A birthday and a (another) funeral

Bright lights, big City. Just arrived in Paddington. What a joy to be mud-free for 2 days.Bit of a blow they had no Corry chicken sandwiches at my fave station cafe first thing but an Apple Tango at least.Drizzle on train windows throughout the journey and speeding past horrendously flooded pasture.What an unremmitingly foul place this country can be in winter. I am to attend another funeral for friend early next week, who died early into November . Not surprised she gave up the ghost then. Exactly the right time of year to depart this (sodden) earth. Bet she couldn’t face another English winter.At Paddington I notice the men of all ages are so much taller and slimmer than they are at home. Such nice coats over their jeans and nicely tapered toes to their shoes.I am in a taxi on Park Lane. Rain hammering down on roof of black cab.