Tempora mutantur ...

A long day, a full day, a day in which the early warmth dissipated. Originally we had planned this as a quiet week in which I'd have finished tidying up after coming home from holiday, restoring normality after our weekend away, preparing quietly for our forthcoming concert ... But things happen, and this morning saw us getting out for the funeral of one of our church family, an indomitable lady who had her entire service planned - "no eulogy, no sermon" - with a requiem Eucharist and a considerable playlist of hymns. The organist was a family member, so Himself and I were acting, as it were, as cheerleaders for the singing, though I was left on my own when Himself had to leave for a hospital appointment Over The Water.

This left me to walk home through the still-sunny, mild, birdsong-filled midday, and to change into utterly scruffy clothes and get on with making lunch - by which time the sun had gone and I felt colder and colder. It was hard to relax, somehow, and it was time to go out again to choir before I felt I had stopped being wound up.

Our rehearsal tonight was in the historic Kilmun church, which is where we'll be singing on Sunday. I cannot imagine how the congregation of this Church of Scotland building felt having to leave this ancient site and the church's well-known water organ and amalgamate with Strone congregation in a much less distinguished building - I think I'd have put up a fight. The church was heated for our rehearsal, and insulated by an inner glass door, and when we came out into the dark we were amazed at how much colder it has become already. And it's raining...

Blipping the early morning light on the Firth of Clyde, with the Argyll Flier approaching Dunoon pier. You can also just make out the shape of one of the Western Ferries beside the left hand margin.