16th May
Hi all my loveliesHope you folks are getting my emails. I’m never sure when I’m here. The great thing is there is wifi for us, at no cost. Phone calls even within Edinburgh are so expensive and the same to other nearby places. I’ve tried to use Skype and face book but you need Passwords which I prob didn’t bring with me . And for those you also need to set up a time with the person i think. With all that’s going on For us here I can’t keep it all in my head. Oh for the old days when you just lifted the phone and it was cheap.
Lisa and John, I hope Eileen is improving. Is she still in hospital. Tell her we are thinking of her - and Bill too for I know he’ll be very worried, but I’m hoping her general good health will see her through.
Well, I’m a busy girl here. Last week I was at Warhorse, and on Saturdaywe we’re at the Burns comp for Schools. Hundred of kids take part and it is just lovely. A great day and we get treated like VIPs. And amazingly it was held this year at Denny High School, where Dad went to School. Of course it’s a super new School now, but it was a nice d’je vue for Dad/pop.
Sunday we were at a club night with my pal wee Jan, and it was a great music and singing night. Ihad also been at another house concert, plus a day out with Wendy for morning tea then a visit to a friend in a hospice. We had also been to see the Ellis,s and on Friday we’re going to a Birthday party for our pal Jim at a pub called, funnily enough, Diggers.
The house concert I went to with Jan was brilliant. Dad was too tired to go. Maybe I told you already, but the singer was a Native American man, and later, everyone who could, played and sang. So many ordinary folks there, but all great singers or music players. They really keep the tradition for singing at home alive. The Native American man was a fantastic guitar player as well as great singer,too. Dinner there was simply home made soup and home made bread, which is a great idea for a party here. And everyone brings their own bottle stuff.
With all these activities I do get very tired but I hate to say no in case I don’t get asked again! Today I managed to stay home to practice my mandolin for the big day with Nigel, on Saturday, and wee Jan will be there too at the gorgeous wee toon Crieff, we play in. Nigel makes it fun with raffle breaks every so often and they are usually fun prizes. He is the best music teacher as he makes us laugh all the time.
Then on Sunday I’m away for 5 days to Loch Lomond for the song Writing course. Wendy is coming too. I’m also going to go into the song writing comp again at Edinburgh folk club as I have a new song. It’s about how the beautiful Gaelic names in Scotland were changed by the officials in the old days,e.g Seonaidh became Janet, Mhairi became Mary, etc. Not a pop song of course, but people here will relate to it. After I come back from Loch Lomond, I intend to have a few rest days,
Dad/Pop is happily doing his family research and has found some new info, so that makes him happy. Also Wull Ellis his nephew gave him a most beautiful illustrated big book on steam engines, so he has plenty of reading to do while I’m away. He plans to see more of the rellies while I’m gone, and he is bringing Anne Ellis and her Daughter Joanne into Edinburgh to treat them to a nice lunch as they are always so welcoming and kind to us. No doubt he will see Alec and Eve too, and Billy and Mary, and his uncle Freddie who is very old now. I think in his Nineties,
Everybody is so kind to us: Sheila, my cousin Johns wife has called to say we can have her car as long as we want, as since John died, she seldom uses it, so we’ll pick that up after I get back and go up north. We like to go to Perth and do some family history there. Maybe we’ll go over to Ayr and Glasgow as well, as we have friends there. Trains here are horribly expensive, tho buses are quite cheap. Mind you, petrol is also horribly expensive.
Well now you have all the news, so I’m off to bed. I really miss all of you. Big hugs to all.we do miss you.
Hope Eileen is improving.
Love to all
Mum/Nan & Dad/Pop. Xxxx
15th May
Hi Lisa and John So sorry to hear Eileen is so sick. Thank goodness you got her to hospital so quickly. She & Bill and the family must have bee so scared too. She will be in good hands now though, and we hope all goes well for her. Tell her we’re thinking of her and Bill, and hope she makes a quick recovery.
Sorry I haven’t been in touch, but life seems to be on speed dial right now, what with visits here and there and meeting friends and family,and going to music events and trying to practice for my mandolin course and planning to be away 5 days for the songwriting course. I’m loving all of it but think I have bitten if more than I can chew!
