Meanwhile...

[Lullabelle]

I said I wasn't going to have a drink this month, however I am aware of the small bottle of red wine we have upstairs.

[Rutabaga]

So sorry, Lullabelle, my condolences x

[Regulator]

Hugs from us ...

[Joan]

How are you doing today, @Lullabelle?

[Lullabelle]

How are you doing today, @Lullabelle?

Not too bad thanks, went to dad's flat this morning to collect paperwork and secure his valuables, made the relevant phone calls, so now we wait. Running on hyper at the moment, finding it hard to relax.

[Joan]

I think burying a loved one would be hard at the moment. Just the practicalities of it. But also, we a lot of people come to my parents' funerals we had never met. It was such a comfort as these strangers reached out to tell me what mum or dad had meant to them. You can't have that now.

I hope you find a way to commemorate his life that is meaningful to your family.

[JohnToo]

I think burying a loved one would be hard at the moment. Just the practicalities of it. But also, we a lot of people come to my parents' funerals we had never met. It was such a comfort as these strangers reached out to tell me what mum or dad had meant to them. You can't have that now.

I hope you find a way to commemorate his life that is meaningful to your family.

Funerals are definitely different under the various current restrictions. With so few people allowed and the discouragement from travelling, you often find that the people who are able to come are basically the immediate family and very close friends, who knew the deceased very well. So the traditional Tribute, which largely rehearses and celebrates the life, can seem a bit pointless. I did take one funeral with only half a dozen mourners where they wanted as close an approximation to a traditional funeral as possible - Tribute, hymn, Lord's Prayer despite being non-religious, etc - because that felt to them like the right way to show their respect for their parent. But I've done a couple where the mourners have felt liberated and empowered to start with a blank sheet of paper, and make it more personal. One of the things a celebrant should always try to do is help people think through what they actually want the ceremony to achieve, rather than just reach for the default, and that has become easier the more restrictive funerals have become.

Best wishes for all the multiple decisions and choices you will be having to make and lots of virtual hugs from me.