I think your hubby is spot on with this.

This makes me think you should take it. You would like to eventually quit, and you will be earning $8 an hour more, and able to get better sleep. In so many of your posts, you guys are going through a ton of money on medical bills, and while I know your youngest consumes a bunch, you do too and I have to wonder if lowering your stress level and sleeping more on a better sleep schedule will make a big difference in your health. The money can then be set aside for family vacations and special things or to ease the burden of the med bills. When my husband commuted that distance, he actually didn't mind it. He would put on an audiobook, and decompress from work. When he arrived home, he was in a good mood. Now he works from home all.the.time., and there is no decompression, no separation of home and work. I like the idea of the campsite thing. Camping makes such great family memories! And missing a birthday and celebrating at a different time is no big deal or missing a few ball games, if the quality of family life increases. Plus, looking back on my own childhood of a dad who worked REALLY long hours, I didn't have resentment of the missed piano recital or not making it to that school openhouse. He did his best. What he did do was take a three week vacation with us every summer, and a two week one every winter. He was all in, all jolly, and very ready to focus on his kids. Those times were absolutely amazing, and my best memories. He was completely stress free, and fun to be with. I just feel quality of family life, and anything done that improves it, is more important than quantity if their is balance and parents committed to building relationships. You have consistently demonstrated that you and your husband are those kinds of parents.

Yes I do. So we don't use it. Then the jar of molasses broke. Now we have a sticky mess in one of our cupboards. I am really struggling to get the molasses cleaned up. I told dh going forward that molasses, honey, and anything similar must be inside another container in order to go back into the cupboard or we can no longer own those food items. He rolled his eyes shot me. So I said, "Then you go clean it up." 30 minutes later, he still was struggling to get it out of the corners and around the frame. It had oozed everywhere. He isn't rolling his eyes anymore, and asked me what containers I want to get for the replacement molasses. That a boy. Get on board or get out of the way! 😁

Around home and with my adult kids, we are all pretty free with this stuff. No one cares. But performances really have a first impressions, make an effort to look just so, element to them. Especially classical. So my tube sock golf balls, shapeless voids of sadness, just don't cut it. The thing that pisses me off about that is this is not one thing men have to even consider. They can look like the human equivalent of Swiss cheese run over by a mack truck with a beer belly hanging out the middle, and so long as this is ensconced in a suit, all is good. A big part of my issue is rooted in pure misogyny, and objectification of women.

On this topic, what I have on top are basically small tube socks with a golf ball in the toe because nursing babies was brutal on my chest. So I have examined the gown, and I do think I can sew cups into the bodice. The rouching will hopefully lay properly. If not, seriously, those tape posie things are getting used. Note to self. Maybe chiffon is not the way to go anymore. It isn't an easy fabric to work with to create shape or support, and even lined, the dress is still thin. I love the feel and look, and for summer, especially playing outdoors, it is great. But for fall, since I really just don't want to play in a bra, bengaline may be the way to go. I love taffeta but it tends to rustle too much.

This right here. Steadfastly not enabling. Good phrase! This is what broke the cycle with the narcissist in my family. We live two blocks from us, and is no longer problematic. She move on to other prey. It does take a good chunk of time for them to finally get the message and it usually does end with no contact since most narcs do not respond positively to behavioral modification so they can reenter the relationship. But, that's okay. Our stress levels were stroke high when she was regularly in our lives. So OP, just keep on with what you are doing. Do.not.bend. She will keep tantruming, and you could block her phone number.

Ask the people of Flint about what lead has done to children. And it is estimated that for every $1 spent on lead abatement, cleaning up water supplies, $17 is saved on future services required including on jail/prison. If all this stupid nation cares about is money, one would think the powers that be would get on board. But short term gain is far more values than long term. No one cares about the road to riches being paved with human bodies.

Ugh. I had a performance today, and to make the gown work, a strapless bra was needed. It is the best one I have ever purchased, but it still left me with a band of sensitive skin and soreness around. That's it. I need to find the baggy tunic folk song performance opportunities, and stop this formal classical stuff because the dress code and expectations is just to much for my little chest to handle. And my skin is a gazillion times more sensitive since the wind down to menopause. I didn't even want to greet anyone afterward. All I could think is "get home and take that blasted thing off". I have another performance in August, and will probably need to wear this gown again. I am going to see if I can sew some cups into the top without it hanging funny. If that doesn't work, bandaids or duct tape because I am NOT playing the Appassionata in a bra again.

I agree with this. More alcohol rehab, more drug rehab and out patient options for both, more mental healthcare workers, more social workers, more safety net, more intervention, more safe spaces for kids and teens to be engaged in wholesome activity, more therapy, more therapy dogs, more people with their eyes and ears "to the ground" so to speak, more healthy food in food desserts, more quality of life for as many people as possible. Having police isn't doing us a bit of good really. The system it too broken. We also need an overhaul of the criminal justice system. Threats need to be a crime that gets a person in the system for intervention. They may be A cry for help OR they may be viable. Either way, instead of throwing hands up and saying there is nothing that can be done UNTIL a crime occurs, until someone is hurt or dead. In the case of my son and his roommate, nothing was done over and over again about threats made to them in person, in public on his college campus, and on social media. But when son burst into his dorm room to find the perp trying to strangle.his roommate to death, then it was "Oops, our bad." Sick.of.it. Free speech goes only so far as you don't threaten the safety and well being of others. Then it isn't free because it suppresses the rights of others. What do we need less of? Guns, guns, guns, guns, guns, and frankly, police. We just do not need more of the same.

