When David my editor was forwarding one of this week’s emails from you, he gave me a warning that I might have to redo my mascara.
There were certainly tears as I read a few letters.
Thank you for the good wishes about Gordon. Thankfully we had good news from his latest scan, so we are feeling very grateful.
Indeed, a beautiful young dancer called Danielle, who I have worked with on TV shows, died this week, on what was meant to be her wedding day, leaving behind a young son of eight months.
The dance community is shocked to the core, and we realise that we shouldn’t complain about getting old because we are very lucky to age as not everyone has the chance.
Listening to the birds singing and seeing the beauty in the world was something that seemed to resonate with many of you this week.
When Shona Smith wrote to me about how she heard the dawn chorus last week as she left the hospital after the death of her beloved dad Ian Matthew, it made me want to smile not cry.
I hope that every time Shona hears the dawn chorus it will make her feel that her dad isn’t far away.
This week I’ve heard a lot from the birds because I’ve spent every available moment in the garden.
Well, I’m saying every available moment because there haven’t actually been that many.
I travelled to the Isle of Wight this week for its music festival, and it was pretty exhausting.
Covid meant that many of us got used to early nights and not a lot of late-night gigs or entertaining. It’s been a bit of a shock to the system getting back to the rock’n’roll lifestyle.
The ferry we got back didn’t get into Southampton until 3am – long past my normal bedtime.
Mind you as far as being rock’n’roll goes, we were drinking tea and playing UNO on the trip home. Not too outrageous!
So back to the garden…
If the weather is nice, I’m out there from dawn till dusk.
Emails can be sent from the garden, paperwork can be sorted out, washing can be folded, ironing can be done and a bit of weeding every now and then.
Somehow the fresh air makes me happy.
I also managed to plant my Bizzie Lizzies in pots. Jim McColl will be proud of me.
Do you take your cushions in at night?
That’s one annoying thing about the UK weather isn’t it? There are not many days in the year when I leave them all out!
Or maybe I’m too fussy, maybe they would be fine.
Ooh, wouldn’t it be nice to have one of those posh awnings that you can press a button and it covers the patio?
Gordon would be the first to remind me that I don’t live in Spain.
I’ve told you before that I’m not allowed to get a firepit or a patio heater for the same reason. No one wants to sit outside in the UK when it gets cold, Gordon always says…
We can just come in.
I still live in hope that one day we will be out at a garden centre and he will just agree to one.
My birthday is in August, maybe if I just keep hinting, one will arrive.
So, what’s all this talk about Aberdeen maybe hosting Eurovision?
It’s a great idea.
Ukraine would of course be part of the hosting, but to do it in their own country doesn’t seem likely or possible.
Aberdeen’s P&J Live is so perfect.
So much is held down south in the UK that surely to have it so far north would really be a significant change of approach.
And why not in Scotland? We are welcoming and friendly people and we would produce a great event.
The backstage facilities are vast and of course the venue is so handy for the airport and for the major roads.
I can’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t be perfect.
We have so much to offer the visiting nations with our traditions and even our Doric language.
Butteries would become an international delicacy.
The P&J and your life magazine would be read by millions, and kilts would sell out.
I hope this is a genuine possibility. How exciting for us all.
Have a good week,
Yvie x
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