Well Watered

It's been raining a lot here. There was actually way more water in the basement than we realized, so as soon as Mom and Dad got home they had to move more furniture and re-vacuum the entire area(Dad also gave the gutters a much needed cleaning). Our basement was a mess. We managed to get it cleaned up just in time for the guests to arrive.

One of the wild cousins.

Grandma's memorial service was Monday morning. All her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren came for the service. We hosted all the wild people, four adults and six children under the age of six. Lots of cute kids, but all very loud- I guess we're not used to that anymore. Ten of the guy cousins are planned an airsoft war following the funeral lunch at our house, which we delicately refrained from mentioning to the pacifist side of the family. Funerals, it seems, are a lot like weddings: I just can't understand all the drama and unnecessary details. But overall, the service went smoothly and we're thankful.

But also very cute.

I have a custom order right now, and it's pretty epic. It's a Steampunk tailcoat for a very tall person. It's black cotton twill with metal buttons and one welt pocket. I left vents in the side seams, because it's such a long coat I felt it would hang better and move easier. The customer specifically asked for the collar to be extra tall. It reminded me of the stereotypical Dracula costumes; only the person who will be wearing it is cheerful enough that I don't think it will be a problem once he puts it on. Pictures will hopefully follow.

Alice in Wonderland dress, finally done.

Processing

Mom and Dad are traveling again, to visit another church. The boys and I have been working on cleaning out Grandma's room to make it ready for guests staying for the funeral. We wanted it to look different for their sakes, so that they weren't constantly reminded that's where Grandma died.

A quick break after cleaning out Grandma's room

My brain keeps telling me that I have to check on Grandma every hour, buy her groceries, take her food, or give her pills. But I don't have to any more. We don't have to go home early to check on Grandma. It's so quiet because Grandma isn't talking(or complaining) constantly. It's all a little strange, but honestly, also something of a relief. It's hard to explain this to people without feeling like a horrible person, but caring for Grandma did take up a lot of time. It's good that she stayed with us for her last three years. It's good we could make her last years comfortable. The whole happening has given good opportunities for discussion.

Sewing: Alice, Dress One

We're also fighting invading cockroaches, and we got a whole lot of water in the basement. What else could possibly happen before Mom and Dad get home?

Alice, Dress Two