I have decided NOT to make a pot of coffee to accompany me in my diary writing as I fear that it gives off the wrong impression of me - ie, one that is PURE MENTAL!

So, with fizzy water in hand, I write... and, rather than the wonderful strains of Eddi Reader in the background, I am listening to Cuba Eterno - a wee mix of Cuban music to get me in the mood!

'the mood for what?' I hear you ask. Well...more details to follow...watch this space

So, October...


1st - 10th
Well, October is always Scooter time - ie, insurance, tax and MOT. So, wee Neo was off the MC Motorcycles...and didn't come back for some weeks - he needed a thingmy and in order to get that sorted you need a thingmy and three wee other thingmies and infact, you need a total of six thingmies to get the thingmy fixed. And, its unlikely that the dealer will have all of those thingmies in at the same time so...oh and yes, that will be £170 please!

And now I constantly chant the mantra - 'I love my scooter...I love my scooter...' just to remind myself how much I love that effin scooter!

So, yeah, I love my scooter...

I managed to actually get some semblance of a setlist together for the show along with getting some new songs written - AND I got my housework done - mind you, when I mailed the set list to the band, I did get a few changes from Gwen! The upshot being that rather than a set list on Saturday, we are playing a Gwen-list. Suffice to say, she is so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o bossy!

Also, this week I got to do a really great fun workshop in Denny. Now, some of you may know, I do lots of workshops and don't really go on about them. Not that I don't enjoy them, its just that they usually pass without much incident, except that the amount of talent around really warms my heart.

Anyway, I was booked in by Falkirk Council to do a Songwriting Workshop with women in Denny. Fine, no bother, off I went. The brief I got from the council was that I was to make sure those between 14 and 16 years old had to fill out certain forms and blah, blah, blah. Well, the women arrived - I think that the average age was about 50! No need for the forms then, mind you I did ask...just to make sure! That made it even more fun! There were six women there who gave it their all and we came away with six songs. It was really a great fun day and reminded me of why I love that side of my job - just magic fun.

Mind you, when I came out, I switched on the radio only to find out that the Scotland football team had been skooshed again! Hello earth with a bang!

Still, I did get to see a play at the Citizen's theatre in Glasgow with my mum, stepdad, aunt and uncle - VERNON GOD LITTLE! Very interesting and enjoyable! It was great right up until the part the couple started masturbating on stage - now I'm not a prude - honest! Its just that mum and masturbation in the same sentence, let alone the SAME ROOM should indeed be mutually exclusive!

'I love my scooter...I love my scooter...'

Now, just to illustrate how sad I am...I will tell you a story - I have been watching season four of the West Wing (as I stated last month, it has returned to normal telly). As well as watching it, I have been taping it so that I can watch it again. Then, whilst in Sainsbury's with my eleven year old goddaughter, she spotted the DVD of season four for only £30! This was no problem to me, I couldn't and wouldn't justify sepnding money on something that I was going to have on video...I couldn't...I...well, maybe I could...!?

So, with the eleven year old, looking at me like I was saying no to a MaryKateandAshley video - I BOUGHT IT! Well, it was for Caitlin really, she'll watch it when she grows up - she will...I know she will, she's started watching it with me already! MAGIC! And, all her political kudos has rubbed off - she was voted in by her classmates as their representative for the Pupil Council...!

Yes, I went to her house for dinner one evening and Caitlin said to me, in her inimitable fashion...'I have three pieces of homework I'd like you to help me with:- a job application (eh?!), World Issues and help with my speech for the elections.'

okay ('I love my scooter...I love my scooter...')

So, we were off...her speech went something like

'...now I can't promise I wont make mistakes...but I can promise I will try my best for you and for the school'

Oh my god, Caitlin could be Jed Bartlett's running mate!


11th-17th
So, this week was a mixed bag...There was a big residents' meeting with the council who are planning to charge something like £150 per year for me to park outside my house...on top of something like the £1,600 I already pay per year for council tax - it really skunners me - and of course reminds me that 'I love my scooter...I love my scooter...' because I can park it on the pavement - maybe we should get rid of the car - god bless the environment.

Anyway, enough of that...

I had two great meetings this week - one with TIPPI (Glasgow singer/songwriter) over coffee and just chewing the fat. Her album is just out. I also had a wee day writing with Yvonne Lyon. We came up with a great song that she is including in her set - I have yet to hear her playing it live - in fact I have yet to hear her playing live at all - watch this space.

