Getting back to normal

Life is slowly getting back to normal. The rain has returned.

Little B's funeral went well.

I confess I was anxious about the idea of a funeral with no music, no readings, no religion as stipulated by Little B. It was a relief to discover Anthony, his executor, had decided to ignore this instruction and some gentle music played as we entered the chapel of the crem. It was a simple Christian service. Just a couple of hymns & prayers, one reading. Above all the service centred on Little B, our friend, & our need to support one another through our loss. The Christian message wasn't rammed down everyone's throat as so often happens at religious services.

Back at the Pub afterwards, it was good to see faces not so often seen. And the meal afterwards with Helen was excellent as it always is at this restaurant.

When we got home, we sat & watched "University Challenge" on BBC2. Then we opened a bottle of wine & put on a CD of music from the Moulin Rouge. (One of the questions had been playing the famous music of the cancan. Who wrote the music? Offenbach.) After the first few bars of music, as the image of stockinged legs kicking high amidst the swirl of frilly petticoats dancing the cancan began to form in our minds, all abruptly went silent. It seems our radio/CDplayer/tape player had given up the ghost. It has been threatening to do so for some time. We hastily put the CD on the tv. It is amazing how distracting the light of the screen is, even though there's no picture. We concluded we're going have to get onto buying a replacement soon. Today if possible. You can imagine my surprise this morning when I tried putting on the radio. And, sure enough, there it was. Still I think we still need to look for something more reliable soon.

Now it's time to turn our thoughts to the wedding next week. But first we have the hen & stag party. It's been decided to start with a meal at the Pub all together for a select few. Then others will join in, the men going to another bar up a few steps, while the ladies stay below. We're hoping to slip off fairly soon after the parties have separated & yet not cause offence. We wish both Fran & Den well & wouldn't want to spoil anything for them.