Laura, that sounds like quite a project and a great gift.

{{{Nora}}}

Laura! How fun!

{{{Nora}}} We're here for you, hon.

Laura, that's a fantastic gift.

I have not been able to accomplish anything this afternoon. I am filled with gronk.

Oh, how funny! I tried to post that before going to the wake, and the wireless internet connection at the hotel crapped out. I'd written it off, and then to my surprise, after catching up, there's my post from 10 hours earlier!

As anyone who's been to a wake/viewing for the entire time knows, today was the SLOWEST DAY EVER. Oh! I cried! I finally cried. Thank fucking god, I was really freaking out about this. Especially after crying a bunch over L&O Criminal Intent. And not the tragic death of my uncle.

Bah. I didn't laugh inappropriately, but I did make a joke that I think my younger cousin heard out of context and gave me the stinkeye. It was a long day. We had a family dinner afterward that was fun, so yay.

He's gone. He was here and now he's gone.

Because of the accident, and the post mortum makeup that occured as a result, my uncle didn't even look like himself. So weird. Wow. What a weird day. Tired and slightly beer buzzed.

I'm so glad that you cried. I think that release is so important, as difficult as it may be.

I'm glad Emily's Excellent Electrical Adventures were successful.

{{{Nora}}}

The saga of my sister and Amazon continues. I told you to shoot me earlier. She finally ended up sending two identical orders to R's children, one of which was fortunately cancellable when I finally signed in as her. Then she sent 1 additional thing to R's children and 1 of the same to E's children. Since they weren't combined, she paid shipping on both, and one g'niece isn't getting what she was supposed to. It's clear that she's not reading what's on the screen or the e-mails from Amazon, because during every conversation (there have been 6), I'd say something like "Does it say something about shipping?" and she'd say, "No, absolutely not." Then I'd say "Look on the left under X" and she'd say, "Oh."

I feel so very petty ranting about this, but I've been doing long-distance troubleshooting on everything from how to set the alarm on the clock radio to why her printer isn't working (because it had never been connected to the computer) for 20 years. How can she and my mother cope with the modern world if something happens to me?

I've never seen a dead person who looked like himself. They did a good job with my great grandmother but she actually looked better than she had before she died. A friend of mine who passed away was wearing a crimson shade of lipstick she never would have chosen in life. It was really disturbing.

My dear late Aunt Alice was a very large woman that wore wild big flower prints and red lipstick. Her sweet husband in his grief let the funeral home make decisions and she was in a pastel something with delicate makeup. It was very odd. Good thing she was gone, because she would have been pissed.

Ah dear Ginger, I feel your pain. I am go to girl in my family for these things. I put Logmein on all their computers so I can just take over their desktops while they watch. Less stress. I gave up on thinking they could learn. If you want to understand this stuff you do it on your own.

Ginger, I, too, feel your pain. My mother has (finally) started to get comfortable with most of the online thing, but it was a long, slow training process.

I really don't like the whole idea of an open casket funeral. A few years ago, a cousin-in-law committed suicide by shooting himself in the head, and I heard more than one conversation in front of the open casket speculating how the funeral home could have covered that up.

It's just so endless, Laura. Thanks for mentioning that. I may do that when I'm home Christmas. It's just that there is that chance that I might not be around, and a day like today causes me to dwell.