Week Four, Day Four : Death & the Maiden

We spent the morning in chapel. I am not a religious man but the passing away of clergy is taken seriously in these parts. The very reverend Buttrey, née Alice, Uttrey to those who knew her well, was taken from this life late last night when I was whingeing about those God-awful chefs. A brief service celebrating her troubled life was held at 10am & was attended by most of the camp with the notable exception of Müller who was out culling ducks. As we assembled in the nave we were asked to make a small contribution to her Kneeler Fund, a tax-deductible charity she had founded in 1974 in order to raise cash for a couple of protective pads to ease the pressure on her elephantitis. Sadly, the £29.99 required was never realised in her lifetime but most of us chipped in a quid or two so I reckon she'll be sitting pretty now. All's well that ends well as they say. Somehow I felt it fitting that the difference was met in an empty catering tub of margarine. Call me old fashioned but I believe that God is in the detail. May she rest in peace..