Time Flies

Jings crivvens!

How did it get to be March?! I'm pretty ashamed that I only managed four blogs then abandoned the idea for 6 months... But it's not that I didn't want to blog. Believe me, I've composed at least one a week in my head since September. I just haven't had a minute to sit down and actually write them.

So I do apologise, and hope that you'll stick by my blog, even though I've ignored you for so long. Do you forgive me?! Here's a quick round-up of what I've been up to since I last blogged:

September - I went back to uni. HUUUUGE shock to the system, but definitely a good thing to do... and next thing I know, it's

December - And I was home to my folks for Christmas, then to Pitlochry for a few days while the Drummer played in Pitlochry Festival Theatre's panto.

No wait, hang on... there must have been other stuff that happened in the middle... Let's try that again.

Ok.

September
Yes, I started my Masters and dusted off the old brain. Pretty significant, but I also had a lovely few days in Rannoch with the Canadian. She's been living in Edinburgh for about 4 years, doing a PhD, and I'd been promising her a trip to my favourite hideaway in Scotland all that time. And three months before she returned to Canada, we finally made it! This is the view along the loch that weekend...



The trip was also a chance for me to meet up with some of the locals involved in starting up the Rannoch & Tummel Tourist Association, which I've offered to help out with because Rannoch is a beautiful place and not enough people know about it. And maybe they'll let me put on some events in the area... one day! This is their new website, which is still under construction, but will be finished soon, and if you're on Facebook, you can 'like' Rannoch & Tummel there.

There were also quite a few tie commissions to get through that month too!

October was mostly spent ploughing through the uni assignments, but also, as usual, it was dedicated to Mamie Martin Fund AGM preparations. Fun stuff like doing the accounts, and putting annual reports together... but also getting these gift cards made, which went down a storm at the AGM in November!

November began, as I've said, with the Mamie Martin Fund AGM, which was a really positive day. We had Olivia Giles from 500Miles as a guest speaker. A truly inspirational woman. And it was great to hear news of one of the girls MMF has supported in secondary school now going on to study Prosthetics in Tanzania with a 500Miles scholarship.

There were a lot of cosy commissions to make in November too, as well as mug cosies flying off the Folksy shelves. I'm thanking the snow for that!



Then we got to December. Which I've already mentioned, was topped off with Christmas at home, and a few days in Pitlochry. First uni trimester completed and passed (phew!), and a few more Folksy sales.

January was January. I think I'm probably the same as most... couldn't wait for it to be over! Although I did help the Magpie Market find a new home!

I found a new musical project to get involved with in February. I'm replacing one of the flautists in the Water of Leith Trio and getting ready for our first gig in April! It's good to have something new to work towards, and they're forcing me to play Lady Gaga and such like which I'm sure must be good for my street cred...

The Alevare Duo hasn't been forgotten about though. Don't worry! We're working on some new stuff too, and hope to be gigging again soon.

And now we're in March. My knitting nights at Sofi's Bar in Leith have been going well. Last week we had 13 enthusiastic knitters which was great! All different levels too, so I'm kept on my toes, one minute explaining how to cast-on, the next deciphering complicated patterns! It's good inspiration tho, and as I've not really been doing much knitting yet this year, has got me churning out some new stock for the poor wee, almost empty, shop. So watch this space!