Tuesday 10 March 2009

Well, I had a day off on the Sabbath, and now I'm starting to get my head around our gig with the Tiger Lillies, listening to the show tape from last time, reviewing the notation for refinements and adapting some of it for a slightly altered line up, which this time round will be DG, Alison and me with Pamela Thorby and Matt Wadsworth - now that's a band! 

Besides that, I'm learning a pile of pipe tunes for a recording with Iain MacInnes. Tomorrow is our first rehearsal with Mairi Campbell (who sings Auld Lang Syne in the Sex and the City movie) and in the meantime my harmonium is having a wee holiday by the sea in Portie - that's Portobello to you. The best word I can think of to describe Iain's pipe and whistle playing is 'crystalline', so I'm looking forward very much to sitting in and playing some tunes.

On my day off Robbie and I went to the ayewrite book festival to see the Beano team do their stuff. Jim Petrie, who took over Minnie the Minx from Leo Baxendale in 1961 and drew about 2000 episodes, now bears a startling resemblance to Minnie's dad. 

It's hard to believe we were fighting through a blizzard to get there, as now the sun is out and I've been cycling around on my errands with no coat on. That'll be spring then. Any day now.