This has been a funny month. Lots of workshops and stuff and lots of chasing my tail. I hate when that happens, cos I always feel that there’s something I forgot.

But one thing I will NEVER forget is this scene – me, doing a series of workshops in a school…

One of the wee guys noticed a scoobie attached to my keyring – something Caitlin made me.

‘what are you doing with that?’ he sneered, ‘you’re too old for a scoobie’. Then a pause while he thought about something.

‘whit age are you anyway?’ he asked

‘Well, whit age do you think I am?’ Always a dangerous question when you’re as old as I am. However, his response was…

‘Dunno, 27? 28?’ he posited.

Sheer bliss. Until his friend interjected to throw a dampener on it – or did he?

‘No way man,’ he said ‘She’s aboot 29!!!!!’

I’m just going to remind you that I am about 12 days from my 42nd birthday and leave it there – that’s all I’m going to say – that’s all. Except, you could subtract 27, 28 & 29 from 41 & 42. That way I’ll be feeling very smug and young and good about myself!

Also, yes, the Dr (David Tennant) Who story…Well, I once had a part in a very extravagant play at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. There was a cast of about 15 actors and the wonderful Ron Shaw, the Sublime Stuart Nisbett and I were doing the music. It was a very strange thing for me to sit and have lunch with these actors who would all be sitting around, eating chips, and being dead normal. Then, when rehearsal resumed after lunch, I would swear that Guinevere was having sex with Sir Lancelot; I would swear…these actors were so real, so amazingly good. Mind you, I had to sit on the stage for three hours every night watching this over and over, so it got a wee bit tough.

Anyway, it ran for three hours a night, it was a very dense play about Merlin the magician which was adapted from a TWELVE hour play written by a German play write. The second year, the Lyceum put on another three-hour version and David Tennant was the young Merlin. He’s a great actor, and a pretty stellar guy. Which is, of course, not surprising, since he’s a bit of a CL fan – lovely!

Another wee aside about that play - two of my very good friends came along to see it and I noticed that they weren’t in their seats after the interval – they had OBVIOUSLY cut and run. So, on the way back to Glasgow, I very pointedly asked them which half they preferred!!! It took me a while, but I got a full confession out of them…they were in Bar Italia having pizza and a beer!!!

Anyway, back to November (and to think I said this would be a short diary Jo, but you know what I’m like!)


1-11 November

My copies of Kitchen Stories were due to arrive any day now…I hope.

Meantime, my first coffee in 28 days…I have to admit, I was nervous. However, I needn’t have worried. It was a Montgomery’s special; a lovely large decaf latte. Yummo! Only problem was that Judy joined me too. She had hers all caffeinated and felt really light headed after the first two sips. Decaf is really the way of the future…even though it’s supposed to be super bad for your heart! We just can’t win can we?

I also had a nice wee radio session with the wonderful Fred MacAuley on BBC Scotland this month. Not much to report except that it was a lovely wee session, not least of all because he was broadcasting that week with his wife, Aileen. Also James McPherson (of Taggart fame) was a guest today, which was a nice, if brief, catch-up since I went to uni with his wife, Jacqueline.

Hmmm, still no sign of those CDs!!!

Then, it was off to the brother-in-law’s for a bonfire night, and my first glass of wine in 28 days…indeed, there were fireworks…in my head! It tasted magic. Mind you, the taste was probably compounded by the lovely feeling of all the kids running round with sparklers, me barbequing, Fraser and Cameron setting off the most amazing fireworks display and a massive big fire…reminded me of being wee – well, pre-27 anyway!

I was gradually introducing things back into my diet; you know, bread and stuff. But the buzz I got from preparing for the gig was better than any wine or caffeine I ever had…a nice big band, but still acoustic.

I was very nervous though, not only hadn’t the CDs arrived yet (remember, it was a preview launch for the album) but it wasn’t like playing with Johnny and the guys, no, this was a whole new band. I just didn’t feel my usual comfortable self in the run up to the shows.


12-30 November

And, of course, come show night, it was absolutely wonderful. We managed to sell the Strathclyde Suite to bursting…no more seats to be had…just song after song after song and standing room only. Mind you, I didn’t want to play for my usual 3 hours (mostly of my talking and telling bad jokes!!!). The result of this was that we did all the new songs from the album as well as some oldies but still managed to be on for ages. Although, in honesty, it seemed to fly by. But I had a ball…so did the band, or so they told me anyway. And, judging by the amount of you who bought CDs afterwards (yes, of course they turned up!) you enjoyed it too – thank you! I had a great night with a great audience.

Next night, we were in Edinburgh with a band much reduced in size. I wanted it to be even more intimate. Good thing really, since the stage was about the size of a double bed! But what a beautiful venue Cabaret Voltaire is…small, intimate, warm and just very very cool and trendy. It was yet another great show. Lots of new fans too which is always a good thing.

In fact, someone approached me and told me that she had been a CL fan for years. So much so that she had a friend of hers perform White Dress at her wedding. I have a vague recollection of someone writing to me to ask for the chords and now I know why. Isn’t it funny how things pan out?

One of the very nice things about playing Edinburgh is the sheer joy of working with Jan from Juniper Promotions. She always takes 100 percent care of her artists, making sure there’s a dressing room and a rider and, well, just really good to be working with. This time my brother and his wife (Mark & Jules of the travelling foursome!) came along with a massive pot of pasta and stuff, so we all got munching…oh no, my first wheat for ages – bloody lovely!!!

Any Harry Potter fans?

Caitlin got the books years ago for her eighth birthday, so me being the God mum, decided to read them so that she wouldn’t be too scared. The upshot is that I loved them, got totally carried away and love the books. The movies are good too, although, nowhere near as magical as the books. However, Caitlin, Judy and I went along to see the new movie and it was really great. I loved it, totally enraptured. I think Caitlin enjoyed it too, but I was too carried away. I’m a big wean I think!!!

This month also saw me back in my mum’s old town of Johnstone to switch on the Christmas lights in the square. I was so lovely. AND SO BLOODY COLD!!

Q96fm were doing a live broadcast and had asked me to come along after doing a weeklong ticket competition for the Strathclyde Suite. It was great. I got to meet another local band – Daybreak – and ended up singing Fairytale of New York with them. It was just great fun.

Then, it was back to FPR to start my month long Tuesday Night Music Club on 106.6fm from 6pm – 8pm. The idea is that I have a guest each week, they choose 10 songs and chat about what those songs meant to them etc.

It was great fun, I love all the gadgets and stuff, feeling like Mike Reid spinning the discs and stuff. We were on Maeve O’Boyle’s 4th track – Green Day – and lo and behold, didn’t they sing a line with the ‘f’ word in it – ARGH! It all went pear shaped! That track was off in a flash…what could I do? So we just continued…hopefully no-one noticed – hopefully.

But, if you want to hear more, then tune in this Tuesday to FPR 106.6fm, no swearing, but lots of laughing. My guest is Gordon McLean, the guy who wrote Jimmy the Ninja…

And that’s it for November. Short indeed.

December has lots of good things…our 20th Anniversary (where does the time go?); a secret trip that we don’t know about that our friends are treating us to; a BIG party; Judy’s Christmas show; Christmas and, hopefully, a trip to Guatemala!

I hope that you have a peaceful and comfortable Christmas time and all the best for 2006.

Love and peace

Carol