Ali Mackay

Yet another sad but glorious celebration of life yesterday. Family, friends and comrades gathered to pay respect to Ali - sadly died before her time at 57 years:-

Mackay Alison of Cupar, formerly of Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh. Feminist, campaigner, friend and beloved partner of Lindsay, daughter of the late Margaret and Alan and sister of Ron, died of Cancer, aged 57, on Saturday, 24th January, 2009. Funeral Service to be held at Kirkcaldy Crematorium, on Wednesday, 4th February, at 11.00 a.m., to which all family, friends and colleagues are most welcome. Garden flowers only, donations in lieu to Maggie’s Centre Dundee.

Gillan Stewart for the Scottish Humanist Society officiated at a wonderful one and half hour of tributes and KD Lang songs. A piper in the crematorium wood played a lament as the woven casket strewn with wild flowers and heather was brought into the crematorium. Some tears of regret and sadness that it is only such occasions when wholesome tributes are made, sadly Ali was not in the hearing of them!

So we are looking forward to going to Newcastle next weekend and tackling the emerging gardening tasks at Austwick after a quick stay-over in Newcastle to see "West Side Story". That should get my spirits going. Bill and Barrie are coming to Austwick with us so plenty of willing "gardeners". One of the neighbours has pointed out concerns about the Leylandii tree that borders both our properties - they have got to go - hate the dark strangling creation.