A Long Life

It is almost unheard for me at my advancing years to have the mother of one of my school friends die at this moment in time.

I have been an orphan for 26 years and no longer expect to find a contemporary of my parents living to such a ripe old age that they are only now meeting the great and the good in the hereafter.

I first met Alison Geissler when I changed schools at nine and became friends with her daughter.
Catherine and I were best friends and I spent every second Saturday at her home. Her family intrigued me. Whereas I had a younger brother, who as many of you will recognise, is no use to man nor beast to an older sister, she had two older ones who were into all sorts of interesting pastimes which seemed very daring to me.

They were an arty family and were instrumental in giving me an introduction to classical music, the arts world in Edinburgh and an interest in science.

After supper at their house, we would excuse the men, and we three ladies would linger over tea and cake and discuss life in general.

Mrs Geissler was always interested in our lives and what was going on at school, the same one of which she was a former pupil.
She never showed any inclination to hurry us out of the way to get back to her lathe.

She was eager to keep up with life and even two years ago when his Lordship and I went to have coffee with her and Catherine, she was still as sharp as ever and kept pace with the conversation, being one of us rather than the old lady in the corner.

That's how I will remember her- interested in everything and everyone and with a joyous, optimistic outlook on life.
She never appeared old to me and was gracious to the end.

Her funeral is on Saturday and a large swathe of the Edinburgh population, artistic and otherwise who were touched by her life will be there, I know, to celebrate a long and productive life well lived.