Sunshine and showers

Driving home tonight in the van, another great memory sprang to mind of Auntie Peg gasping in surprise on our wedding day.  

Robbie Williams was playing on the radio as I made my way home after her funeral this afternoon. The band we had at our wedding played Angels for our first dance and this sudden recollection came from nowhere... 

"She's wearing black!" she exclaimed as I walked past her down the aisle.

I was indeed! Along with plenty of white. But we'd been living in sin for some time so apart from liking white and black, it fitted us, my quirkiness and my sense of humour just so.

The great thing about a trip in the van is that it always feels like you're on holiday even on the way to a funeral. And I have been to the seaside too.  I caught up with mum and dad and Rachel this morning when I finally got out of bed. Their first question, "Did you hear the refuse lorry backing up behind you?" Nope. 

I slept particularly well and thankfully don't feel like I have a cold today.

We spent the morning just chatting away with a sea view and I set off a little early for the funeral to go via the beach huts where we spent so much time in the holidays as kids.  I chatted to a family who were crabbing as we used to do. Their fishing nets weren't quite as sophisticated as ours ended up but they did comment that the net helped this year so their designs are clearly going through the same levels of discovery that ours did... And that's half the fun of it so I gave no secrets away!

I then came across a family whose setup outside their hut reminded me of ours.  They'd been hankering after a hut for years and have just managed to get hold of one this year.  So plenty of good times ahead of them.

I was brave enough to ask for photos of both scenes but this view of the sunlight on the closed beach huts feels like the memory to save for today.  

Whatever the weather, pretty much, we'd be down there. 

The sun was out and it was warm when I arrived. The clouds built up for a little rain and it seemed just right for me to be there before heading to the funeral.

It was a lovely simple service and cousin Jamie spoke really well for the eulogy - not a role I think I could have managed.  I felt upset to see close family in tears and of course, had a few myself, but I felt my own grief had had its place in the Yorkshire air a couple of weeks ago. And I actually managed to sing and enjoy the whole hymn.

I've made my way home tonight and it's now tea and crumpets and the Olympics before bed.