DAY -10 A portrait of my mother

Anne, a great friend of my mother's, wrote this piece which was read at the memorial service:

Margaret and I have travelled a long road together in more ways than one. Yes, we did have a memorable trip to the UK together, but we also shared so much more – from our childrens’ journeys through life, to the dramas in the sunbird nest outside her window.

The very special trips Sion took her on to Venice, France and Spain. Scrabble and Boggle we played with passion – Margaret was invincible. We shared the woes and joys of mutual friends and gave sage advice on how to put the whole world to rights. We even shared a communal jam pot which lived between our houses and which also did a trip to Louise’s home for the loquat season!
I remember the happy times and the joy of our friendship. The sheer enthusiasm Margaret packed into each new day just spilled over to everyone around her. The fun she, Pixie and Roy had with their hot dog stall at the first Jikeleza open day. The memorable evening when the Cintsa News ‘team’ dropped in on Dougie’s 50th birthday party. I remember the fits of giggles in fitting rooms, the diets which Margaret stuck to and I never could. The hanging baskets always blooming round her home and cut flowers in the lounge. Imprinted on my mind is her strong silhouette striding along the beach in the early mornings with the dogs.

The seasons in Cintsa passed swiftly. There were the rollicking lunches on the Edwards’ balcony and the rich oxtail stews in winter (like only Margaret could make). The annual flurry of activity down Perch Place of jam making, pickling and decopaging as Margaret, Pixie and Wendy got into swing for the annual flea market. Then it was Christmas, the Bosazza family Boxing day celebration followed by Margaret’s New Year’s brunch and Mike and Hazel’s annual visits in January. Suddenly we had reached the 70th birthday phase. First it was Ian, then Margaret’s friend Mary and finally Margaret. Ian, Sion and Louise organized a wonderful 70th Celebration for Margaret at Michaela’s in January this year.

Our last journey together was a visit to Louise and Kelly in Pietermaritsburg to celebrate Louise’s birthday, barely a week before Margaret left us. Margaret took me on a trip down memory lane visiting her old haunts in Nottingham Road and then to lunch at Lavender Trout to meet with her fine old friends. En route home we wrestled with the Sunday Times Crossword all the way from Kokstad to Cintsa.

On Saturday morning fate just led her footsteps down the wrong path, at the wrong time to her fatal encounter, but her spirit is free now to soar with the Fish Eagle and the Osprey.

Let us stand together and celebrate Margaret’s life and what she meant to her family, friends and the community.

The picture is of my mother and father, Ian, shortly after they were married in 1964