A Cold Bright Afternoon

Much of the day was taken up with a funeral and wake today. L's aunt, who died at the beginning of the month.  As ever, a chance to catch up with other members of the extended family.  At least it was a bright, if a very cold day for the ceremony, as is the current preference for many, led by a celebrant.  I spoke to her afterwards, and found we knew a number of people in common from her other roles as a fitness instructor at one of the leisure centres run by my employers.

Despite the non-religious nature of the funeral, it was still interesting that the Lord's Prayer was read out in one section of the ceremony.  I wonder if any one of our generations, brought up in a Christian society, does not know the words of by heart.

We just had enough time for a walk in the late afternoon sunshine around Pelsall North Common.  It gave us the opportunity to walk over some areas usually muddy and rutted at this time of year, but because of the deep frost, temporarily firm underfoot.  The sign says Wolverhampton 13 miles, but as the crow flies it is probably only about 7 miles away.  It emphasises how the canal engineers worked hard not to use canal locks in their design, rather following the contours of the lands taking a circuitous route to reach their goal.