Loch Lomond at Balloch
Thanks to Belinda we now have a presence on Instagram so you can follow us on instagram.com/vancouver.ceilidhs
https://www.instagram.com/vancouver.ceilidhs?utm_source=qr
The next Ceilidh dance is next Friday March 22 – I know it is not the last Friday but that is Easter weekend. It is the third one of the year and on the spring equinox so you will all want to come and enjoy a great evening of dancing, fun and social interaction after all the fun that was had at the February dance where we had 1114 noisy revelers dancing to the great music provided by our own Calanais.
The dances are held in the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver which is a block north of SW Marine between Granville & Oak in Marpole. The evening starts with a free class from 7 – 7:45 and the dance with the live music of Calanais follows from 8 – 10:30. Admission is $15 (students $10) and there are refreshments available but remember it is CASH ONLY. Remember to bring some extra cash so you can donate towards the cost of the beer/cider/soft drinks/cookies etc.
This latter sentence was something that many forgot about in January. Usually the cost of the food and drinks is covered by donations but in all the fun and excitement of a busy dance many must have forgotten to make a donation or maybe you did not have cash? Please remember to bring some extra cash. We try to provide a variety of drinks pop, coolers, non alcoholic beer, juice, cider and beer along with crips, cookies and other goodies.
Most Scottish Country dance classes will be starting up again – why not give one a try, you never know you might enjoy it. You’ll be made welcome wherever you go and it is good exercise too!
To help everyone find a convenient class here is a link to all the classes in and around Vancouver and the start time if known;
We attended the Burnaby class last week where we were made very welcome. It is many years since I have been at a Burnaby class – new location and new teacher. We will likely go again this week as we wish to attend the Burnaby Spring dance.
Between the rain showers we raked more leaves, twigs and other cedar droppings. We filled 4 large green bins last week and another 3 this week. I reckon we are about one third of the way but it will soon be time to cut all the ferns back to all room for the new growth and we have more than 100 ferns. That will require a lot of bending and straightening which will be a test for my back. The joys of having a garden.
This is like taking a trip around the world with a smile on your face. There ARE happy people out there, all around the world! Not everyone is fighting & killing one another! This is one of the best videos that you may ever be privileged to view. It’s a great production! I hope you dance!
Sound on.
Click on the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pwe-pA6TaZk?rel=0
A tune to chase the blues away
The Squinty Bridge The Ian Muir Sound Glasgow Branch 90th Anniversary
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Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of life.
As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in the Nova Scotia back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn’t stop for directions.
I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I’ve never played before for this homeless man. And as I played “Amazing Grace”, the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together.
When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head was hung low, my heart was full. As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, “I never seen anything like that before, and I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”
Apparently, I’m still lost….it’s a man thing.
The pleasure of escaping to the Isle of Harris for a week
A little long – but interesting.
Foot Launchable/Ground Towable/Aerotowable/Foot Landable Sailplane
http://player.vimeo.com/video/39325401
Some people have all the fun
Here is another tune for you to enjoy.
St. Colunba’s Strathpey Kenny Thompson & the Wardlaw SC Band Domino Five
The following is an actual question given on a University of Arizona chemistry mid term, and an actual answer turned in by a student.
The answer by one student was so ‘profound’ that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well :
Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?
Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle’s Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:
First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving, which is unlikely. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let’s look at the different religions that exist in the world today.
Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle’s Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.
This gives two possibilities:
- If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.
- If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.
So which is it?
If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, ‘It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you,’ and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct….. …leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting ‘Oh my God.’
THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+.
Well thought out answer with the final findings so well corroborated by Theresa.
Loch Doon was like a mirror
The Ripple Effect … Heartwarming story — hope you like it.
HTTPS://www.youtube.com/embed/ovj5dzMxzmc?autoplay=1
We don’t have to wait too long for the next Ceilidh dance as it is a week earlier than usual because Easter is on the last Friday of March – it will be held on Friday, March 22nd. The same admission prices but Remember it is Cash Only both for admittance and for the refreshments.
Ceilidh dances are held in the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver. There is a free class at 7 pm then the dance follows from 8 – 10:30 pm with live music by Calanais. All easy dances that are taught and called and everyone has lots of fun and great exercise. Tell your friends and make it an outing – it only costs $15 ($10 for students) and there are refreshments (including cider & beer) for a donation. Remember it is “cash only” both for admittance and the refreshments. Mark your calendars now and make plans to join the fun. Check the website rscdsvancouver.org for more details.
The 2024 Ceilidh Dance dates are all on the last Friday of the month –
2024
March 22 — note the change the last Friday is Easter!
April 26
September 27
October 25
November 29
If you have a group of 8 or more then the cost is $1 less for each of you. You have to choose a password, make sure everyone in the group knows what it is then contact me at duncanmackenzie@telus.net at least two days before the dance & let me know you have a group and what the password will be, then you do not need to all arrive together.
Willie Nelson’s Card Trick
This is really hard to believe – Watch closely. . . . How does he do it??
Save it to watch again – – and pass along to your friends & baffle them too!
Glen Coe in the sunlight
Rainy day paintings – click on the pictures to move to the next one
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Laggan Dam
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Another good tune
Spinning Jenny Colin Dewar Trio The Tullich Collection
Kiss cam….Watch for the dude on his cell and see what happens at the end.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155034707165384
Lerwicks Up Helly Aa 2024 fire festival
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The 2024 season for Ceilidh Dances are scheduled (all on Friday evenings) as follows:-
2024
March 22 – note change
April 26
September 27
October 25
November 29
Mark your calendars now!
The dances will be will be held at the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver. The class will be held in the large hall from 7:00 – 7:45 then we will all exit to give the band a chance for a sound check etc. and the dance class will run from 8:00 – 10:30 with live music by Calanais. Alison will continue to be your teacher/caller so you are guaranteed to have a great evening. No change to the admission – still $15 with students $10.
Help us spread the word – I am not into social media but I am sure somebody can promote the Ceilidh Dance(s) there for me especially out at the Colleges and Universities. Tell all your friends to come along – it really is a fun (and cheap!) evening. DON’T FORGET IT IS CASH ONLY.
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Lovely to see not only red deer but also snow in the CairngormsMay your troubles be one, may your blessings be more,
and may nothing but happiness come through your door.
Duncan MacKenzie
ceilidh@rscdsvancouver.org