Mags - no I didn't actually notice there's a Downton dress in the main hall. How excellent. I really hope you get to see the film. I so enjoyed it. You'll be unsurprised to hear it was pure and wonderful escapism. And the clothes! Wonder how you get to be an extra in a film like that? Be quite something to attend one of the dances. I could stand in the corner being one of the old dowager chaperones!
I had a similar moment as the one you described (wine envy in my case) when I was watching that rather good thing on BBC 2 called 'State of the Union'. Every episode starts with the female character arriving at what looks like a very nice pub for a glass of white wine that is waiting for her. Honestly it really made me feel how good it would be to be sitting in a pub like that slowly sipping a cold glass. Lucky enough I feel committed enough to my sobriety thus far not to put the thought into action and of course a dose of realism didn't go amiss. What would I know about slowly sipping a cold glass of wine!? Not exactly my style given that - as I constantly remind myself - I've never had a single glass of wine. Sigh. That's the fact of it.
I meant to say at the beginning that I hope the funeral went as well as it could.