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As things have finally settled down after an extra long weekend of family gatherings in honor of my father-in-law, I'm getting a chance to post once again. All of your words have meant so very much. You have no idea the profound sense of peace that your friendship and love has brought to us both. It is times like these that I am extremely grateful for the technology that shrinks the world and makes it possible for me to reap the reward of having so many kindred spirits across the miles reaching out to me so that I may benefit from those important connections.
I had the very choice experience of taking my newly acquired floral design skills and putting them to the test by creating floral arrangements for Dad's funeral and graveside services. We chose to rent a cargo van so that I could buy all the flowers here and then transport them and my supplies with us the 3 1/2 hour drive to where the memorial services were being held. Then we could also transport some flowers back to our area for the graveside service that would be local to us. With the help of large blocks of ice and a number of ice chests (including two 150 quart monsters), we successfully transported all the flowers and kept them fresh.
As soon as we drove up to my in-law's home, I set up shop out in their garage and started arranging flowers. I had specific arrangements I did first, but I figured I'd just keep going until I'd used up all the flowers I'd acquired. I finally used up the last daffodils in two small tied bouquets in round glass bowls on Sunday night. Those two bouquets brought the grand total of arrangements to 10 arrangements in two days! I told Hubby that if I ever had any doubt whether I like this kind of work, this would be the test. And I'm happy to report that after all that, I love doing floral design work more than I did before I started.
The whole process was an extremely therapeutic one. I sat out in the garage at my work table. Family members would come in and out as they joined me for quiet chats around the flowers. The wonderful conversations that happened around that work table were so precious. Each arrangement just happened in the midst of all of this love and warmth. Although the first two arrangements were something I had somewhat pre-planned, the rest were born as I sat at the table. It was a profoundly sweet and poignant experience that I will always cherish. And I felt like it was the best way I could honor such a special artistic man--quietly creating while surrounded by family and flowers.
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