def advance_recurring_todo(p_todo, p_offset=None, p_strict=False):
    """
    Given a Todo item, return a new instance of a Todo item with the dates
    shifted according to the recurrence rule.

    Strict means that the real due date is taken as a offset, not today or a
    future date to determine the offset.

    When the todo item has no due date, then the date is used passed by the
    caller (defaulting to today).

    When no recurrence tag is present, an exception is raised.
    """
    todo = Todo(p_todo.source())
    pattern = todo.tag_value('rec')

    if not pattern:
        raise NoRecurrenceException()
    elif pattern.startswith('+'):
        p_strict = True
        # strip off the +
        pattern = pattern[1:]

    if p_strict:
        offset = p_todo.due_date() or p_offset or date.today()
    else:
        offset = p_offset or date.today()

    length = todo.length()
    new_due = relative_date_to_date(pattern, offset)

    if not new_due:
        raise NoRecurrenceException()

    # pylint: disable=E1103
    todo.set_tag(config().tag_due(), new_due.isoformat())

    if todo.start_date():
        new_start = new_due - timedelta(length)
        todo.set_tag(config().tag_start(), new_start.isoformat())

    todo.set_creation_date(date.today())

    return todo
Given a Todo item, return a new instance of a Todo item with the dates
    shifted according to the recurrence rule.

    Strict means that the real due date is taken as a offset, not today or a
    future date to determine the offset.

    When the todo item has no due date, then the date is used passed by the
    caller (defaulting to today).

    When no recurrence tag is present, an exception is raised.