Things were very quiet in February – probably because of the terrible weather we had – lots of events and gigs were cancelled!!

The Music School never closed its doors at either Inverurie, Kintore or Aberdeen. Lots of pupils were stranded at home, and tutors found it difficult to get to the School! This was two weeks of lost learning for some!

These bad conditions reminded of a time when we had terrible snow in Orkney – going back to 1978, when I was living and working up there! I was working for Orkney Education Authority at this time, and the snow came with a vengeance in January! I travelled as a peripatetic music teacher round 7 different schools, sometimes taking a boat or a small plane to work!! What fun this was – we often played fiddle and guitar on the crossings (not in the plane tho!). By mid-January the snow had fallen so badly that the drifts were 7 – 8ft high! I lived on mum and dad’s farm and my dad got us around via the tractor. There was no electricity for over a week; lucky we had our own supply of dairy produce for food etc. While I was working in Orkney I was a member of a local band called ‘The Orcades’, and they had been booked to play up in Shetland for the ‘Up Helly Aa Festival’ the last Tuesday in Jan…. We managed to get to the airport and the flight was running! Shetland hadn’t been hit as badly as we were with the snow. Then followed the longest nights playing I have ever had in my life, and have ever had since!!! We started playing at 7pm and finished ….wait for it….. at 7 am the following day!!!! I crawled off the stage and headed for the airport! Wow, the musicians were made of strong stuff in those days! I am glad we are not getting those days of mega snow now, as the disruption it causes is so annoying…….

Just thought I’d throw in an archive story as the month was so quiet…..

On Thursday the 26th Feb, the UFO’s (our small Scottish trad unit) played for an hour’s entertainment at Airlie House, Kintore for the pensioners there… We had good fun, and were treated to a cup of tea and a fine piece at the end of our stint. Thanks to Lena Christie and her staff for their kind hospitality.

March came in like a lamb – a busy month lies ahead… read all about it next month...... Mrs Mac .....