Thank you all so very much. These messages, from loving friends, such as you, are so precious to me. I have a pile of unopened birthday cards - John's birthday is Christmas Day, and I will open them for him, and they can go with him in the coffin.
My daughter made some phone calls today, including the 5 out of 6 who we hadn't heard from for years, to whom I sent "conscience" Christmas cards, and who'd replied . If John had died tomorrow, I would have said to leave it, but she needed to have something to do as well.
I took Billy out for a long walk so she could make these calls without me here, and apparently every one of the 5 said "oh if only I had visited him", and she tells me that she said "well, it was your choice not to. Must go". Though I expect she may have added a few opinions of her own.
Still operating on autopilot here, but it's the best thing.