27th December 2016

It was great to welcome two couples who were staying at the caravan site for a few days of getting away from it all. Both Ann and Peter and Amy and Wyn had just happened to find the village and find us - which made for good cheer. Ann and Peter brought guitar and voices and Amy and Wyn general patter. We were thrilled to be visited by Bob, formerly of the Holme Accordion and Fiddle club and a founder member of the Newcastleton Traditional Music Festival, who at ninety-three is still going strong on accordion and whose tunes were flowing despite a bit of nerve-to-the-finger trouble. Also joining us were Kevin on pipes (Spanish chanter, Swedish bag and drones by the man himself) and concertina, Charlie on Fiddle and Robbie with his own songs. David was sparing with the pipes on this occasion, having just had the small operation on the hand for Dupuytrens Contracture or the 'Viking claw,' an ailment afflicting many descendants of the Norse in Scotland and elsewhere, including the MacCrimmon family, once pipers to the MacLeods of Lewis apparently.

Charlie started off the night with a strathspey on fiddle, 'Gloomy Winter.' He also gave us, 'In the Bleak Midwinter' - the Harold Darke rather than Gustav Holst tune to Christina Rossetti's poem. Later in this wintery vein he continued with 'The Frost is All Over' and the 'Teetotaller,' a march 'The Barren Rocks of Aden' and 'St Anne's Reel.'

Kevin played 'Highland Laddie' on small pipes; 'The Wild Hills of Wannie' and 'Green Bracken' on concertina; then back to the pipes for a Majorcan tune as well as 'The Gypsies of Moia,' and 'Wigh's Fancy' and returned to concertina for 'Jane's Fancy and 'Lamb Skinnet.'

Bob played many tunes through the evening, some accompanied by guitar, concertina and a bit of fiddle picking of which 'Granny's Highland Hame,' 'The Dark Island,' 'The Mucking of Geordie's Byre,' 'The Soft Rolling Tongue of the Border,' 'Loch Lomond,' some Chopin and 'Sweet Baby James' were but a few.

David played 'Buy Broom Besoms' and a Swedish psalm tune, 'Visa Fran Ostbjorka' on small pipes.

Moving on to the songs, Peter, a former professional, gave us a fine couple of North Eastern numbers accompanying himself on guitar; Johnny Handle's, 'Going to the Mine,' 'Little Chance' from the singing of John Elliot of Birtley, plus Nancy Griffith's, 'Trouble in the Fields.' 

Ann sang with guitar accompaniment and sometimes additional vocals by Peter; Robbie Burns' 'The Silver Tassie,' Paul Simon's 'The Sound of Silence,' Dougie McLean's 'Caledonia, Karine Polwart's 'Follow the Heron Home,' 'The Dawning of the Day' and, finally, 'Dirty Old Town' with all joining in.

Eliza had a Christmas, Midwinter and generally seasonal theme going with 'The Cherry Tree Carol,' 'Joy, Health, Love and Peace,' 'The Gower Wassail' and 'Cakes and Ale.'

David sang, 'The Bonny Grey,' or 'The Cockfight' from the mining communities of Northumberland, Kipling's, 'The Dutch in the Medway' to Peter Bellamy's tune, and 'Old Fid' by Bill Lowndes.

Robbie sang three of his own compositions, 'Christmas Day,' 'You Are the One,' another and 'Over the Hills and Far Away,' as well as 'The British Soldier' written by Harvey Andrews.

Charlie led the musicians in 'Midnight on the Water' to finish.

A good time was had by all, I think. 

Next session is the 24th January. Happy New Year and goodnight!

