June/July 2009

So, I think there should be a competition this month - I think we should see how many times I DON'T mention the weather - you know like on the opening page, it says 'Hope to see you (and some sunshine) there...', you know, like I managed to get it in there surreptitiously? Okay, here goes...

June

In June, I'm usually winding down a bit in time for a long summer. Well, not last year because of the recording. But this year yes I'll be chilling out, doing my accounts, reading lots of books that I meant to...and alas no!

I forgot how much I had on! Winding down was going to be a bit different this year! IE, I wasn't going to be winding down at all...too much to do.

Not complaining though cos that involved speaking with the guys at Fairpley who have invited me to play up at the Belladrum Festival on August 8th. I'm really looking forward to this and not only is it a Carol Laula show - but I am also able to bring lots of other experience to bear. That is to say that I will be running two Rhymetimes in the morning for parents and children, running a songwriting workshop in the afternoon and then in the evening, I will be playing my gig and - hopefully - asking the folk who wrote something at my workshop to perform with me at my gig - wey hey, how cool is that?

I think we'll change the name of the festival this year to 'Carodrum'??? I'm sure the organisers wouldn't mind that?

Still, if the sun is shining, I don't think anybody will care what it's called! (Hey, see what I did there?)

And, just under two-years later - I emptied my last box! Bookshelves up and full of absolute and total rubbish...stuff that I should throw out but wont - EVER! Main thing though - no more boxes in my house and only one fairly big job to do - I can't believe it. We've done so much in a relatively short space of time - thank god. Cos, see if we hadn't done it, if we'd left it till we could afford it, till we could be bothered, we'd never have done it and we'd never have had this big mansion that we are both rattling about in! Sunshine all around! (2!!)

And just a couple of wee jobs finishing off...some workshops coming to an end...almost summer (3!!). One of which was in a place that I worked in some years ago - I wont mention where, but my god, was this challenging.

When I do jobs where the young people are a little more challenging than others, I realise why red wine was invented!

In June though, the sunshine really did come out - the sunshine in my heart, anyway! (4&5!)

My beautiful God-Daughter, Caitlin Rose, had invited me to her school dance show. She does it every year and I always love to go.

This year was no different. She was in all the dances and was (of course) the best dancer on the stage.

However, when the opening bars of the next song came on, my heart could have burst - it was the guitar chords for Caitlin Rose - the song, for her, from my First Disciple album.

It was a surprise for me, planned by her and choreographed by her teacher. Caitlin was allowed to choose the dancers and she danced the most beautiful dance ever to that song - even now, I get shivers thinking about how special that moment was! One that I will have with me forever - ah...

July

Well, I said I wasn't going to mention the weather - but, well, mention it I will - I canny believe how beautiful June was and then how sh*t July has been (6).

We ran Judy's dance school's summer school which was a laugh - it rained every morning and then the sun - grudgingly - came out in the afternoon (can't be bothered counting any more!). So, we're going to change the name to Judy Fielding's Rainy School!

Nice ring???

It seems thought, that we missed the worst of the winter weather - IN JULY (remember that line in Sunday Clothes?). We missed it though, because we jumped on a plane - eight of us, including BOTH my god-daughters! - and went to my pal's house in Benamocarra in Spain.

What a blast. You'd think that all that heat and out-of-her-routine-going-to-bed-after-ten-every-night would have upset 8-month old Keeley? But no, there she was, chilled out, wearing the coolest swimwear and hat ever, chilling out under her brolly, eating sand, playing in the water, laughing, smiling, eating and sleeping...she was a star. The Keel-star indeed!

But another star - an amazing, mature, beautiful, sophisticated, person - CAITLIN.

In Spain, we celebrated her 16th birthday - I can't believe that she's 16 years-old already - I can't believe that she's so grown up, when I swear that she was only the 8-month old - FIVE MINUTES AGO!

But in amongst all that sophistication, there's still the wee girl. In our house we had a roof terrace where we spent most evenings, sitting, eating, drinking wine (not the 16-year-old), talking and most of all, laughing - who knows what we were laughing at, but it was hysterical!

Anyway, the child appeared one night when she offered to show us all her dances from her show the other week - of course Caitlin Rose was in there - I got to see it again, there were no other dancers there that night, but when I tried to remember, there were no other dancers there the other night either cos all I could see was Caitin.

I know I'm repeating myself, but, what the hell...

She was also the child when we came home and she excitedly told me that we had tickets for 'HP'...

Of course, this is Harry Potter and of course we went to see it and of course we were like excited kids and of course we both loved it!

Anyone seen it yet?

Also, has anyone seen 'Milk'? If you haven't seen it and aren't anti-gay, then see it, it is a really great film. Sean Penn et al are outstanding.

...and so...that is my summer so far. Of course, there have been lots of rehearsals with Liz Lochhead, this Love, Love, Love show promises to be really good fun. My friend Emma, came along to cast an eye over it and gave us the thumbs up, so hopefully, if you get the chance, you can let us know what you think.

There are a few overnights with Keeley that I didn't mention, only because there are only so many times you can say amazing and beautiful before someone (not me) gets bored.

But I am looking forward to more of those night and I am looking forward to the Edinburgh Fringe and I HOPING (against all hope) that the sun comes back out.

Have a great August and I hope to see you at one of the shows -

Lochhead & Laula: Love, Love, Love
The Supper Club
Assembly @ George Street
6th - 16th August (not 8th)
18.20 - 19.20

I wish you culture in August!!

Carol