Today I bought flights to the UK (with the help of an angel whose name reflects who she is) to go to Marie Kibble's funeral. I am heartbroken. Cancer took her so quickly, I never got to visit and say goodbye in person.

We have been friends since we met at Sacred Heart Secondary School way back in 1985 (when she was Marie Dodd). I learnt so much from Marie in our 37 year friendship. I learnt how to teach parents about the importance of being able to go out to the Mayfair or the Barley Mo on a Saturday night when I was still only 15 years old (Marie was 16 by then and somehow convinced my Mum that it would be ok because her Dad was going to pick us up afterwards); I learnt how to wear Spandex (though never dared to do so myself); I I learnt the importance of sending cards and how lovely it is to receive one from a friend; I learnt how to be a bridesmaid; I learnt what it meant to be able to ring someone and know that they will come when needed (one time to Glasgow when I slipped a disk and another time when she left Lili under Andrew's careful gaze and came to Madrid when I had post natal depression and just needed a bit of confidence boosting). Marie would do anything for me. She was and always will be "Auntie Marie" to Marco and Miriam. It is hard to accept that she is no longer at the end of the telephone line. I will miss her sensible advice, her sense of humour and her passion for things as disparate as collectables, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Friends and Harry Potter. RIP Marie