I'm back ... again ... virus free!

I've been away for a while again.  I'm kind of struggling to find things to write about these days.  Apart from that I have had a nasty nasty virus infecting my computer.  Glad to say that the computer is now back to full running capability a the only casualty was my bank balance.

I just don't understand the whole virus thing.  Who creates them?  And why?  Maybe I'm totally daft, but I just don't see the amusement in ruining other people's computers, files and privacy.  I assume that these people have no way of knowing what damage their virus has done once it's out there.  So why bother?  It's just nasty.  It's almost like someone saying "I'm smarter than you in IT and therefore I must ruin all your innocent fun"

I have no idea where I picked mine up from.  I don't look at "dodgy" websites as far as I'm aware.  I have no email set up on this computer either.  Thankfully I am a fairly aware person and I noticed instantly that my google search pages had suddenly changed their font.  I clicked carefully and was instantly sent to an online gambling site.  The virus managed to disable my system restore option and even stopped me running SpyBot search and Destroy.  Put McAffee on it and it didn't pick it up.  Downloaded Windows Defender and it picked it up but couldn't get rid of it.  Eventually we tried a windows repair.  DISASTER!  That didn't solve it and almost seemed to make it worse.  Suddenly I could barely boot up the computer.

So I had no choice but to call an expert.  Who wiped the computer entirely.  That's how bad it had got.  But at least I know it's gone now and I have virus security up to the eyeballs. 

So fingers crossed that I will remain virus free.  I'll try catch up with all your pages in the next few days.

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond

By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes
where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Where me and my true love were ever want tae gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

Oh, ye'll tak the high road and I'll tak the low road
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
For me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

T'was there that we parted in yon shady glen
On the steep, steep sides of Ben Lomond
Where in purple hue, the hieland hills we view
And the moon coming out in the gloamin'

CHORUS

The wee birdies sing and the wild flowers spring
And in sunshine the waters are sleeping
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring again
tho' the waefu' may cease fae their greetin'

CHORUS

I've chosen this song today because it is just beautiful. It's actually becoming more popular to have this song at the end of a wedding these days than Auld Lang Syne. Of course, it is Runrig's version that the well-oiled wedding party is most likely to use. I've put a recording of a slower version, close to how I would perform it and also a recording of the famous Runrig version of the song.



Here is the Runrig version. It is worth noting that they use slightly altered words. They also have a Gaelic section in the middle -

Ho, ho mo leannan
Ho mo leannan bhoidheach

This means something along the lines of Oh my sweetheart, oh my beautiful sweetheart, but don't quote me because I don't speak Gaelic unfortunately.



There are a few ideas on the meaning to the words of this song. The most popular that I have heard is that it was about a Jacobite soldier who was captured in Carlisle whilst another fellow soldier (or sometimes I've heard it was his lover) managed to escape. The captured soldier sings of how he will have to take the "low road" back to Scotland which means he will be executed and travel the underworld back to Scotland.

If you're ever in Scotland, Loch Lomond is well worth a visit.

The Dark Island

I love this song. It's the first thing I teach to P5 evey year, and I always tell them that this is my favourite Scottish song. It was written by David Silver about the small Scottish Island of Benbecula. I haven't found a version that I totally love yet but here are the lyrics and a version of the song. I like this version but she sings a few rhythms slightly different from the way I would sing them.

You need to skip to 40 seconds before she starts!



Away to the west where I'm longing to be,
Where the beauties of heaven unfold by the sea
Where the sweet purple heather blooms fragrant and free
On a hilltop high above The Dark Island

Oh, isle of my childhood, I'm dreaming of thee,
As the steamer leaves Oban and passes Tiree
Soon I'll capture the magic that lingers for me
When I'm back once more upon The Dark Island

So Gentle the sea breeze that ripples the bay
Where the stream joins the ocean and young children play
On the strand of pure silver I'll welcome each day
And I'll roam forever more The Dark Island

True Gems of the Hebrides bathed in the light
Of the mid-summer dawning that follows the night
How I yearn for the cries of the seagull in flight
As they circle high above The Dark Island

I'm Back!!!

I know, I know, you're all just so excited. I use the term ALL there very loosely!
Well I must apologise for my absence. The run up to Christmas was mental! and the holidays were busy, busy, busy. Back at work now and it's already getting busy again but I promise to try my best to blog.

At this time of year I find myself singing all the Scottish songs. It starts with Auld Lang Syne to see in the new year and is followed with preparing songs for Burns day on Jan 25th. So I thought I'd share with you all my favourite Scots songs over the next week or so. Some will be Burns and some won't. I also apologise now for the recordings (if I even find recordings!). They will not all be to the standard that I would prefer and they will not always be played with the same interpretation that I would play, but I will explain as best I can why I have chosen each song and how I would perform it.

Song 1
Ae Fond Kiss
Lyric by: Robert Burns

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever [ae = one]
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me; [nae = no]
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Nothing can resist my Nancy:
For to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never loved sae kindly, [sae = so]
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Nor never met - nor never parted,
We would never have been sae broken-hearted.

