Almost cheerful again

A couple of months ago I realised that come this weekend, I'll have been a homeowner for a year and promptly planned a party to celebrate. In the immediate aftermath of my father's death I seriously considered postponing the party indefinitely, as I was understandably in no mood to celebrate anything - until I realised that I needed something to work towards. It's turned out to be just the tonic.

Of course things aren't back to normal as yet (the process is not one to be rushed) but during the course of the week my outlook has become more positive. The horrible experience of singing Fauré's Requiem on Sunday seems to have been my lowest ebb and I now feel I can move beyond mourning Father to celebrating his life. In fact, I've told my guests that I plan to toast his memory tomorrow evening, four weeks to the day since his death.

Not surprisingly, though, most of them are more intrigued by another line in the email invitation, which reads "bring your own mug." (No, I'm not telling - all will be revealed in due course.)