1st - 9th May It seems like a million miles away and about three years ago since I was up in Lewis writing my new songs. Especially when I get back here and realise that there is still decorating to be done! Mind you, when I get the guitar out and play some of the new stuff, I close my eyes and am right back there looking out to my wee loch with my wee seal looking up at me - ahhh...then the phone rings...

So, just a few days of getting bank into the swing of things...and NOT waving and smiling at folk in other cars just cos they pass you. But no, just spending the week in coffee shops, catching up with friends and family and seeing, hearing and breathing in the sight of my goddaughter - once again, she manages to age about one year per month - she is so grown up and mature - its like her mum says, 'she's ten-teen'!

And then, next thing you know, I managed to get tickets for my first-ever old firm football game. Well, that was a sight to behold...people say they wont go to Celtic/Rangers games because of the potential for trouble, but that the atmosphere is great. And it was, it was absolutely incredible...60,000 people all singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone' grown men greeting every time Henrick Larrson kicked the ball - well, he is after all the King of Kings I'm told! It was a tremendous experience, and one where I realised that I am not really competitive. I was just happy to have Celtic win the game - not to have Celtic beat 'the Huns' as someone suggested to me.

But win they did - just! in the 92nd minute a Celtic goal was scored and I gotta tell you - I have NEVER EVER kissed so many strangers! It is a strange phenomenon - you know, celebrating sport, will they? wont they? stuff...but after the goal I was reminded of a thing I used to do at mass when the guy said 'let's offer each other a sign of peace' and everyone shook hands and said 'peace be with you' - that's what it was like after the goal - only slightly more over the top!

It was a great thing to do, and I know that tickets for those games are like gold dust and cost a fortune and stuff - why-oh-why then, did the eegit a few rows infront of me spend the whole match with his back to the pitch making gestures at the visiting Rangers fans - what a bloody waste!


10th - 23rd May I went to see Poor Old Ben, to support them in their bid to play on the T-Break stage at T in the Park this year (ie - to clap and cheer really loudly in order to sway the judges). Well, I screwed this one up royally. I was at home having dinner with David (manager) letting him hear some new tracks and turned up only to see the guys loading their gear into their car...well, good one...looks we I missed them! However, the good news is, they didn't need my cheering up the back, they got chosen to play at this year's festival - well done guys.

Another gig I went to this week, I DID manage to see.

Eliza Gilkyson was in town for the Big Big Country festival. She had asked me if I would sing Peace Call with her at the show - which I was delighted to do. So, I went down, got pizza and sat with her in the dressing room, catching up and laughing at all the things we laughed at last year. Thing is, Jeff Plankenhorn (her 'side-guy') was opening up for her and inviting her onstage and kicking off her set like that. Well, panic set in, cos Jeff was lost somewhere in Glasgow and the guys from the Concert Hall were pushing Eliza - who wasn't dressed yet - to go on, they couldn't hold the show back and stuff. So Eliza goes 'hey Carol, wanna do three tunes? You can use my guitar'. So, there I was, wiping pizza from my hands and face, going onstage to open for Eliza Gilkyson! Just like ol' times...!

It was a great laugh, and there were some CL fans there too, who (I think) were happy to sing-along-a-carol. Only thing was, Jeff turned up, just before I was about to sing - oh no...but it was fine, I played a tune and then introduced him and blah, blah, blah...suffice to say, as per last year, I had a great time hearing Eliza and Jeff (and loved having the wee bonus of playing myself).

Another thing I did this month, was to take myself along to an exhibition that is happening in Paisley until the end of June. Its an exhibition that commemorates the Glen Cinema. Seventy Five years ago, there was a disaster in this building in Paisley on Hogmany. Many of the victims and many of the survivors told their story in a remarkably unsentimental and realist fashion. So much so, that it was a pretty stunning exhibition. If you get a chance to go, its at 27 School Wynd, Paisley - a lovely part of town - its well worth visiting (and its free!).


24th - 31st May I feel that I am getting to the end of the 'still getting the house in shape after all that decoratin'. And indeed, I am. But alas, not without the aid of my supercool power tools - stapler, drill - that I got for my birthday. Anything that moves in my house is now stapled, nailed or drilled down - so, if you do visit, don't take a seat!

I don't know if I mentioned that we managed to bring back a 2 foot statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe from Mexico...well, when I say we managed, we almost didn't manage...

The Mexican guy on the airline said that they didn't do fragile and that we couldn't take that big box on board the plane and what was in the box anyway? Well, the V of G is the main man in Mexico - even bigger than JC (and no, that doesn't mean Johnny Cameron!), so, when we told the guy what was in the box, he almost genuflected and led us on board without any further questions - too bad the effin statue didn't protect us from missing our connection in Germany!

Anyway, now, with the aid of all my powertools, we have the most kitsch shrine to the Virgin in our hallway...its almost on a par with some of the shrines we saw in Mexico!

As well as the shrine, I hung loads of pictures - you know the ones where you absolutely must have them side by side - not even a millimetre out - well, to hell with that! I think that there should be a powertool invented that puts pictures up side by side at EXACTLY the same height without the person who is hanging them having to do anything except for watch!!! Suffice to say, I have pictures hanging at trendy staggered heights all round the house - TRENDY right?

Now, I am almost finished, but I just have to confess something. Well, you know that the Dalai Lhama was in Glasgow last weekend? I didn't manage along to any of his seminars, however, there was an event being organised by the Song of Solus and by Spirit Aid in a church in Anderston. I was invited to play at the show but had to attend my wee cousin's wedding so I couldn't do it...or could I? I really wanted to be involved. So, I just ducked out after the meal for about ninety minutes and didn't tell anyone where I was going - for all they knew, I was just upstairs in my hotel room powdering my nose. And, there it is, the confession - don't tell my Auntie Anne or my Mum...

So, off to the gig. It was wonderful, there were all sorts of gently, happy, warm people there having just seen HHDL everyone was a bit high. Everyone that is, except for the Catholic protestors at the front of the church who were telling folk that by coming to any of the events, they were breaking the ten commandments and would be damned to hell for all eternity! Now, how can that be? Well, its easy, HHDL is a false god and we 'shall not worship false gods before him'. Never mind that this so-called false god is the ONLY leader in the whole-wide-world who is propounding the notion of peace...

Anyway, enough of that...the show was brilliant! There were all types of performers there. Suzanne Bonnar and James Grant were there too, as were many Tibetan performers, including one woman - Sonamme - who had the most amazing voice that kept setting the church dog off, so that when she hit a certain pitch, the dog would howl!

Then, back to the wedding on tip-toes, so that no-one would hear me sneak back in...AYE RIGHT! NO-ONE, NOT ONE PERSON had even noticed that I was away!!!!!!!! I think that points to it being a great wedding - as opposed to it meaning that I am an insignificant member of my family who no-one loves, cares about or misses!

Identity crisis in June I fear!

See you soon -

Carol