It is with much sadness that we announce the passing away of Mary’s Mum on Sunday March 1st. She has been getting weaker progressively over the year, so we had expected it but that doesn’t make it any less sad. She passed in dignity in her room in the home in Oban and with the company of her oldest daughter Barbara. She faded slowly in the last week and all those that made plans to see her were able to get to her bedside before she died. Mary knew she was saying her goodbye when she visited in January this year.

One of the joys of fitting out Giselle in the spring of last year was visiting mum. The boat was at Barcaldine which was just 8 miles from Oban. She was always very pleased to see you and made a huge effort to engage in witty conversation. Occasionally stories would repeat but usually she could remember what bits she had already told you. The stories were of the hospitals she had worked in before and during the war and the whims of the various doctors. Lots of details – I wonder if I will be able to recall the details of my 20s in the 2040s! Her unit was at the forefront of plastic surgery and she was in charge of the nursing. He was in one of these hospitals that she met Campbell who was there as a patient.

I was privileged to travel with Campbell in the year before he died in 1986. The topics of conversation can be very different in a car when you know you have time to complete a long story. He told me just small parts of his time in the war. He told of getting off the beach in the west of France only just in time – the Argyll and Sunderland Highlanders, or at least his part had not left at Dunkirk but had made their way all across France. He told of landing in Africa amidst a lot of confusion and he told of moving up the middle of Italy. I have strong memories of his funeral. At the cemetery just outside Lochgilphead his and now to be both of their graves is up against the west wall nicely protected from the wind that can be fierce on this flat piece of land. I was asked to lower cord number 4. The funeral directors, MacDonald and Coulson, had cards printed which they filled in your name and position. I still have mine. It has been in my purse since that day. I wonder who will be number 4 for Mum. I see my card is pre-printed with a Mr. Is it a tradition for this task to be a male task – perhaps Andrew will perform this task? The children have been amazing at taking up the emotional and contact tasks we have left undone because we are too far away. I will miss not being at the funeral. I hope there aren’t larger prices to be paid for following my sailing dream.

David