November 22nd 2016

This month we were joined by audience members Isobel, Susan and Lisa. Ruth, a singer from not too far afield arrived later on in the evening by chance and was directed upstairs. Carol and Dave of Crawcrook joined us, as did regulars whistling far and wee. Instruments were dulcimer, small pipes, harmonica, bodhran and guitars.
Tunes were: on guitar and mouth organ, Hamish Henderson's 'Farewell to the Creeks' and MacLeod of Mull'; on small pipes, 'Cotillion des Marionettes' and 'Argeers', two polkas, Mr. Preston's Hornpipe and 'Drops of Brandy' (all instruments joining in); on dulcimer, 'Sweet and Lovely Eileen O'Carroll,' 'The Quaker's Wife' and another one played by Dave and Carol on guitar and dulcimer the title of which is illegible in my book.
I'll begin the songs with ballads ancient and modern this time which were Katy's tale of Eppie Morrie who fought against forced marriage and rape and won and David's 'Death and the Lady', an unsuccessful attempt on the part of the lady to negotiate with death as well as the more recent 'The Ballad of Lucy Jordan' by Shel Silverstein contributed by Angus.
Songs and tunes penned by the singers and composers were in evidence; from Steve, a blues influenced by Robert Johnson, Norman's, 'Here's to the West Coast, that Wild Atlantic Shore' with guitar and mouthie accompaniment and Robbie's, 'Love Song' and later a poem, 'She Came to Me Through the Night.'
Songs on the occupational subjects of mining, fishing and soldiering were, Eliza and Carol's 'Blackleg Miner,' Phil's 'Geordie Black,' Dave of Crawcrook's 'Rap 'Er T' Bank,' Dave's 'Fareweel Tae the Haven' by Davy Steele, David's 'Rochester Recruiting Sergeant' and Katy's 'Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye.' Also, on the subject of getting up for work was Dave's 'Monday Morning.' And, perhaps, the antidote, Webb Pierce' 'There Stands the Glass,' contributed by Angus.
Water was a bit of a theme with Phil's 'Song of the Artesian Water' by Banjo Paterson with Angus on bodhran and his song about the river Wear, 'The Biggest Little River', Dave's 'In the Land of Three Rivers' by Vin Garbutt, and, at a stretch, Phil's later 'Franklin,' Katy's Farewell to Lochaber and Eliza's 'The Garten Mother's Lullaby' (which mentions the boatman who sails his boat till dawn).
Tenuous links might also be made between titles, if nothing else, of Steve's 'Dark Side of the Moon' influenced piece, Angus' 'Broken Wings, by Chris De Burgh and Eliza's 'Allensford Pursuit' (a witches' song, apparently, in which, among other methods of pursuit, they fly)
Other welcome offerings were, Ruth's 'Emperor's New Clothes by Sinead O'Connor, Dave's Tennessee Blues by Bobby Charles, Angus' Moon Shadow by Cat Stevens, Carol's seasonal 'October Song' by the Corries, Norman's traveller song from Belle Stuart, 'As I Went into Inverness-shire,' Dave's 'Where the Hell are we Going to Live?' by Paul Wright and sung by the Levellers and Vin Garbut. This last sparked a lively exchange about those who have no roof at all.
We finished with John Dee Burgess, a jig played by Norman with much joining in. A jolly night indeed (tempered by those latter thoughts - above). Thanks for coming.
Our next session night will be the 27th of December, the night after Boxing Day. Ruth suggested tea lights. Festive cheer, anyway.

