We went back to Essex today for a funeral, which is never a lot of fun. Funerals I mean, though come to think of it Essex isn’t much fun either. It was my Mother’s husband, so sort of my step-father, although they didn’t actually marry until after I had left home. He didn’t want a lot of fuss, not did he want anything religious. Fortunately Mum is also non-religious, so no problems with that. I can completely understand all that and feel the same way.

By coincidence, only this week I found out about something called direct cremation. It was mentioned in the Times because it is getting quite popular, especially since that is what David Bowie’s family did. It sounded like a good idea, so I looked into it and Jayne and I are going to make sure that is what we do.

The thing is that even though today’s funeral was supposed to be no-fuss it still involved travelling in a massive Mercedes behind a hearse, with a bloke in a top hat walking in front for the first few hundred metres, then going to  chapel in the crematorium where there was a service. Even though it was a non-religious celebrant, who did do a very good job, it was still a service. There was still a shiny coffin. And before all that there was a two or three week wait for a time slot at the crematorium.

Before I heard about the direct cremation business I just assumed that you had to have all that and I am so relieved to hear that you don’t. Of course, some people like all the fuss and want it, but for those of us who do not it is good to know it can be avoided. The real problem is that assumption that it is all necessary.

Anyway, if I kick the bucket any time soon and you don’t get an invitiation to the funeral it will be because there isn’t one, though there may well be a party.