THE FUNERAL OF MOIRA COUSINS AT ACHNABA

A very old friend of ours, Moira Cousins, died May 13th and her funeral was this week.  She was the wife of Sandy Cousins, who Iain first met through being a member of the Scottish Mountaineering Club.

While the service was held in St Modan's Church, Benderloch, the interment was held at Achnaba Cemetery which in on the shore of Loch Etive.

Iain was asked by the family (Elid and John Ormiston - sons: Saul, Seoras and Kyle) to play the pipes. 

While awaiting everyone arriving from the church service Iain is getting his pipes warmed up outside the Achnaba Church (closed these days). This church has a most interesting interior highlighting the Presbyterian idea of how the interior should be laid out: a large rectangular communion table with benches on either side facing you as you enter the main (blue) front door.  Pews are left  and right and are at right angles facing the front.  Why do I know all this?

It was 12 years ago Iain played for the funeral service held inside this church for Moira's son, Alasdair, who died aged 40 years old (of natural causes).  Iain and I  situated ourselves at that communion table next to the door as he was the last in (having played outside for the congregation to file in) ... and would be first out to head the procession to the cemetery located on the hill behind the church.

And this is it. Again Iain went on ahead leading the procession up to the open grave for a short service ... next to Alastair's grave.

Above is a video of Iain playing... it may or may not show.

Lastly here is a photo of the church looking from the graveyard, out to Loch Etive.  I put my iPhone on the stone wall surrounding the cemetery.  If it makes the photo a bit grim... well that's what is was like! 

I could not help recalling that Alasdair died at almost the exactly the same date as Moira. His funeral was May 22, 2012. I also recall that he died either the evening or the day of his 40th birthday.   

I found a post I wrote (7 years ago!)  here.

BARBARA'S 75th BIRTHDAY

Another year, another birthday.  Life rolls along much the same. Both Iain and I enjoy good health for our years.  We never take that for granted as increasingly people our age start to show signs of wear and tear, so to speak.

Having spent quite a bit of time at the computer this past week (finishing off a brochure for the Milngavie Music Club) I decided to down tools and have the day off.  In the early morning I had sent (over the internet) all the image and text files to the printer but apparently it did not arrive in their Inbox.... don't know why.  (I am still on that learning curve but don't usually have a problem.) Rather than struggle with a 'workaround' (I am getting good at this...) I decided to simply jump on the train and pay a visit to their office in the centre of Glasgow.

It has been ages since I was in town and, as always, I enjoy being among all the good Glasgow folk going about their daily lives.  Today was just typical!

[1] I am often asked directions, usually when I a waiting to cross at the lights.  If I am going in the same direction I simply walk along with the person(s) and then point out their route.  Today was no different: an elderly lady, half my height, asked me directions and as we were going the same way, we fell into conversation.  She was from Dublin and looking for a city centre shop.  As we parted it was a case of me saying "Cheerio" (a very Glasgow departing expression which I picked up years ago) and she responded with "Goodbye and God Bless".  So very Irish; so very nice!

[2] In the printer's office I gave my memory stick of files to the young lassie (maybe about 21 years old) who confirmed that everything was there.  Job done.

We chatted a bit about us both being Mac computer users and I mentioned that I had been doing this sort of desktop publishing work for quite a few years (to be exact it is 30 years!).  I said that I used to make a habit of delivering the files in person because I would know for sure that they got the material (i.e. it nailed a recurring problem in the pre-Internet days of  "It hasnay come" or "We didnay get it." [when I sent the disk in the post].

I explained to her that what I was delivering was either a floppy disk or its successor, a 3 1/2 inch hard disk for A drive. I then became aware of a blank look on her face.... "Uh-h-h... do you know what I am talking about?"   Answer: "No!" 

So does reaching the ripe of age of 75 years make me feel old?  Well, no... not really, but talking to these youngsters about floppy disks certainly did!

IAIN'S 80th BIRTHDAY

We celebrated Iain's 80th Birthday at the weekend.  Here are some photos!