Thanks- in Day to day life from a woman that turned 60 in Oct 2014 and who lives on a farm and Retired on January 2, 2016. I plan to do more sewing, work outside in the yard and just enjoy my retirement.

Thank you all for your advice, comments, and thoughts on my last entry. As I mentioned at the beginning of the “thinking out loud” part, none of my kids have even hinted at me watching their kids this summer. I am not going to volunteer but if they ask me, I’ll know they’ve tried all avenues to not have to ask. I will say that it IS hard to find reliable child care and the costs are astonishingly expensive. I had to do it when the kids were young and did it until they were old enough, that we felt they could stay home alone. Son and his wife would like to have their oldest daughter (age 12) watch the other two (I believe), but it didn’t work out last summer as Dudette’s Mom did NOT approve and threatened to call child services. I refuse to get in the middle of that and it amazes me that a woman who allowed someone to raise her kids, now thinks she knows everything. When she did have her girls, I’ve heard stories about the men, the all nighters of leaving the girls by themselves while she was partying or sleeping with whomever she met at the bar. I believe her attitude and words keep the oldest grand from having confidence that she can and could watch her siblings. Now, on the other hand, it is a huge responsibility to watch siblings. I know. I had to do it too. We all survived although I’m not sure how well since we were terrified to go outside and for sure we could never ever answer the doorbell. Rural america and having no neighbors close, makes a parent set rules that are a little more strict than for those that may live with neighbors close. My son and daughter-in-law have neighbors close.

Daughter’s son I will possibly watch him for her if she gets another stocking job. Usually that job entails that she would be at work by 6:30 or 7 so will wait and see if she gets another 2d job. *Sigh I feel for the kids as finding and keeping a sitter was the hardest part about working full time outside the home while my kids were small. I’m praying that God guides us all to do or find the right answers. I’m sure He will if we let go and let God.

Yesterday I didn’t do much. I did burn a very small pile of dead stuff that I’d taken out of the blackberry/strawberry patch. Still need to put up a fence. Received my new phone but just didn’t have the want to or the concentration to work on setting it up and activating it. I did get that done this morning. There will be more that I’ll do to it, but it is activated and I now have my home email going to it so I won’t be missing emails because I don’t check it often. It is very similar to my old phone but still different. It’s a Samsung Core which isn’t fancy but still has GPS available which I don’t use often, but really appreciate it when I do need it.

It rained overnight and will be cloudy and overcast today. I did work on one of the tubs last night and repaired/resealed a large crack using the blow torch, an empty water bottle and a lot of time. But it worked and I’m impressed that I seem to “get it”. This morning I dug an impression for the tub and filled it with dirt and planted another tomato plant set. Not sure what it is cause the “permanent” marker that I used, came off but do know it will be a cherry or grape tomato of some kind. Put the tomato cage in it so it is ready to grow.

Guess mowing will wait......again. Did weed eat on Wednesday so the side yard is looking ok. I have 4 more tomato plants that either I can plant or throw away. I don’t think I can throw away my babies. Just not sure where or what I’d plant them in at this time. I still have flowers to get planted up for Pete’s sake. Not a fire ball of productivity. Geeze. My front porch is awful. I have tools of all kinds, and it needs swept again. Sweeping I could do every time I walk outside but I usually only get it swept every other day. I have plants all over the place outside. I swore I wasn’t going to string them all over this spring, but I did it anyway. I have enough water hoses to reach everything I have planted, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to keep them all grouped together. To group them all together, then looks cluttered to me. You’d think that would be right up my ally since I’m such a clutter bug. Guess I have a limit. For one thing, I do NOT want my view obstructed when I sit on the porch and look across the yards. Just can’t give that up, even though to most people, it wouldn’t be “all that”. It is pretty much just grass, trees, and the stuff I have planted or is already established. My yard is not a landscaped dream. It is a scattered bunch of stuff either in mini gardens, planters, tubs, or just there. A landscaper would probably laugh hysterically, shed a few tears, and start over. That is ok. If I had the know how and the heavy equipment, so would I. lol

So again, thank you for all your responses. I read each of them and considered your suggestions and advice, and it helped. I need not rush in to “fix” this for any of them. They’ve been successful at dealing with the issue for years before I retired, so why do I think I’m the “fix” now? I will help if needed, but will not go bull dozing into their lives, thinking I’m the answer.

Take care and God Bless