Azalea

I called the vicar of St Thomas's Church, Penkhull, where my father's funeral is going to take place and got the time and date. In order to book a flight to the UK that did not take 20 hours and go the "scenic" route via Canada and several other US cities, time was of the essence. My e-mail to my sister/brother-in-law had gone unanswered for two hours.

The vicar must have contacted them and an e-mail suddenly appeared in which I was castigated by my brother-in-law for not calling him directly. The tone of his e-mail was not what one expects to hear when you are recently bereaved.

I forwarded the e-mail to my wife. She is far more diplomatic than me and she sent off a reply. My wife received the same treatment. My brother-in-law described her e-mail as accusatory. I think he has serious issues.

My wife called him a fruit loop when she got home this evening. I think she could be right.

So I will attend my father's funeral. I still maintain that my sister and brother-in-law were hoping that I would not. Quite what their agenda is I do not know but these devout Christians obviously exist on a higher plane. I wonder if the vicar thinks they followed the Christian spirit by not bothering to notify me that my father had died? I couldn't possibly comment. :-)

With the yard needing to be mowed, I did not get out for my usual photographic walk and made do with these white azaleas between my house and the neighbours. Red and pink azaleas are common. White ones tinged with pink are occasionally seen but pure white ones are something of a rarity.

Thank you for all your kind comments yesterday. I intend to get back to each of individually but if I don't manage to, I don't want you to think that they went unappreciated.

Zeiss Planar T* ZE 1,4/50.