Celebrating

It was a cold, dreich day that got colder and dreicher as it went on, suddenly November weather.

An early start on the train to Aberdeen to celebrate the life of G. He was my friend J's husband and he died very suddenly 10 days ago aged 59. He had had a good life and was loved and respected by all who'd come into contact with him, growing up here in Edinburgh, a Herioter, working in Social work (IT and criminal justice) in Grampian and then Aberdeen, working with Victim Support and deeply involved in the life of Mastrick Church. I only got to know him a few years ago after J and I stopped working for the City and I liked him a lot. I spent two very happy visits with them at Portiragnes. We bought houses in France at the same time and shared experiences.

And today was a celebration. Mastrick Church was queued out the door (the service forced to start 15 minutes late) with maybe 5oo people - friends, relations, colleagues from Social Work and J's ex-colleagues from Education. It was a great send off and I know J and their two girls were helped by the love, the support and the friendship of everyone there and Woodlands School (one of my old schools) will benefit from the donations too.

It was also a time to meet with my former colleagues, most of whom I hadn't seen for over 5 years, a poignant reunion. I wish I'd stuck to plan A though and worn the boots and the warm jacket - somehow it wasn't the day for vertiginous heels and linen.

K had met me at the station. The facade has been retained in the 'new' Union Square. We used to queue for taxis under that portico - now it's part of the shopping mall concourse. Is it an improvement? Then to Dobbies in the Lang Stracht for a cherry scone before the service. A new centre built on land probably owned at one time by my 3 x gt grandfathers, the Roughs of Gillahill and the Laws of Fernhill. Life is strange isn't it. Drove past my old office too, boarded up and looking even bleaker than it did when I worked there. Seems a lifetime away since I drove that road twice a day, going home at night to D and the kids.

Chipper for tea - half the kitchen ripped out. The rest goes tomorrow. Unfortunately T had managed to leave Molly trapped in my room - the new carpet suffered but it will fix.

News tonight that some other things may not fix.