A day of 2 parts

Today is my very lovely son's 35th birthday.  How grand that sounds, I can't believe it!  However, for the last several years he's been away working in Cape Town over November/beginning December, so it's a long time since I've seen him on this day.

That being so - and, as you'll see below, this really not being much of a day for concentrating on blip - I have unashamedly raided the family album.  I don't look at it often, I find it too emotional,  However, here he is, a scruffy 3 year old in a secondhand coat (dark green, as I remember), with a bad home haircut and ketchup smeared down his chin. 

He was a vivid child: red-gold hair, bright blue eyes, always full of laughter, plans, and occasional rage.  When I snapped this (on my old workhorse Pentax) his attention had been riveted by a policeman on a large grey horse, so he's looking a bit solemn.

And that, of course, is appropriate too for the day as this afternoon I went - with many others - to the funeral of Redflash's husband D.  Because it was her who did it, it was a beautiful occasion, full of music and warmth.  She gave a fantastic eulogy and we all tried hard for her not to cry.  She is such a star.

Sending love to you all  xx