I left work early, the older two boys to their own devices (ish) and the littlest with his childminder for a couple more hours this afternoon while I headed into the big smoke to our old church and to the funeral of a lovely woman.

It was a happy, thankful and uplifting service with congregational singing and a male voice choir. And it was busy, almost double the numbers family had expected apparently.

It was good to see folks from the church, many of whom I've not seen for eight years.

It's funny how some things change, and how some stay the same.