177 777!

Today, I noticed that the milometer reading in my old SAAB was about to hit 177 777 miles. I pulled over to take a blip. I nearly waited until 177 778 so that I could call it "missed by a mile".

I was reminiscing to Hamey about the excitement I felt as a child when the milometer in my dad's car (note: it was my parents' car but that's not how it felt back then) was about to reach a 'special' number, particularly if it involved a lot of noughts. What a difference the old technology analogue milometers made to that pleasure. We'd wait excitedly as the cogs turned at different speeds and then the little white noughts would gradually appear and then, just for a moment, magically line up before the anarchic units cog would keep on turning until 1/10 mile later, the next number spoiled the line-up. Digital technology is just not the same on so many levels!

As for today's funeral, by way of example of many bizarre moments, having said goodbye to the deceased who he was at great pains to emphasise he really, really, really did not know, the 'independent secular celebrant' walked away from the coffin and made a not-so-discreet, below-the-belt, mafia-style 'cut' sign with his hands to indicate to the funeral director to close the curtains.

Please bury me in the compost heap rather than put anyone through that sort of insincere palaver!