jenk

Lord Peter Wimsey, Charles Parker, and Bunter are driving in an open car in a part of the country they haven't been while the road signs are being repainted...

"It's starting to rain," observed Parker, conversationally.

"Look here, Charles, if you're going to bear up cheerfully and be the life and soul of the expedition, say so and have done with it. I've got a good, heavy spanner handy under the seat, and Bunter can help to bury the body."

"I think this must be Brushwood Cross," resumed Parker, who had the map on his knee. "If so, and if it's not Covert Corner, which I thought we passed half an hour ago, one of those roads leads directly to Crofton."

"That would be highly encouraging if we only knew which road we were on."

"We can always try them in turn, and come back if we find we're going wrong."

"They bury suicides at crossroads," replied Wimsey, dangerously.

Suicide-by-cop, suicide-by-Wimsey ... did they have suicide-by-cop in the 1920s?

(Quote is from Unnatural Death aka The Dawson Pedigree, chapter 11, by Dorothy L. Sayers.)

Lord Peter:

For those who might be interested in things English (particularly the between-the-Wars period) or Lord Peter Wimsey in particular, the Lord Peter discussion group at Yahoo has started over again with Whose Body. Any who want to discuss the novels (or get more info about what's going on!) may get yourselves over to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LordPeter/ where you may join the discussion. We usually discuss 1 book a month; a third of the book is covered each week, with the last week of the month as wrap-up. (I will be facilitating the wrap-up for the discussion of the second book, Clouds of Witness.)

The Annotated Wimsey also helps in explaining the various subtexts :)

As Sayers' heirs somehow let Whose Body slip out of copyright, there's even a free e-text here.

The Ford Funeral & Episcopal Church Burials:

The Washington Post has a running commentary / blog on President Ford's funeral, including info on the service itself, and links to more details. (You can listen to the funeral (WMP) or download the service leaflet at National Cathedral's website.)

As I didn't know the deceased, I found some of the details more fascinating than I probably would have otherwise. For example, I knew the "Burial Anthems" which begin an Episocopal funeral were from the Gospel according to John, Job, Romans, and Revelations, but NOT that they've been used since 1549. And I didn't know the Commendation originated in the Eastern Orthodox liturgy or that its purpose is to "provide a note of dismissal for the body" for those who can't be present at graveside.

Ah well - back to work :)