October 25th 2016

Good to welcome for the First time Bill Thompson, a great local singer and stalwart of the Newcastleton Traditional Music Festival over many years. Also Jed and at least three main parts of an extended family, now including twenty children, for their annual half-term visit from north-eastern, southern and western England - covering all points of the compass in fact. We appreciated Jed's fine fiddling, grand harmonies from the singers and finger picking from Louis, not to mention good company. Irene and Rick from Lancashire and another also visited, having been here earlier in the year at the festival. Steve also came and listened for a while. Always good to have an audience.
Instruments were two fiddles (Jed and Charlie) and Charlie also brought his mandolin, concertina (Dave), two sets of pipes (David's 'Anglo-French' small pipes and French pipes in G), guitars (Dave, Angus, Phil and Louis).
Let's start with tunes. David opened the evening with two pipe tunes, 'Noble Squire Dacre' and 'Go to Berwick Jonny,' from Northumberland on smallpipes and later played 'Mundess' on French pipes. Jed gave us a several Swedish tunes in a couple of sets played in evocative style on fiddle. Dave's guitar set was 'Haste to the Wedding,' 'Hogmanay Jig' and 'Lemonville Jig' and on concertina he played 'Planxty Irwin' and 'Hewlett.' Charlie began with 'St. Anne's Reel' on mandolin with accompaniment by various guitars and later on fiddle, 'Soldier's Joy' and 'De'il Among the Tailors.' He also played 'The Heroes of Longhope' on fiddle, written by Ronnie Aim of Orkney about the loss of the Longhope Lifeboat in 1969 as well as 'The Irish Washerwoman' and 'The Tenpenny Bit'.
Songs were, Dave's 'Will You Come Awa wi me My Bonnie Lassie' by David Stone and Peter McNab's, 'Where have the Years Gone Between,' and a song by the Canadian, James Keelaghan, 'Orion.' Bill gave us 'The Fairy' and a moving rendering of, 'The Fields of Athenry,' Eliza, 'The Woodcutter's Song,' 'Sir Patrick Spens' (short version) and 'Oak and Ash and Thorn' by Rudyard Kipling, arranged by Peter Bellamy, Angus, 'Bobby McGee' and a great and frenetic Tyneside medley beginning with, 'The Lambton Worm' and 'The Blaydon Races' firing up much joining in, also 'Song for Ireland' and 'The Day that Lester Died' by Claire Lynch about Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt. Phil began with a song apparently banned by the BBC when it first came out for fear it might upset children or incite them to set fires, 'The Fireman, Tim McGuire,' and followed with two songs one about the sea and the other a sailor, 'Three Score and Ten' by William Delph, a Whitby fisherman and song-maker, commemorating lives lost in a freak storm in 1889, and 'Jack Tar. Katy offered, 'The Merchant's Son' and, later, 'Nancy Whiskey' and 'Shawnee Town' originally sung by the men who worked the barges, 'flat boating' on the Ohio river.
The family group began with a duet by Louis on guitar with May and Louis on vocals for 'Emmylou' written by First Aid Kit and played for Emmylou Harris at an award ceremony. This was followed by a group consisting of Martha, Jack, Sadie, Frank and Anna, the latter on lead vocals with the others harmonising in a song learned from the Unthanks, 'Hey Canny Man Hoy a Penny Oot,' referring to the North-Eastern tradition of throwing a penny for a bridal party. Bill said that a similar tradition known as 'striving' existed in the Scottish Borders, requiring the groom and best man to throw the pennies. Cath led on 'You don't know What Love is' with, once more a fine group of harmonising children. May's second offering was 'Hero.' Thanks to all of the members of this talented troupe.
Robbie weighed in with a song penned by his good self, 'My Soulmate' and followed it later with a spirited rendering of 'A Christmas Prayer' by Billy Fury. David threw in two songs, 'The Young Trooper' and 'The Cock Fight.' Phil finished the night with 'John o' Dreams by Bill Caddick.
A good night. Thanks for coming everyone. See you next year, Jed's bunch. Next month's night will be the 22nd of November.
Eliza