I am being encouraged to enter the comp for songwriting again, but I think I need to drop it to save time.
Dad and I got out to see Wull, Jacinta and family and had a lovely day with them. Also the weather has been super everyday so we’ve been out a lot.
I hope everyone,s doing alright. Love and hugs to all from us two.
Sent from my iPad
11th May
Hi girls, just winding down before bed and t.hinking of you. I wish you
could have been here today as Wendy had arranged a surprise get together
for all the singers to welcome me back. We all had a lovely afternoon
tea, and entertainment. We all sang together and they all sang my song.
So many of them have deteriorated a lot with their Parkinson’s, but they
made the effort to come. Some of them were saying I should offer my
song to one of well known Scottish singers
8th May
Hi Lisa & John, Dianne Megan and Cameron, & Michelle. Hi everyone. We are having a lovely time with great weather but missing all of you. So special virtual hugs to all. This is also a reply to Lisa but there’s a bit of family history to that you might like.
Yes , Lisa Inchcolm was the island you went to,. I forgot you and John had gone there. It was such a magnificent day too that it was such a good experience. Seeing the 3 bridges together from the west side was so different and lovely. The Forth is very special to me as it was the crossing to our magical summer holiday day trips to Burntisland beach and the sideshows set up for the summer. The sideshows were probably run by Dads rellies. There was at the Burntisland library one year we went, a special exhibition about those sideshows which we all called The Shows. The town is very proud of that history.Dad used to go there and played all day on the rides etc for free and had lunch in his Aunt, Mays caravan. She was the one Granny travelled with for one whole summer as the went to each little town and set up. She so loved her Auntie May. May was the mother of Freddie The lovely old man we visited in Falkirk. Pretty sure you met him because we always went to him and his wife after we visited granny’s grave. So that's family history. We always threw a penny in the Forth for luck, as we went over the bridge, and I think that may be why I’m a lucky girl living in Oz with my lovely family and living the good life, and able to come back to my lovely old home.
I’m kept busy and Wendy is my diary secretary! She has got a number of music and song related things organised and one is to look at the new song I have which is a kinda sad song, actually I have two songs and she will help me choose which one is best for the comp. There,s a lot to do so not sure if I can manage it. We’ll see. One song is a sad one about how the people’s names were officially changed, another is a song about what’s called the fairy mountain near where your Cameron ancestors lived. I have other songs because it’s easy for me to write poetry and these last years have let me have ability to get the music written in a way that others like Phil know how to write it. Phil of course writes the magic of every note and bits between, but the guitar player can make music with simple chords. Anyway it’s a lovely part of my life now.
So lots of love and big hugs to all. Pop,no doubt, will be in touch soon, too. XxxOOOOI mum/nana.
5th May
Hi folks ,I’ve updated my iPad so hope that is helping the email problem I had* Now there a new keyboard and I can’t find how to do a full stop or a question mark…. But at least I can email—-and I will learn as I go along- Had a lovely day with Wendy and herGerman friend today when we went on a tour to south Queensferry and over to the island in the Forth- There is an old monastery there lots of lovely bird called puffins make their home there - But it was the most glorious sunny day- I really enjoyed it - Tomorrow Wendy has tickets for us to see The Warhorse Show and I have lots of things on with singing- it’s full on but I’m not complaining! We’re hoping to catch up with family on the weekend-
Lots of love
Mum xxxxx
Hope you are getting my messages ok, Lisa. I feel I've sorted it out, but not sure. I still have go to Vodaphone to sort out the phone stuff. Didn't get their today as dad felt a bit seedy so I stayed home with him, but he is fine now. Ate his dinner and no problems.
Life is quite busy here. Wendy has organised a boat trip for us tomorrow, on the Forth around the three bridges and a visit to the island in the Forth, Incholm. Really life is quite busy here. I'm also trying to fit in another attempt in the song Competition., and practicing for the big mandolin gathering as well. We still have family folks to visit too ! So time flies. Everybody is very kind here and treat us like stars!! The weather has been good and today was a magnificent warm and sunny day, so we have no complaints. Well it's 10.0 and we have to be up early for the ferry boat so will sign of with lots of love to you and all the family. dad sends his love too. Xxxxxxx mum
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