Blog, Just Now, Margaret 5 yrs on 
No Comments 5 Years on
Margaret Abbott
Coming to this week in the calendar will always be a week of reflection as I remember Margaret and her life we had together. However, this past year has been even more difficult as I have been very much on my own due to the Covid 19 Pandemic restrictions. There has been a handful of occasions in between enforced restrictions where I have been able to meet up socially. Thankfully I had golf to go to post lockdown one in May 2020 but that has come to an end just now. No bowls or badminton for over a year. The hardest thing to come to terms with is not being able to travel to Northampton to see Philip and Jacquie. The last time I saw them was in December 2019.
OK, Zoom, FaceTime and Skype are available which is some comfort, but I need to see my boys and their family smiling bouncing around making fun of the old man is sadly missed. To have that hug from them is so important just now.
Pauline Graham
Sadly, as this week began, we got very sad news of someone who had been part of the family for over 30 years had passed away having contacted the coronavirus. Her name was Pauline Graham. Pauline was our hairdresser who came every week to do Margaret’s hair. It was the only time in the week apart from the district nurses that Margaret would get a chance to have that time in girly talk.
Pauline has been coming for so long she is really part of the family- seen the three boys get married watch as their families grew, she would bring her nephew’s and nieces to pick strawberries and play in the garden. I recall one time coming home from work after Pauline had gone, Margaret’s hair was lovely, but Margaret was left with rather large dark eyebrows, it was so funny Pauline had forgotten to wipe off the dye etc.
Reflecting on this week and especially Sunday 31 January I recall going to church early and sitting their quietly, praying, wondering what today was going to be like before we travelled across to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to see Margaret. It is difficult to put in words the feeling that this day was going to be last time I would see and hold Margaret’s hand, talk to her, wipe her lips and try and be positive.
There was an item on Newsnight in the week in which the programme closed with a poem to reflect on the figure of over 100,000 deaths due to the pandemic in the UK.
The closing line spoke about the hand of loved ones no longer with us but will always be with us always.
That is so true and more difficult just now with many not being able to say their goodbyes, have a reassuring hug or just sit with them. So sad.
Finally listen to this audio/video track we recorded in our church ‘Be Still in the presence of the Lord’ sung by my dear fiends Maureen Sharp and Liz Milne with Ian Sharp on piano.
© David J. Evans, The Oxford Choir Mission Praise 50
Our family have happy memories of our dear friend Pauline and send our condolences to William and all the family as they come to terms with their loss.
God bless Margaret at peace but never forgotten.