September 27th 2016

Great Night. Old friends and local first timers, Lisa, Steve and Aaron. Good to have a visit from Carol and Dave from Crawcrook. (I will call him Dave of C. due to the proliferation of Daves, two of whom have the same initial.) Instruments were smallpipes (Anglo-French and hybrid), dulcimer and several guitars.
Carol and Dave of C. kicked off with the evocative song about emigrants, 'Outside Track,' words by Australian poet Henry Lawson, music by Gerry Hallom. Dave of C. sang 'Rap 'er te Bank,' the well-known Tyneside song. David continued with 'Old Fid' narrated by an old sailor reminiscing. Dave on guitar gave us 'The Rolling Hills of the Border' and the tune 'Calliope House.' I produced my fiddle for the first time and gave dismal attempted rendering of 'The Rose Tree' which has similarities to the tune of the song that followed, 'The False Knight on the Road.' However, onward and upward. Angus gave us the poignant, 'The Summer before the War,' words and music by Huw Williams.
Kevin's hybrid pipes were in good form with 'Wigh's Fancy' from the 'Peacock Manuscript' followed by a Spanish Tune.
Phil sang the wagon driver's song 'A Champion at Keeping 'em Rolling' by Ewan McColl and continuing the industrial theme, Katy sang,'The Doffing Mistress,' apparently about the children whose work was to put on and take off the spools for the spinning. The song was popular among spinners who added their own local verses.
Dave of C. gave us 'Sweet and Lovely Eileen o' Carroll' (otherwise known as 'The Fair and Charming Eileen O' Carroll') a lovely tune. Carol and Dave of C. then gave us another poignant song that the folk are so good at, John Fogerty's 'Paradise' aka, 'Mr Peabody's Coal Train' which continued the theme of industry but this time its destructive nature.
David played, 'Mr Preston's Hornpipe' on smallpipes.
Dave on guitar sang, 'My Name is Delaney.' Eliza followed with the Nortumbrian version of 'Scarborough Fair' 'Whittingham Fair' which apparently is a fragment also known as 'The Elfin Knight,' one of nineteen versions collected by Child (of ballad collection fame) and which he traced through many languages of Asia and Europe. Angus followed with 'Sally Gee.'
Kevin gave us 'Paddy Whack,' a jig from the Peacock Manuscript that goes under various names and 'Farewell...' (that's all i've got down for that one).
Phil, with 'Music of the Loom' by Danny Kyle continued the informal theme of work songs having researched them for last week's Brampton session (see 'Events' page). And why waste a song you've worked up. In a similar vein, Katy sang that touching country song, 'The Carter' and Carol, 'Byker Hill  and Walker Shore' with its reference to collier lads.
Dave of C. put in a Dulcimer tune (sorry not noted) and David followed with  'John Barleycorn is a Hero Bold.' Returning to the prevailing theme, Dave on guitar gavels Jez Lowe's 'Black Diamonds.'
Aaron leapt boldly into the fray with an improvised guitar tune in most accomplished style after only two weeks tuition with his father, Steve. Steve gave us an improvised jazz piece on guitar which added much appreciated variety and colour to the evening. Eliza joined David on pipes to provide the vocals for 'She Moved Through The Fair'. Angus was joined by Steve, both on guitar for John Mayall's blues, 'Sandy.'
Kevin's two Catalonian melodies on pipes were accompanied by Phil and Steve on guitars.
In my view you can never get enough Tyneside songs, nor indeed, enough of the same one twice and Phil, who had missed Dave of C's earlier rendering, fired up 'Rap 'er te Bank,' in his own inimitable style preceded by 'Jowl, Jowl and Listen Lads.' Katy, still at the mill, threw in 'The Dundee Weaver Lass.'
The mood changed with Dave of C's 'The Parting Glass' and Carol's 'Talk to me of Mendocino' by Anna McGarrigle, Phil's 'The Cocky Farmer' or 'Now I'm Easy' by Eric Bogle and Dave's 'Will you come away with me my bonnie lassie.'
We finished the night with a session of tunes: Dave gave us three tunes on guitar, 'Haste to the Wedding', Hogmanay Jig' and 'The Lemonville Jig,' an Irish and Scottish set. Then Aaron and Steve played together and Steve fired up a classical piece. Kevin played 'Frisky' and 'Highland Laddie' on pipes and Dave 'The March of the King of Laois' on Dulcimer. David on pipes played 'Sawney and Jockey,' 'Ham House' and 'Cherry Garden,' and Dave led tunes in G; 'Salmon Tails' and 'Jaimie Allen.'
Good to see you all. Hope to see Steve and family again, as well as all. October's date is the 25th.

