Not for ease

A pleasant, if busy day. But a catch in my throat just now. The Sage phoned Maureen - Peter is still keeping going (I referred to them here). The Sage, who is a good friend to have, went to see them the other day, and - this is amazing to me - Peter, in the last week or two of his life, wants to buy one of the limited edition plaques I referred to here. Sorry to send you hither and yon, don't blame you if you can't be arsed.

His whole family visited this weekend - for whom are these valedictory visits hardest? For Maureen, probably. Darlings (even if you haven't visited before, or never commented or become, yet, a friend, you are included - and if you are in any of these categories, you know you are already) if we have anyone we care about, we may come to this situation. Let us be brave.*

I'm only momentarily melancholy, and brave come to that, so while I am I'll tell you one of my funeral hymns, for I chose it and another a few years ago. Here it is. Again, don't click unless you want but, actually, this hymn sums up my subtext, so read it and you'll know me better (but for 'smith' read 'smite'. Doesn't anyone check for typos nowadays?) Not for the religious aspect but for the facing up to things and coping bit. Mind you, it seems a bit gloomy for a wedding hymn, which it's apparently recommended for.

For the other people mentioned, Tim is alive in a hospice, my friend, his brother, has had his operation, which was successful but, so understandably, he feels a bit low. Also, please, think for me about Rosemary and Chris but also, more happily, about Reg and Rosemary, who looks great. Thanks to the British NHS, which can do marvels and is rightly criticised but, also rightly, respected and admired.

I'll be back, cheerfully, later, with Holiday Snaps**

*As ever, can't resist a subjunctive. May I be recalled***, blogwise, for ellipses...and for subjunctives.
**Readers leave in droves
***Not that I'm going anywhere