Goodbye Aunt Iris

Yesterday I was in Inverness for the funeral of my Aunt Iris, Dad's elder sister, who had her 90th birthday earlier this year.

Like several others in the family, I travelled up on Tuesday, and there were 7 of us staying at the Premier Inn in the centre of Inverness, just by the river. 

I was met by my Uncle George and Aunt Christine and Aunt Rosemary at Inverness station when I arrived just before 5pm and we had dinner together before going to the station again to meet Dad, Iris, George and Rosemary's cousin Claire, my cousin Helen and my niece Katrina. I walked back to the hotel with Helen and Katrina so they could grab something to eat on the way from that famous Scottish takeaway - McDonalds.

The River Ness was running fast and the lights shining bright.

The castle over the other side of the river was illuminated.

This morning it was an early start as I walked the 1 1/4 miles to collect a little hire-car (a Vauxhall Corsa) at 9am.  It was still before dawn.

It's quite a while since I had driven a car with a manual gearbox! We left about 9:20 am to drive the 52 miles to Golspie, where Iris had lived for 57 years, and the "Celebration of Life".

It was a lovely tribute, bringing back lots of happy memories, and many people from the village were there.  I never knew Iris had discovered a fly and had it named after her. Then it was back to Inverness to the Crematorium...

...with soup, sandwiches and tea afterwards at the North Kessock Hotel on the Black Isle, just north of Inverness.

Such sad circumstances, but it was good to meet and catch up up with relatives. It was cold, but we were lucky with the weather... cousin Alison reported snow on the roads on her way back to Ullapool afterwards.

In the evening the 7 of us went out for a meal at the Filling Station.

Then this morning I returned the hire car and after breakfast we all dispersed.

Rest in Peace Aunt Iris.