August 2016

Thanks for coming from there to here those who trekked over various hills. David was at Whitby Festival so I was greatly pleased to see the friendly faces. Once more I am a little late with this (hols.). We were pleased to see Miriam before her departure for the continent. As well as guitar, Dave brought his electronic bagpipe (which can play in the tone of various types of pipe) this time and gave us some grand tunes. I wonder if this means we will hear him playing the traditional instrument at some point. Charlie also brought his guitar as well as fiddle - and some good songs.
Dave kicked off the night with 'The Galway Shawl' and Eliza continued with 'The Gallowa' Hills,' Katy, the ballad, 'The Nut Brown Maid' and Miriam, 'The Bunch of Thyme.
Tunes on Dave's bagpipe were 'The Hills of Argyle' and 'Highland Cathedral.' Angus led Egan's and Ryan's on mandolin.
Charlie gave us Doc Watson's 'A-Roving on a Winter's Night' and Phil 'The Day Before the War' (R. Johnson / Moose & Raffi, D.Pike) as sung by Roy Bailey. At this point Katy whisked us back to the sixteenth century, as is her wont with, 'A Ditty Delightful of Mother Watkin's Ale' which Miriam followed with 'Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy' and Dave 'Quare Bungle Rye.'
Tunes led by Angus were 'Winster Gallop,' 'Jamie Allen' and 'Salmon Tails.'
Eliza waded in with another Scottish song, 'The Shearing's No For Me' and Charlie the lovely ballad, 'The Earl of March's Daughter' set in Tushielaw, near Selkirk. Phil then weighed in with his own song 'The First Man on the Moon was a Cumbrian' about Josh Salkeld from Cockermouth who took off from Great Gable and may well be on the dark side to this very day, a song containing local references of scientific interest to the assembled company. Katy, eclectic to the last, followed with a Woody Guthrie classic song (she being inspired by the earlier Doc Watson, I believe), 'Who's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet?' and Miriam, 'Sonny's Dream' by Newfoundlander Ron Hynes made famous by Jean Redpath. Dave gave us Matt McGinn's, 'The Rolling Hills of the Borders' with the tune Calliope House' on guitar. Angus was moved by Katy's choice perhaps to follow with the Country and Western song, 'Me and Bobby Mcgee' by Chris Kristofferson. Eliza threw in 'The Female Soldier' and Charlie, 'The Carlton Weaver' or 'Nancy Whisky' with an extra verse. Phil gave us 'Up the Noran Water,' as sung by Jean Redpath. This time Katy offered a parody of 'Country Life' with 'I hate to Rise When the Sun she Rises' and Miriam 'The Warlike Lads of Russia', a Broadside Ballad with a few extra words and a tune by Nic Jones. Dave did the old favourite, 'Fiddler's Green,' Eliza 'Mally-O,' Phil, 'The Oggy Man and Dave Ivan Drever's 'Dounreay Song'.
Tunes to finish were Angus' rendering of Margaret'sWaltz and Charlie's 'St Anne's Reel' on fiddle, 'Soldier's Joy' and 'De'il Among the Tailors.' All musicians joined in.

Thanks to all. Enjoyed good company and good conversation. In bocca al lupo, Miriam.
September's date is the 27th. See you there.