AND, the biggie...the Cuban thing...tara...

So, on December 28th, the travelling foursome who went to Mexico last year are off to Cuba for three weeks! I am so excited...we have to take old clothes, soap, condoms, books, deodorant and just normal everyday things that we take for granted, so that we can give them out to folk as we go - I will not doubt mention it a million times between now and then, but, as per last year's diary, I will be happy to give you a day-to-day account of what we will be getting up to - I know, you can hardly wait!!!

The important thing is for us to get there while Fidel (or El, as he's supposed to be referred to) is still there - ie, before George Bush gets down there!

Anyway, big news and I'm bery much looking forward to it...and still...'I lobe my scooter...I lobe my scooter...' (must be said in a Cuban accent!)

Apart from that, this week was quiet. I got to meet my very smart university pal who is taking over the literary world with theories on orientalism and stuff like that! And, how could I forget? I got along to Stereo to see Jake Cogan. I have mentioned Jake before, and will again. Quite apart from having an incredibly mature voice (remember she's only 19), her songwriting is also incredibly mature - she's really incredible...get along to a show and see for yourself - amazing stuff.


18th - 24th
This was a bit of a gig week. Well, on the Tuesday I got along to see Sarah McLachlan. I had told friends about her about 10 years ago. Saying how great she was (I'd heard her in Canada) and that if she's ever playing in glasgow...blah blah blah. Anyway, every time she played here, I was out of the country and kept missing her - and they all got to see her! So this was pretty special. And she didn't disappoint - great band, great songs and an amazing voice. She was playing in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall too, which is an amazing venue.

Then, at the end of the week, I travelled down to Bradford to see Elkie Brooks. This was a bit of a plan that I'd hatched with Lee Noble - Carol Laula Fan Extraordinaire and now, backing singer with Elkie Brooks - pretty cool eh? Anyway, he got me guest passes so that I could take my dad - a major Elkie fan - for my dad it was great going to see her, but getting onto the guest list just did it for him - he's such a groupie!

Anyway, eight hours round trip in the car with my dad and his wry wit meant that Elkie was going to have to be good...and I must admit, after her appearance in Re-born in the USA, I was a little sceptical. Oh, me of little faith! She was amazing...she is somewhere in her late 50's and just looked incredible, her performance was tremendous and she never sang a bum note all night. She played a lot of cracking songs that you knew but didn't know you knew. Not least of all the Gallaher and Lyle tune Runaway - a good Scottish duet from that 60's and 70's - there were tears in my eyes...mind you, she held a note for over a minute at the end of the set...surely there were tears in her eyes too - just amazing...

Also, I got to see Tony, Hilary and John who were all at my show in Barnsley earlier this year they were at the show supporting Lee in his backing vocal role - he was very obviously having a ball!. I am happy to report, they have all got their tickets for my show in the Aroma Room on December 11th...

'I love my scooter...I love my scooter...'

My sister was supposed to move house this week...and I am not sure why...but it didn't happen...I don't know how an industry can be allowed to treat its customers so poorly - ! Hopefully next week.


25th - 31st
Lots of rehearsal this week - things are sounding great for the show next week.

Should be battening down the hatches for the gig...

...however, an invitation to an Elvis party meant that we had to get all costumed up and got dressed as...well, I stole the advert and went dressed as an elf...how many times that night did I say 'I don't care what you say, my invitation definitely said Elves'. We laughed heartily and took lots of photos which, I am happy to say will never be fit for human consumption...

I am happy to say that all the Elvis and Priscilla's took it well and were happy for me when I won the dancing Elvis as a prize for the best dressed at the party...I was so happy I had to call my absent pals and tell them that I had won...what between that and the WestWing DVDs...? I don't know...!

And now, after the Elves night I am battening down the hatches for the show. I am looking forward to it very much and am enjoying working with a full band...my concern is that I haven't chosen the 'right set'. But then, if I was to chose the right set, I guess it would be a five hour gig - no change there then?!

So, have a good November, if you are American, please remember to vote - regardless of the candidate...! Let's perpetuate the democratic process. And, if you are not American, please keep your fingers crossed for 2 x Bushes = 2 Terms - the first having been in the nineties!!!!!

Be Well...and thanks for reading right down to the end - !

Carol

ps - 'I love my scooter...I love my scooter...'
pps - still my sister hasn't moved into her house - can you believe it?!