The Leaving and the Longing

Once in awhile Equilter has a survey which gives you $10 of free money.  I added another $10 and got this lovely surprise today. Uplifting!!!

 
I found this sparkly copper clear vinyl on this blog, Charm About You
No where to be found in dear USA.  So..I asked Cousin Ann to get in for me in England.
to save the $40 postage...jeeze louize...
I asked her to give it to Uncle Brendan to bring when he came to visit.
Voila...she mailed it anyway.  I cannot wait to make pretty pouches with it.
Cousin Ann...you are some wonderful quilting relative.!!
 The London Muldoon connection comes through!!

I went to a funeral yesterday.

At my age, I have already...a funeral outfit...sitting ready to wear on occasions like this.

I did not cry.

I used the service to contemplate how I could change for the better..

in order to be more like the man who died.

I thought a lot about the celebration of life.

Then I went out to lunch...and laughed with my friends.

Raining all day...I mean all day..perfect for a hurricane and funeral...
We have a huge drought in North Carolina...solid dry earth plus huge 24 hour rain storm equals floods..

My girl and her man have emptied their apt of several years.

Belongings are in their storage unit.

They stayed with me last night.
At 7;15 this morning they were off on their adventure...from NC.
They have already crossed the Tennessee line and the Kentucky one too.
When I cried, the grands all hugged me. They are now used to cry-baby Grandma.

This adventure signifies Emily's moving on ...
after the two years of taking care of my dear man and her dear daddy.

It feels like another loss for me......but, 

I am excited for her...another kind of celebration of life.
The day is stunning today after the rain of Hermine...

He made everyone breakfast at 6:30 am.

Kids thought they could stow away and get away with it..

Bye...bye...

Cry, cry, cry...silly Grandma...

Grief affects us all in different ways.
 Stephanie and the kids found a rock for us all to sign to remember Pumpkin, our dear 16 year old cat.
 They put it outside in the garden.  Pumpkin used to sleep with Lynsey.
Now, I noticed that she has made a memorial with stones and cars and an angel doll..
That  7 year old Lynsey certainly knows how to express her grief!!

I thought that out to Chinese food with my widow group would help me..
Silly me...I cried there too...