JAN 1ST: Me, Sandy & Bob took in the New Year at the Newton Hotel Nairn, playing as our Ceilidh Trio with accordion/piano and drums. We got some lovely pictures of the Hotel, an old castle type mansion which has been taken over as a Hotel. Great place to go and unwind. (Me and Sandy will be going there again and,as it also takes dogs, Jarvis will get a treat!)

JAN 3RD: The Ceilidh Peppers played at Catriona’s 40th Birthday Party at Cults Sports and Social Club. We had a superb night; shared some of her birthday cake and the boys ate MANY slices of pizza!!

JAN 4TH: The Music School opened for 2009. We can now offer BANJO and CHANTER lessons at High Street, Inverurie on a Sunday.

JAN 17TH: The Ceilidh Peppers played in the Town Hall, Inverurie for a belated New Year Party organised by Moira Douglas. A great time was had by all!! The Auction raised £600 for the Friends of Anchor Unit! Hooray to all who supported the cause, and well done Moira for your efforts!!

JAN 20TH: EDINBURGH CASTLE! What a busy day this was! I was working in the morning, as were Sandy and Bob. Don Robertson, of Montana Bus Hire Company, picked up all the young ‘Peppers’ in Kintore around 12 noon, and the rest of us in Aberdeen en-route. We arrived in Edinburgh around 5.00pm and headed for the Castle to unload equipment and sound check. We had a sound crew from Warehouse Sound Company of Edinburgh, who were lovely lads and lasses and did a great job for us. At around 6.30pm Calum began piping the guests into the Grand Hall where the Reception was to take place. It was a VERY cold, windy night, so his fingers were the colour of his purple kilt when he finally got back inside to play with the rest of the band!!

The Peppers played from 7.00pm until Alex Salmond arrived just after 7.45pm. He welcomed everyone to the Consulate Corps Homecoming Reception and then handed over to the Diplomat from the Czech Republic, who spoke for a few minutes to the gathering. I then took to the podium and gave a small presentation about Chalmers Mackay Music School, followed by Bob, who talked about the beginnings of the Ceilidh Peppers and their various travels around the Globe. The Ceilidh Peppers then did a 10 minute ‘Showcase’ performance which went down really well. Pictures of our Edinburgh adventure will be posted on the web-site ……. What an experience for old and young Peppers!

JAN 22ND: The ‘Burns Unit’ (Me, Bob and Calum), played at the Petrovale Burns Supper which was held at The Stage Door, Aberdeen. Apart from the wonderful food, there were brilliant speeches, and we performed ‘Da Criache’, my latest composition Pipe Anthem. The title is Gaelic for Two Hearts, and was written whilst we were in Colorado last year.

JAN 24TH: ‘The Ceilidh Trio’ (Me, Bob and Sandy) played at Kintore Hall for the Football Club Burns Supper and Fund Raiser. They danced their sox off!! What fun!

JAN31ST: Coming up – a VERY SPECIAL fund-raising event in aid of The Special Olympics. This will be held at Inverurie Town Hall with music from Celtallica. Tickets can be arranged thru the Music School.

LOG ON AGAIN SOON for the next instalment of MRS MAC’S DIARY, and for weekly information up-dates and images!!