Yesterday I had the privilege of conducting a funeral for a 95 year old former misisonary.  This meant getting dressed up in my black clerical shirt and black suit.  I rooted through the drawer for suitable hosiery and, by artificial light, could not distinguish between the black and the very dark navy.  Reasonably confident I'd made the correct call, I pulled them on and set off to walk to church.  Looking down I realised that they were, afterall, blue... yikes!  Fortunately there are several shops near the church that sell tights, so I was able to rectify this faux pas, which would have left me feeling distinctly uncomfortable all day.

After everything was complete, and I was home, I got changed and made myself a huge, steaming cup of tea... my post-funeral ritual, developed over many years.  Usually, though not in this case becuase I was just too tired, the ritual also involves putting on my jeans and getting out for a walk to process my thoughts and feelings before picking up routine again.

So, lesson learned - always keep a packet of new, black hosiery in the drawer at home, and a spare pair in the desk at church!!