This. And SCOTUS ruled LEO's are under no obligation to protect or defend people. So if the people who take the oath and the job and supposedly spend time being trained, and shooting at the range to be prepared aren't going to save anyone, for damn sure Cletus and Buford wildly waving a gun they haven't spent time on the range or in simulations with aren't going to hit the broad side of the barn they aim at, but will probably manage to kill a bystander or victim if not themselves.

This. Is it insane how many fees they can tack on. Same with the phone bill. It reminds of university tuition here. It was not uncommon for the advertised semester tuition rate to be $1000 higher when the actual bill comes in because of all the fees they invent.

I am eating a lot of homemade hummus with red pepper and celery sticks, some gf pretzels as well. I have been making meatless pasta meals full of veggies, and trying to make kale chips more often. My Verde salsa is a hit, and we have been eating that on black bean burritos. I have been trying to keep it simple, but just more veggies. A favorite has been my middle eastern style chicken on quinoa bowls with red pepper, arugula, feta cheese, hummus, and tahini. I don't have to make very much chicken. One large boneless chicken thigh shredded works for the three of us (have one adult son with us for a couple of weeks at the moment.)

This. And a ton of employers seem to believe that the relationship is really a one sided situation.

Raw and powerful. My babies are grown, and yet I feel this so much as I wonder about the world they are inheriting, and what awaits them as Rome (USA) burns so to speak.

Scrub you knee and wear shorts. Then you can pick the scab and put your X on the paper. 😁

Bras are an evil perpetuated on women, some sort of medieval torture device. I wear stretchy sports bra things when I have to have one on, and go without at home. I often have on a camisole with shelf bra in the winter under my sweaters. The extra layer is welcome, but no real pressure on my shoulders. I talked with ortho doc one time, and he said bras are very bad for women's backs and shoulders. He would prefer women go without, and for those who are well endowed, breast reduction surgery which better for back health.

The benefit is to the illiterate. An X requires far less blood than a signature.😁

Agreed. Flowers are so much easier. I water some, neglect a lot and next year there are volunteer bloomers. This is the only chance I have. If I actually tried to save vegetable seed, the universe would stack the deck against me. If I am ever unable to buy seed, I.am.doomed. I will say this if you kick your decorative pumpkins onto the ground from your front steps and wildly ignore them while they naturally compost in a cold, rainy, November, you do get volunteer pumpkin plants. Not exactly standard front door landscaping, but since my philosophy is natural, and as little work as possible when it comes to yard, I let it go! Who knows what the neighbors think. 😁

Oof, the powers that be have given a lot of stupid advice over the years! I guess those six cities that are the most likely to be a nuclear target should have a plan and communicate that. Like "If you survive the blast and shock wave, and are safe from structure collapse, stay put for 24 hours, and then make your way to location x, y, or z." Something like that. But seriously, the best chance for survival are people outside the blast zone and immediate shock wave. Maybe some advice based on the actual science of the matter might be better. Lewis Black had a comedy routine that was also not comedic when you think about it, and that was that when he was a kid in NYC, they were told to hunker down under their desks, their wood desks. Essentially, "hide under kindling". He didn't have much to say about the leadership who comes up with these kinds of plans!

Yes. Typing on my kindle. Grrrrrrr

I don't have enough plants to really produce the seed I need. I purchased for next year. I tend to buy plants from local nurseries for a lot of my veggies because we have many greenhouses around our Michigan location, lots of hobby greenhouse owners who sell surplus plants in the spring. It is cheap, so I do it. But I also want seeds as a hedge against the costs of plants going up. I have been saving t.p. rolls to use as starter pods, bought seeds for fall salad greens, and for next year, and have an old baker's rack I got dirt cheap at the thrift store and some plastic sheeting. I may out it in the protected area by our back door, and try starting my own plants next spring. I have never done that before. I never grow zucchini. The local gardeners seem to think they need 20 zucchini plants a piece every.single.season. and then like desperate street vendors, they spend a tremendous amount of energy trying to get non zucchini growers to take mammoth, woody, Jurassic era looking fruits off their hands. I refuse to take part in this! 😁 We don't eat a lot of it anyway, just occasionally with grilled kabobs or am occasional loaf of bread. Folks, my grape vine is trying to take over the universe. I am going to get about twenty lbs of concord grapes all at one time. I have decided to make jam, no sugar added, jyst a dribble of honey for each jar. I am scared of what the monster will produce next season. One thing I want to try in the future is spaghetti squash. Son in law and I are allergic to wheat, and the price of rice pasta is climbing. He loves pasta with pesto (night shade allergies so no tomato sauce), and I am a sucker for pasta sauce. I have heard that it really is quite tasty as spaghetti, and you can just pull the strings off and cook. So I am intrigued. It also seems like it would be very nutritious.

And beneficial. We did no mow May which is low mow, so only areas where the dandelions were already spent. Their nectar is the baby food for newly hatched bumbles and honeybees. We had a ton of bees so we aren't going to pick them or mow them next year until the pollinators we see are the insect equivalent of teenagers.

Something to consider. Dh and I made hoops between the two raised beds using the plastic paneling trim that is used in old mobile homes. The local hardware still had some pieces. The stuff is pretty flexible if you only need a gentle slope to your hoop. I am not going to try to garden in the winter because I would need a greenhouse with serious heat. But I want to extend my tomatoes harvest, and put in salad greens after I pull up the broccoli plants. I have white gossamer left over from a wedding event a few years back, and will use that to cover them. I might be able to harvest tomatoes through October, and have spinach and lettuce that long as well.

I am so sorry to hear about those vegetable prices. That is scary! I fear that folks who cannot garden must be eating a lot grains and not much else. The long term health costs are disturbing to think about.

Yes, lots of them. So it is fun to be outside at dusk and after. Our grandsons love them. Michigan, near Lake Huron.