July 2016

What a great night. Good to see friends Carol and David from the Tyne, Charlie all the way from  Lochmaben, Jasmine and Elaine from around these parts and Ed and Eileen staying on the caravan site from Fife. Norman and Dave brought their great repertoires as did Miriam up from Leicester. Regulars Katie, Phil and Angus have a knack of contributing a song in tune with the theme or mood of the moment. Tunes alternated with the songs with lots of joining in which made for a generally convivial night. Instruments were accordion, guitars, mandolin, dulcimer, smallpipes, banjo (Angus came particularly well equipped) fiddle, mouth organ and whistle. There were two Davids and a Dave  present, distinguishable as each plays a different instrument.
Ed, a fine exponent of the accordion playing from a variety of traditions, began with an Irish Waltz, 'Slieve na Mon' and followed with, 'The Blue Tango.' Staying with tunes, Charlie contributed 'The Trumpet Hornpipe' and 'Harvest Home' on fiddle, David, 'The Battle of the Somme' on smallpipes and another David, 'The Fair and Charming Eileen O'Carroll' on dulcimer.
Songs during the first round (or, perhaps,'bout') were Eliza with 'Lowlands of Holland,' Phil, 'Dublin in the Rare Old Times,' Miriam, the broadside ballad, 'Courting too Slow,' giving the male perspective on courtship from a different angle, with tune by Peter Bellamy, Carol, the haunting 'The Outside Track' a setting of Henry Lawson, the Australian writer's poem, recorded by Garnet Rogers to Gerry Hallom's tune with guitar and dulcimer accompaniment. Norman gave us a great Bothy Ballad from Aberdeenshire, the name of which I have not noted and Dave, 'The Banks of the Bann,' Accompanied by guitar.
Back to Ed again who began this section with 'Whistling Rufus' about a popular American negro minstrel, as they termed him at the time, composed by Kerry Mills in 1899. This was a tune that Bruce a founder member of the club who, sadly, is no longer with us, used to play on guitar, so it was good to hear it. Other tunes in this round were, Angus' polkas (Egans and John Ryan's), Charlie's 'Da Slockit Light,' David on dulcimer, 'Eagle's Whistle' with practically all of the musicians, and Norman's 'McLeod of Mull' in pibroch style on guitar and mouth harp.
Songs were Jasmine's 'Falling' by Kate Rusby, Eliza's 'Lads o' the Fair' by Brian McNeill, Phil's 'Donnybristle Mining Disaster' about the shaft flooded by the moss water written by the barber of Cowdenbeath in honour of our guests from Fife. Miriam gave us Sydney Carter's, 'The Crow on the Cradle,' Katy, a grand rendering in dialect of 'The Lumb Hat,' David (piper), the whaling song, 'Rolling Down to Old Maui,' Carol, Leon Rosselson's, 'Don't Get Married Girls,' in comic style with much affectionate joshing of her spouse and, after this (guitar) Dave gave us the lyrical, 'Orion,' a lovely song.
Going great guns, we were now ready for a third round, with Ed kicking off once more, this time with, 'By Yon Bonny Border Burn,' a tribute to the late Tommy Lamb of Copshaw Holm from whom he learnt it twenty years ago a short time before Tommy died. He followed this with a set of three tunes, 'Miss Mary Printy' each individual tune titled with a different female name: 'Miss C. M. Barber,' 'Miss Kay Rose' and 'Miss Mary Printy.' There was some speculation about the background to these, especially as there seems to be some mystery surrounding who had written them as a set of three. Charlie then played 'Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar who ran/runs a music camp on the banks of the Ashokan river where an indigenous American village was flooded to create a reservoir. Everyone joined in.
Songs in this final round were, Karine Polwart's, 'I'm gonna Do it All' sung by Jasmine with guitar accompaniment, a bluegrass song 'Up this Hill and Down,' sung by Angus with banjo, 'The Twa Magician' sung by Eliza. Phil's offering this time was 'Lord Huntley,' while Miriam gave us Heather Dale's, 'Changeling Child.' Sydney Carter featured again in Katy's choice of 'Tell Me Where Did Helen Go?' and David (piper) followed with Kipling's 'The Dutch in the Medway' with tune by Peter Bellamy and Carol with Heather Wood's, 'Foolish, Incredibly Foolish' accompanied as before. Norman did another of his excellent pieces this time to an Irish tune, the name of which I have simply scribbled as, 'When I was in...' Apologies Norman - I must have been too busy listening both times. Dave sang Jez Lowe's 'Black Diamonds' and Jasmine Little Big Town's 'I've Got a Girl Crush,' an Angus, Phil Coulter's, 'Steal Away.'
Charlie finished the night with 'Soldier's Joy' and 'Mason's Apron' on fiddle with all joining in, once again.
A good night in my estimation. Thank you all for coming. Next month's date is the 23rd of August.

June 2016

This was a good break-you-in-gently pre-festival session. Sadly, I was then overwhelmed by preparations for said festival and whacked afterwards and did not find time to do the blog. So, albeit a month late, here is a quick resume.
David and I were joined by other members of the Festival Team, Carole, Beth and James and regulars Katy, Ruth, Phil and Angus. Rob was visiting and gave us some cracking songs and a recitation.
Tunes were on accordion, pipes, recorder, guitar, mandolin, whistle and bodhran  as follows: 'Lincum Doddie,' 'The Unfortunate Cup of Tea, 'Egan's Polka,' 'Ryan's Polka,' 'Humours of Glendart,' 'Salmon Tails,' 'Winster Gallop,' 'Jaimie Allen,' 'Machair,' 'Leg of the Duck,' 'Wee Todd.' 'Leaving Friday Harbour,' 'Snow on the Hills,' 'Xesus and Feliera,' 'Margaret's Waltz,' 'Sack of Wheat,' 'Off to California' and 'Walz for Pol.'
Songs were 'The Roving Journeyman,' 'The Dutch in the Medway,' 'Gan to the Kye,' 'Coming Home,' 'The Jolly Waggoner,' 'Peppers and Tomatoes,' 'The Rolling Hills of the Border,' 'The Carter,' 'The Well Below the Valley-O,' 'A Place Called England,' 'Champion,' 'Lady Nairn,' 'Lazybones,' 'Hedger and Ditcher,' 'John Barleycorn,' 'Ca the Yows' 'The Socialist Alphabet,' 'By the Light of the Peat Fire,' 'The Oak and the Ash,' 'Three Pennine Rangers,' 'There were Roses,' 'Both Sides of Tweed.'
Recitations were, 'Get out of My Life,' and 'The Curriculum for Excellence.'
Thank you all. Normal service will be resumed imminently.'