres. My god, what was I moaning about!)

Yeah, so, detox week. I just wanted something that tasted. Not wine, not crisps, not chocolate, just a chilli in my food or something. However, it wasn't to be, it was to be a week of bland-ery - oh joy!!!

In order to keep our minds off the chilli, or lack thereof (and the chocolate and the wine!) we watched a few DVDs. One was Wolf Creek. Has anyone ever seen it?

Well, I found it really, really scary, really edgy and so upsetting. It wasn't the gore that got me, but the whole tension of the thing. I don't want to give too much away, so just let me know if you've seen it and we'll discuss further!

Another movie we watched was On a Clear Day, with the wonderful Peter Mullan. Has anyone seen this wonder? I just loved it. It was such a fantastic, feel good movie. However, it does raise so many questions about the whole (West-of-Scotland) male-not-showing-their-emotions question. I often wonder why boys weren't allowed to cry or feel when I was wee. And, I wonder, has it really changed all that much? There was also the question of how Brenda Blethan and family managed to drive from Glasgow to Dover in what appeared to be about three hours!

I also had the joy of babysitting. We had Caitlin, who is totally not a problem - EVER. But then, she's going to be thirteen in a few months and so, what with the hormones and all, watch this space! But we also had nephew Connor and Morgan and Jacob from London up for the weekend.

Now, Amanda was just a bit uptight about having four kids around all weekend. But then I reminded her that she would be able to use it as a precursor for her new occupation. Apparently, she'd forgotten that she'd been thinking, romantically, about becoming a foster carer. Thankfully I'd reminded her like I would have to when she'd forgotten she even had kids to look after.

13th - 20th

Not much about this couple of weeks, except to say that it was the countdown to another big birthday - my pal Judy's 40th. (Remember when you were 18, all your pals were too, then when you were 21, it was the same. Then when you were 30, all your pals had had a 30th party. And now, amazingly, all my pals are 40 and I'M STILL 30!) Well, Judy was going to be 40!

Lots of cloak and dagger stuff going on, surprises and all.

Well, it came to the big party - It was a nice big affair with lots of folk and stuff. AND, the cabaret! Well, Judy had asked Caitlin and I to sing a song, which we duly did - 1000 Reasons from Kitchen Stories (Judy's favourite).

After the song, Judy was keen to thank everyone for coming. However, she'd have to wait until the real cabaret began. We all changed into our rapping gear and proceeded to sing Judy a wee rap that we had written to a backing track that I had made. It went something like.'her name is judy, she shakes her booty...' and so on. We were on the floor laughing.

Immediately afterwards, Amanda and Caitlin stripped out of their rapping gear to reveal leotards, fishnets and cowboy boots - a la Madonna. The then danced their wee hearts out to Hung Up - it was brilliant!

21st - 28th

There were a few cracking shows in February too.

First of all - Paisley. The first night of the new album shows. We had The Fortunate Sons opening. These guys are cracking. If you hear of these guys playing somewhere, go and see them. Great songs, great musicians and a GREAT, GREAT singer; GO AND SEE THEM!

The gig was really good fun. First nights jitters and all - and that was just the audience. But, as ever, Paisley was great fun. The folk at the arts centre treated us like royalty and it was a real pleasure to sing with David playing and Pam doing backing vocals.

Next night in East Kilbride was great fun too. Before the gig, Alby and his wife and wee boy came back stage to say hello - it was wonderful. The wee boy is a total delight and it was just brill to see mr & mrs Alby - its been a long time, too long!

The Fortunate Sons opened for us again. Again, they were brill. Except, just as they were about to go onstage, they were just going to walk on the side way. 'But wait,' says I, 'go on this way.its more rock and roll'. So I showed them the backstage, rock and roll way. Unfortunately though, it was pretty dark - pitch black in fact - and so Graeme, the fiddle player, fell on to the stage - hmmm very rock and roll!

As ever, the audience here were great. So vocal and chatting away and laughing at all my jokes - even the good ones! Also, it is really thrilling to play the new songs and to get such a great audience response to material that they have never heard before. It kinda makes it all worthwhile.

We had a great night in the Busby Hotel too. Only problem here though, was that Pamela had a couple of her students here to listen. It was quite interesting because they were young trendy guys who were also pretty drunk. They then proceeded to heckle throughout the show, not a problem for me, in fact, you know that I love a good heckle. However, it took me to a conversation that David and I had had a few days before. He was at the Ryan Adams show and was pretty upset at the amount of heckling that Mr Adams had to endure. Again Ryan A was fine at dealing with it, but from another audience member point of view, it was just so off-putting. This is something I never thought about before. Thoughts on a postcard please.!

And that's it, the end of February. Except to say that the first week of March is detox week again - so, if you're sending me any emails, can you please address them to Ms Grumpy please?

Also, on the last day of February, I went to see Sandra Brown doing her one-woman play about the disappearance of Moira Anderson again. Again, it was breathtaking, harrowing and totally emotional. On March 11th we are playing a show in Airdrie with all proceeds going to the Moira Anderson Foundation. I hope you can come along.

Till then, have a warm March, although from what I gather, the weather is set to get even colder - how can that be?

Anyway, till March diary.

Cheers

Carol

ps - you see? I was right, it was a wee shortie!