Dear crew of Atlantia, I hope this finds you all well and safely across the pond either at or near Barbados. David has happy memories of spending his medical student elective there in the early 1980s but no doubt it has changed a lot since then.The lobster,Planters Punches and Banks beer will still be plentiful though. I spent my elective in Antigua in 1981 - are you planning a visit there aswell? We had a lovely Christmas with my sister Lesley and her family in Kilmacolm. There were 18 of us and she coped wonderfully with all the food! I am already dreading my turn next year! I have suggested that we all go away somewhere but as both of my brothers-in-law run bakery businesses they will not be able to take time off. I'm sorry to be the bearer of sad news Margaret, but I wondered if anyone from the department had been in touch with you about Pat Thompson, the auxillary nurse in outpatients. She was tragically killed in a car accident on 16th December on her way in to work from Biggar. Most of the department attended her funeral on 23rd December. It was hard to believe that only a few weeks before that had been the department Christmas party which she had arranged with her usual flare. Needless to say she will be sorely missed in SKOPD. It's hard to sign off after bearing such news but it does reinforce the need to live life to the full....eactly as you are doing!!! Best wishes for 2005, Ruth