Tram and a Raincloud

Taken this morning on a trip up to town.
Returned home to the news that my friend G died in the hospice early this morning. Very sad. I have lots of memories of him, perhaps most vividly of his tireless running on the hockey pitches of Edinburgh and beyond, at first in the summer mixed team from the S&N IT department and later for Inveresk hockey club. And football too, mixed five-a-sides at lunchtimes at the Tartan Club, evening games with the guys up the road at Moray House. And several hillwalking trips away to the west of Scotland where he was always up in front, getting to the top. There were regular meetups down the pub over the years - for a long time the tradition of meeting on the old S&N payday, every fourth Tuesday, was maintained, even when we had all moved on to other jobs, and Gary was one of the regulars. When he wasn't away travelling, bringing back stories of his adventures to the next get together. Trips to the Himalayas and elsewhere to climb real mountains. Talking with him about photography and cameras, about indoor climbing and a host of other things. Yesterday was his fiftieth birthday. The universe has no concept of fairness. He'll be sorely missed.