….during the two minutes silence in Morley today. As the strains of “The Last Post” by a Salvationist cornet player died away, there was a reverent hush from the large crowd in the Memorial Gardens. As time passed, I became aware of distant sounds, the muted roar of the M62, an intermittent hammering, a crow cawing, sunday league footballers swearing words of encouragement at each other….

As the coughs started to quietly erupt around the park (they are as contagious as yawns!) the bugler played “Reveille” and the spell was broken.

I’m rather fond of tradition, a couple of stirring hymns appeals to this fat old secular agnostic, as does robust vocal celebration of the monarchy. I enjoy the spirit of togetherness, but I prefer to mix & match as suits my individualist whim.

I realise I’ve already blogged on this, the longer one didn’t show up until after I wrote this one. Programmers, scum of the earth….