Weather defeats intention, sometimes

I know that a blip a lot about weather,  largely because I live in a place where the impact of weather upon daily life is still clear and often keenly felt.    

Today was, unfortunately, one of those days.

My former political colleague, and good friend, Robert Macintyre was being buried on Bute, the island where he had lived all his life , and which he represented on the local Council for many years.  I have blipped him several times  including when he , and his fellow SNP Councillor for Bute Isobel Strong, retired in 2017.

I hadn't seen Robert for some time but I knew he had been ill.   I was however very saddened when Isobel sent me a text some weeks ago to say he had died suddenly, just when his return home from a stay in hospital was being discussed.

The funeral was today and several of us have been watching a steadily worsening weather forecast since last weekend.  I had told Isobel two days ago that I might not make it, and indeed that is what transpired.   The boat I was to catch was cancelled  (see the picture) and although it did come back on, it was on a sailing by sailing basis for the rest of daylight .   Indeed as the day has gone on the squalls of hail accompanied by very strong gusts of wind have got progressively worse.    

The other ferry service to the island, the one from Wemyss Bay, had been cancelled  for the day earlier on and with the storm set to continue until at least late tomorrow afternoon there was the prospect of not getting back for 24 hours or more, even if it was possible to get over to the island.

Robert was a good friend, a vast store house of local knowledge (and it has to be said, gossip) and had the most remarkable memory I have ever encountered.  Everything seemed to stick and he could recall dates  , football scores and many other thins that everyone else would have long  forgotten.

A farmer on the island he was also well known, particularly in the agricultural community  furth of Bute and I had the privilege of bringing him into the SNP (he had been an independent councillor when first elected) and working with him on lots of issues when I was the local MSP.    He was the SNP Group Leader on the Council for a while,  and was in the Council administration at one stage.   

We also  went to many agricultural shows together whilst the experience of him walking you  as the candidate up and down the streets  of Rothesay at election time was both fascinating and very fruitful.   There wasn't a person he didn't know and wasn't prepared to canvass for support.

Anyway, I will miss him and I am sorry to have missed saying goodbye to him in his own community and amongst his own family.    

But, as I say, weather sometimes defeats intention if you live in rural and island Scotland.  

So its no wonder I talk about it a bit !