Fare-thee-weel, my first and fairest
Fare-thee-week, my best and dearest
Thine be ilka joy and treasure, [ilka = every]
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

This is the first Burns song that I actually fell in love with. I liked a few before this, but never loved them. This performance is by Eddie Reader. If you fancy hearing some Burns songs sung nicely her album Eddie Reader sings the songs of Robert Burns is a real good place to begin. She has a real knack of making the melodies flow. I hope you like it.

How old?

It was my birthday last week and my dear (younger) friends have had a great time telling me how old I'm getting now. But none of their taunts will top some of the kids from school.

A few weeks ago was guy fawkes, and as I've said before I don't like fireworks. The kids at school were asking if I was going to a display and when I said "no, I don't like fireworks" I got the following response.

"Oh that's right Miss, some old folk don't like fireworks cos it reminds them of the war"

To which I said "I'm not that old children" and got the response

"Yeah, you were only probably a baby during the war"

I have always been told I look young for my age. Apparently the kids think I'm double the age I actually am!

Phew!

Oh gosh, I am getting slower at this blogging malarkey!

Quick update of the week that was...

Sunday : Me and my girl rehearsals. Show is next week and I'm playing me oboe.

Monday : Worked hard, went to chiropractor, went to bed early.

Tuesday : Worked hard, ate dinner, worked hard.

Wednesday : Guy Fawkes. Now I hate guy fawkes. I trully believe that fireworks should only be available to licensed, trained professionals. I hate fireworks. The kids blew our neighbours wheelie bin up last year by putting a firework inside it. Who knew though that 403 years after the gunpowder plot that a football game would be able to move the date of the celebration? Glasgow Green always have a big display and this year it was on Nov 6th because Celtic and Man U were playing football on the 5th. Surely if the two events can't coincide then it should be the football that moves? Oh no, that's right, football rules the world! Also had Me and My Girl rehearsal.

Thursday : Worked very hard, got a chippie, ran through the shower to wash hair, ran up to sister in laws to wish her Happy Birthday, wolfed down a bit of cake, rushed to the cinema to see the new James Bond. There are two facts which led to this viewing in the cinema. 1. I hate James Bond films. 2. I like to go to bed early on a Sunday. So two Sundays ago (at 7pm) (and no, I'm not ashamed of that) Hubby and I were getting ready to crawl into bed to watch some TV as we do every Sunday. Hubby then says "I'm going to watch Casino Royale" To which I respond "nnnnnooooooooo". But, as I am a mere woman and have no right to choose TV programmes I gave in. With the intention of snoozing my way through it or reading my book. Much to my annoyance I loved it. So I decided to go see the new one. Bit of a let down really. If I had been lying in my bed watching it on DVD then fair enough, it would have been fine. But I paid money to go see it. Oh well, I got in as a senior citizen, saving myself £1.25 on the ticket because I used to date the teller.

Friday : Went to a Body Shop party. I hate the Body Shop I'm afraid. I'm a clinique girl through and through. Wine flowed though and the party was good. We were supposed to take a basin and a towel to do some pampering on our feet. Bugger that. I'm not sitting in a room full of people who I know but am not really good friends with, with my feet in a bucket of water. Yuck. I hate feet. I actually think I have pretty feet. But yuck, yuck, yuck. No chance. Left the party earlyish (earlyish for a Friday night partier like myself) and got dropped off at the pub where I drank way too much.

Saturday : Hubby doesn't seem to be aware of how to turn his alarm clock off and it went off at 5.30 this morning. Hubby also goes deaf when he's been drinking. And also apparently impervious to pain as I thumped him fairly hard and he didn't flinch. I then leaned right across him, making sure I leaned damn hard and he still didn't flinch. Then, as often happens, the caffeine from the diet coke kicked in and I was wide awake. Well, as wide awake as a half drunk half hungover person after 4 hours sleep can be! I stoated about the house trying to gulp some water and then tried to get back to sleep, but it wasn't to be.

Tomorrow I intend to lie about in PJs all day, get dressed at dinner time and go see a gospel choir at night. Then it's another busy week. Hopefully I'll get a chance to log on again before Christmas!

Are you kidding me?

Let me start this post by stating that "I do not read The Sun newspaper!"... but I was in the Chinese takeaway tonight and Thursday's paper was lying there begging to be read while we waited for our food.

They reported that ASDA are currently considering changing their sign from green to blue on their new shop in Larkhall so as not to offend the Rangers mad fans there. According to the report residents have also forced Subway and Moss Chemists to change their green shop fronts to blue because of the association with green/white and Celtic football club. The local council have also been forced to put metal grills in front of most of the towns green traffic lights after residents shattered or stole the lights.

I'm sorry. This is appalling. Next there will be a witch hunt for anyone with green eyes or they will go round painting all the trees blue. I have a sudden recollection of the cards in Alice in Wonderland "painting the roses red"

Are we really living in a world where we are going to bow down to football fanatics?