We scattered Vicky's ashes at the headland at Niton on Sunday 16th August at 9am, as Vicky was always a morning person. 30 Darling family members came, and the grey skies turned to torrential rain, but we stood in a circle with the sea on one side and the dramatic rocks on the other, and listened in Quaker silence to the wind and the waves for around ten minutes. All the small great-grandchildren were quiet miraculously. We sang "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind" (one of Vick's favourite hymns with lovely words), then two of us played some violin while everyone took turns to tiptoe down the goat path and scatter Vick's ashes into the blackberry bushes which seemed appropriate as she was so good at jam. Then my brother and his wife lead some Buddhist chanting. We could not eat the hard-boiled eggs and rolls and tangerines and crisps we had brought in paper bags, as we were soaked to the skin by then, so we squeezed into our holiday caravan nearby to eat them and put the gas fire on to dry off. Luckily there was a big brown teapot in the caravan, and I remember Vick saying she always missed those when she went abroad, so we drank masses of hot tea.
I went back to the spot on a golden evening a few days later and it really is a magical spot so I like to think of her there with the peace and the elements.
We have decided to make a definite decision about the venue of the memorial on 3rd October at the start of September, and I will aim to update friends and family individually and/or on this blog then. Unfortunately, we will also have to be lead by rules regarding COVID but I am hoping we can safely have a gathering perhaps partly outside.
Josie
