As Paddy ran rings around disaffected seagulls, I added my own prayers to the thousands of invocations whispered since 3pm on January 2nd.
I asked God to cherish the souls of Grace and Sarah and Mark and to patch the hearts of their families.
I told Mark and Sarah and Grace that they had died being themselves and that their lives had been magnificent.
But mostly I went to the beach to ask the still fractious sea to let Grace be, to let her come home. Come home.
When I started this blog 15 years ago, I was looking for a home for my family and I had a clear idea of what that would be. Somewhere with space and land around it, lots of space. Maybe remote, maybe close to the sea, but definitely away from, mostly away from, other people.
I wanted chickens more than I wanted neighbours.
I don't think like that now and, while I still look for 'wrecks' that offer remoteness, more and more I think of the power and need of community.
Here, then, are three properties rooted in strong communities.
Rose Cottage is in the village of Habertonford, a few miles from the livelier Totnes. Devon, and particularly this area of it, is rooted in active and creative communities. Totnes is an indie, arty, buzzing market town, brimming with cute shops, overflowing with music and community-led events. Transition Town Totnes is a remarkable umbrella project, linking environmentally positive projects and sustainable communities across the area.
Habertonford is much smaller in size but perhaps not in ambition - its community having already saved and are now running their village shop. That shop is at the other end of Old Road to the cottage.
Realistically, this isn't a home for tall men; there are more head-cracking beams that rose bushes in Rose Cottage. But it is Devon cottagey in its most glorious.
Living room and small kitchen downstairs, two bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor, another bedroom running through the large converted loft.
Outside is a large courtyard (which is also your parking space) with outbuildings and a smaller garden bit to the front.
On the market through Wood's Estate Agents at £290k. Details, video and more pictures on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
My next pick feels wrong to have on a site called 'Wreck of the Week', because it clearly isn't a Wreck. This four-bedroomed detached house in Padiham is, was, a very much loved and cared for family home. Just got beyond it's owners' capacity perhaps, and beyond what is fashionable in a Manchester commute home.
Personally I'm a sucker for a crazy paving feature wall, would have it any day in my own home.
Outside is a large garden which manages to be both surrounded by neighbours but feel distant enough.
Inside four bedrooms, plus bathroom upstairs, two large reception rooms, kitchen and a jiggle of small rooms to sort downstairs.
Padiham itself made it onto the Guardian's list of happiest places to live in Britain. Marked for its Lancashire humour and incomer independence. Artisan shops - tick; access to big hills - tick; commuter convenient - tick.
This particular house is on the edge of that, sitting in a leafy street next to the local cricket ground and football club Padiham FC - currently sitting second in the North West Counties Football League, without Hollywood's help.
On the market through Mortimers at £385k. Details and more pictures on the agent's site here, and on Rightmove here.
And finally, and just to show you how flexible I can be on the detached-wreck-with-land thing, I've picked a house that is slap bang city urban.
Albeit one in the sort of active communities area that every big city has - the nice and quirky bit where the artists and academics live, where people carve their trees and fundraise for fountains.
This particular house is gorgeous on the outside, pig-ugly on the inside.
Previously split into some sort of HMO configuration and fitted out with pub carpets and poor judgement, it's going to take time and cash to shape this into a beautiful home again.
However, were that not the case, you'd be looking at at least another £100k.
The five (-ish) bedroom house is on Marlborough Avenue, in Hull's Avenues Conservation area.
Hull, more accurately Kingston-Upon-Hull, made it onto the National Geographic's 'Best of the World 2026' list - one of its top 25 places to see globally and the only destination chosen in the UK. Crikey.
Back to our 'Wreck' pick.
Downstairs you've got two reception rooms, a large kitchen (OML, that carpet!) and some reconfiguring to do in the middle (two staircases, two halls...). Upstairs sort of lost me; the staircases, multiple bathrooms, but having that already-converted loft is a bonus.
On the market at £250k through Home Estates. Details and more pictures on their website here, and on Rightmove here.
Incidentally, if you live in a community-centred place, do let me know - I'm always looking out for new locations to hunt for wrecks : )
