Friends and family have been very kind in joining us as we think of Iseabail who is the Edinburgh Royal stroke unit. Having suffered a stroke 2 weeks ago her condition is deteriorating.
Old age brings loss and none are felt more deeply than one's family and friends. Friends of Ish's generation have been phoning daily enquiring about news. Sadly some of them have dementia and make repeated phone calls as is the way of these things.
Having received one of these today (which Iain normally takes but is not in today) I was updating the caller and hearing all about their friendship.
After a few minutes' conversation I hit upon the idea of giving her something to do; people feel so helpless and far away in these situations.
Without really giving any forethought I said "Why don't you light a candle? (I suppose it comes from seeing so many of the public leaving candles at sites of death and tragedy.)
I am not really a 'candle' person but having a rather nice glass Swedish candle tea-light holder given to me by Christina Bell I simply followed suit...
It is a time of vigil.
Having been sailing for so many years and having learned that there are times (like when the tide goes out and you are going aground) where you simply can do nothing but sit and wait. I soon learned not to jump about scrabbling with ropes and anchors... but just got up and put the kettle on. As the tide went out everything on the boat slid to one side... clunk .. clunk ... clunk, clunk... and after the hours elapsed and tide started to turn the boat started to float again (and everything clunked back in the other direction until we were upright once more).
So it is 'kettleon' time. You have heard of a 'marathon'? We have a family word 'kettlelon'. It comes from when Mairi was learning to speak. "I want 'kettleon'!" she kept saying. Finally the penny dropped "Ah... Polly Put The Kettleon"!
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