So, back to the original format where I write stuff down under dates. Of course, you know that this is only so that when I’m old and senile (about 2 ½ years from now) I’ll know what I did and when I did it!


1st – 14th November

So, November, November, November… What have I been up to? Ah yes, NOTHING!

Nah, just kidding!

I’ve been up to loads…loads of workshop stuff, all of which has been great fun, not least of all because Marco Rea has been working with me, but also because it included a great wee project just outside of Paisley writing songs with schools for St Andrew’s day.

It was great fun, although, slightly unnerving when one of the pupils (a P7) asked if I knew her dad – I wont mention names for fear of offending! However, her dad was one of my first boyfriends!!!

And then there was the time when I walked into the classroom and came face to face with Marianne, a girl I worked with years ago when I had a real job being a taxation secretary/telephonist/receptionist for House of Fraser executive head office! Well, of course, she looked fab and I looked…well, she looked fab! Frighteningly though, she remembered everything…EVERYTHING! Like when I got a tambourine from my mum and dad for my 21st birthday with ribbons attached saying ‘lang-may-yer-lum-reek’. And, how I used to come into the office saying ‘it’s a gas ya bass’…all these years later and she remembers it! Fancy that?

I too remember singing at her & Tom’s wedding in a lovely blue dress with a big neckerchief thing round it, looking all trendy and 80’s! Thankfully, Marianne didn’t remember that too well!

Also, we went to Cameron’s (brother-in-law) annual bonfire night! Well, when I say annual…we did it last year. And, you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be doing it next year too.

It was all great fun, there were fireworks all night, I was barbequing and the kids were doing X-factor again. And then, at the end of a great, safe night, Cameron’s neighbours came out and set off a firework that went astray and found itself between our feet and under our seats etc, it was a scary moment, and I’ll tell you, you can see why fireworks are so dangerous! Everyone was safe though, we just got a bit of a fright…a scary moment indeed!

We had another mighty night with friends round for dinner too this month. Folk I worked with in the Arts Game in Ferguslie a couple of years ago. Well, it was all fine and subdued and polite and then…well, it was Donny Osmond’s fault, what else were you to do but stand up with the brush handle as a mic, singing Puppy Love!? Yes, an indication of how the night went! The best thing about this night though, was that we managed to get a motor for the disco ball in the kitchen! Yep, Puppy Love and a ‘live’ disco ball…it just gets better and better!!!

13th-30th November

So, big gig this week! Big gig in Lossiemouth. There had been some uncertainty about the show…was I to do it? If I did do it, was I to stay overnight? Should I take all the sound gear? If not, then I would have to drive home and then the realisation that I’d have to stop overnight, since it was about a five-hour drive – EACH WAY!

So, finally we got it all sorted out. The gig was on, the venue was set and we were off – David and I. However, the drive up was totally mental. I know this drive, up through the Cairngorms, onto Elgin, it is a beautiful drive. However, after about two hours on the road, it was difficult to see. The road was covered in snow and it didn’t let up till the next day…it appeared that, not only would be stay overnight, but if the snow kept up, we’d be there for about a month!

I never saw Lossiemouth, I just turned up in white darkness and did the gig. It was a beautiful venue and a great crowd came out, even in this weather.

There were a couple of choice fans there though!

It was a bring your own bottle, so some of the crowd were very civilised and brought a bottle of wine, or a few beers, or whatever. However, there was a real CL fan who came along with his pals. The CL fan ended up mortified though! His pals drank almost about a bottle of vodka each throughout the show. Now, I know that I play for a long time (probably too long most nights!!) but, not long enough to drink a bottle of vodka; surely? Well, you’d think. But these guys did manage it and, as the show went on, they became more vocal. God love them though, they bought two CL CDs at the end of the night! And, you know me, I’m not proud, I’ll do whatever it takes to get a sale here and there!

And, I can’t let this month go by without tipping my hat to my wee cousin Barbara. She’s a singer & dancer and gave her best performance every – she gave birth to a beautiful wee girl called Olivia. I sneaked up to the hospital to see her the day after she was born. Tiny and beautiful – honestly, just a perfect baby. Now, of course, my Auntie Anne (Barbara’s mum, my godmother and hero) will now have another wedding to start planning! Congrats.

So, I think that’s all for November. Much more happened, much, much more, but I think that, in preparation for my mammoth diary at the end of January, I should stop now. ‘What?’ I hear you ask, ‘no diary at the end of December?’. Well, sorry, no…because remember, at the end of December, I will be in Nicaragua.

And, for those pals in New York who took umbrage at my omitting them from my last diary entry (yes Pam – YOU!), After Nicaragua, its El Salvador and then two days in New York with my pal Rits and MY PAL PAM! The beauty of Pam pulling me up about all this, is that I will get a chance to finally meet her daughter Caitlin…bliss!

So please, have a warm and happy Christmas - especially for those of you who can’t be with the ones you love at this time.

I look forward to telling you all about my trip to Central America and will be sure to have a diary of, at least, 3000 words next month!

I wish you all a happy and warm Christmas and a prosperous and peaceful 2007.

Merry Christmas

Carol