Oh, not another...

Barbara and Isla, at former's birthday bash

Not that long since we were lamenting the loss of Barbara.  A couple of weeks ago we had an email from Isla reporting, in characteristically robust terms, a terminal prognosis.  Today we have an email from Isla's daughter Nancy, announcing that she died peacefully on Wednesday.

Isla came from Blairgowrie, not far from my native heath.  She was something of a political firebrand, and an implacable opponent of the egregious Shirley Porter Cohen when they both served on the Westminster Council.

She was also memorably outspoken.  Although she had given up smoking in recent times, she used to enjoy reporting a bus-stop conversation.  She had lit up while waiting for the bus, and some joker nearby commented 'if you gave them up, you could buy yourself a toy boy!'.  Isla's response was: 'Are you familiar with the expression: "Fuck off"?'  We'll no see her like again.