I’ve got a busy weekend coming up with storytelling sessions at two public events! The second (because I never do things in the right order!) is the Coronation Picnic at @Cragiebuckler Parish Church – 1.35 to 2.30pm 
Expect stories of Regal Amphibians (but not the ones you think), Kings who are a big fan of planting things and most probably an unexpected hero or two 
What’s happening in Saturday at @kincorth_community_centre ‘s Rainbow Family Day as part of Grampian Pride 
I’ve got some great Pride stories lined up and everyone is welcome!
Well what an excitement in the house this morning! A package arrived addressed to “Pauline, Molly, The Fairies and Apollo The Cat.”
Well Molly was already off to school and Apollo was busy planning world domination (as cats are wont to do)… and as I just HAD to share it with someone, I went and woke Fizzy.
What was in the package? Well it was a book from Chip at Epic Tales!! And as you can see, its subject is VERY excited. (For a grumpy dead guy).
Is always nice to get feedback – especially when it’s as nice as this!! This is from my visit to Pitcairn Loge Care Home a couple of weeks back. I got chapping to one of the residents who lived just round the corner from where I live now!
“THE DORIC WIFFIE
We wis spiken til in oor ane tung, she telt stories n guid us a poem r twa. Telt us jokes n sang a song r twa. We hid a guid time n hope she comes back!”
Thanks folks! 
It’s all about the Fisherman’s Lassie next week at Arduthie Primary School! Stonehaven Folk Festival folks will be visiting the school to teach Guitar, Clarsach and Penny Whistle – and I’ll be teaching one of my favourite songs! Elsie the Fishwife instructs me I’m nae exactly a lassie ony mair – 
Huh!
Photo by Windswept Stories Photography
We’ve had some brilliant work from the S2 Students at Turriff Academy of late!
I asked them to write a “Bothy Ballad” based on their own lives. You can read them at our blog for the Turriff Academy #LiveLiterature Residency here – https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/as/turriffacademyliveliterature/
My friend Natalie Chalmers, a bothy ballad singer, was up at the weekend and had a read over what we’ve had from the pupils so far. She recorded a wee message for the pupils which you can view here –
https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPaulineCordinerAScottishStoryteller%2Fvideos%2F712468793949187%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0
A few photies from the weekend We went to the Aberdeen TMSA (Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland)
Natalie won the Sea Shanty Cup, we won the Freestyle Singing – and my Wee Imp entered a Scots poem and the storytelling and came home with the Junior Storyteling Quaich!
My Wee Imp and I joined our friends at HANDSS yesterday evening for a story and a craft!
I told the tale of an Armenian woman (a total hero who is a teacher and a weaver) who refuses to marry a prince unless he “gets a real job” – he becomes a weaver and that ends up saving his life. The story was followed up by a wee bit of simple weaving.
Here are some photos courtesy of HANDSS.
Elsie the Fishwife and I had a great visit to Maryfield West Care Home today when pupils from Albyn School were making one of their regular visits!
We heard all about the fish wife whose husband caught a magic fish and the residents and pupils loved hearing about Lazy Jack and his exploits! They clapped and sang the chorus of a couple of songs too. Elsie and I had a lovely day!
It’s a snow day today, so no Live Literature visit to Turriff Academy for me today
Instead I’ve been reading over the fantastic work done by the two S2 classes!
One of the homework tasks they’ve been set is to go off and speak to family member or friend to find out some of their own stories.
Pupils asked questions like “What’s the naughtiest thing you did as a child?”
“What was school like when you were younger?”
“Do you have any stories of petty revenge?
“What news story do you particularly remember?”
We’ve had some amazing responses which will be posted on the S2′ Live Literature Residency Blog which you can find here – blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/turriffacademyliveliterature/
Pauline Cordiner - Scottish Storyteller 