Wonderful news-- congratulations! I really think when you're working with that size budget, your job should be a paid position, even if it doesn't pay what it's worth. Seriously, if you're going to be putting in as many hours as you do on your job, a salary might allow you hire someone to take up a few hours of your regular work now and then. I know you're doing what you do as a labor of love, and I really admire you for it--- I'd just hate to see you burn out. Delagating responsibility is important, but it can be difficult to find people who agree to help...and not everyone who says they'll help will actually come through. Is there some kind of a board that you could ask to consider awarding you a stipend? There are only so many hours in the day. You're looking at two full-times jobs, both emotionally demanding! If you've got a good, enthusiastic group, maybe it will get easier. It's really wonderful of you to take the project on -- and really great that you got the funding! Just take care of yourself so you've still got your best to give :)

In these modern days, would politically correct farmers be inclined to refer to it as "manure", do you figger? Dad used to say that, "Some people wouldn't say, 'sh**' ... ... if they had a mouthful!". Dad, fairly straight-forward ... was also rather plain-spoken ... ... and "politically correct" wasn't yet even a mental picture in genteel folks minds! They were rather careful with their language, though. ole joyfuelled

Ours has changed hours :o) so by the time I get out of water aerobics, get dressed, all their doings is over and done with. boooooo! Been on a few cruises with the senior centers. When their previous director left, they have not found one that is nearly as good as that one. They DID have line dancing classes one day, and end of week had live music and line dancing. T'was fun! Lots of card games, Mexican dominoes, etc. One year, 4 couples married, who met at the center. All had lost their spouses.

My DH and I were both raised in suburban homes. Neither of us ever lived where we could not walk right outdoors (except in college). After DH retired, we moved from one suburb to another twice as far from Chicago to escape increasing noise and pollution. That was 15 years ago, and at the time I hoped we could have at least 20 years in our new, one-floor home. Hmm...out in five? Eventually...and then what? We could stay in our home longer with taxi's to grocery, dentist, local hospital, and the RR station (four minutes). Our doctors are currently 20 minutes away. Our DS and family are 30 minutes away. We could move to assisted living in a townhome in this town -- or in an apartment closer to the city. We could become permanent passengers in a cabin on a cruise ship and keep circling the globe! LOL I think we will stay in our home and add help until we need assisted living -- or until the expenses of maintaining the home and yard outweigh our enjoyment of it. (Assisted living isn't *cheap* either!) One other thought: We've spoken of dangerous driving by impaired seniors. Yes, it is terrible news when one plows into something or someone, but I am more concerned about drivers of all ages who are overtired, distracted, or drug- or alcohol-impaired. News about these drivers infrequently makes it beyond the police blotter. My DH was broadsided by a 17-year-old girl who failed to yield to traffic coming over the RR tracks in the middle of our town. Didn't even make the blotter.