I don't like to be away at all during the gardening season, and that includes raising seedlings under lights indoors, which adds up to a large portion of the year. But, if the reason is compelling, I can get away for two or three days. A week or more is out of the question. If I have to be away that long, there is no point to gardening. Under unusual circumstance, I could make an exception. That would be if I were to plant a specialized garden, not my usual diversified type. I've thought about doing a three sisters garden some time, for example. I think that type of garden could go without attention for many days at a time, once established. Once, when I knew I could not be around to look after it, I planted my entire small garden in tomatoes, sprawling on black plastic with soaker hoses underneath connected to a timer. That worked fine. I did no maintenance all summer until the tomatoes were ready to harvest. On another occasion, I just put in a cover crop of buckwheat and fava beans. My soil can always use more organic matter. It's very disheartening when a garden which is well planned and planted gets out of hand in your absence and it is very unfair and extremely risky to leave a garden in someone else's care. There is an exception to that too. Community gardeners can easily tend to watering each others plots for a few days at a time and, being fellow gardeners, they are dependable. Jim

Absolutely agree with tina61. My reference marker of age 50 to set out your estate, was an "at the very latest". We actually started doing our wills when DD was born. Trusts, trustees, physical custody, education provisions and medical decisions were all spelled out plainly. Traveling often for business, medical needs of DD and just being prudent, motivated our decision to put our desires in writing. If you have children, you definitely need to do estate planning as soon after they are born as possible. Of course, we have amended our documents over the years, but our initial wills were drafted and signed when DD was born. DH and I were 30's at the time of her birth. rilie - I am the attentive one. I make all arrangements for medical care for both of my parents as well as transport them to and fro. Errands, needs, wants, all are my gig. My DB works hard and has little free time. However, he is also MIA when it comes to family occasions and holidays. He avoids it. Also, there have been no children born to the marriage. Seems as tho it may have a bit to do with his DW. She's an odd sort, very hard to get close to. I think everyone has a story, and her childhood may not have been a walk in the park. Her attitude toward family (her own) I think influences his decisions about being part of ours. I cannot blame her, he is an adult and should/would and perhaps does not get involved because he choses not to do so? Just figures I'll cover it, as that is the way it has always been. I still believe my parents' estate should be equally divided.

I live in Canada. In Canada, pets are chattels. I am terrified that my husband and I will die together, leaving our pet without family. (My husband has family, but they would not take our dog.) We had our wills redone, naming our executor as the person to take in our dog - and left a sizeable amount of our assets to her for his care - and in gratitude to her for taking him in. But should we die together, her circumstances may have changed and legally not be able to take in our dog (too many of her own etc.). Or she could die. We have listed a Plan B person -also to receive a sum of money. The lawyer thought we were nuts - and had us sign a form indicating we were going against his advice. Funny, when we did our previous wills, the lawyer was wonderful - he had a much loved dog as well - and did caution us though that in Canada, the person can take your money but has no obligation to take your pets. This we knew so it is necessary to pick your people wisely. The second lawyer was indignant and kept asking us how much money it could possibly cost to raise a pet - obviously he didn't have a major little chewing Hoover at home - and besides it isn't just about medical bills and new sofas it is about gratitude. So if we go together in an accident (I hate flying on same plane as my husband) our first choice now gets double the initial amount! Unfortunately, many people think that their children/grandchildren etc. will take in their pets - just speak to people in rescues - many of the beloved pets are dumped by family after they pick up their inheritance checks. We are in our late 50s - in good health - but you never know what will happen. Our dog is 4 - we did not intend 4 years ago to get such a young dog - it just happened. He will be our last dog as I am too scared of what would happen should we die. Pets to me are people and have always been my family. Not everyone shares my view - but many do - and pets sure are nicer than my family ever was. I know there are places in the states that are setting up retirement homes that you can endow so that your pets will have a nice place to live for the rest of their lives. Personally, I would like us all to go tegether. My dog is a breed that does well with his own family - and a few chosen special people. This breed does not do well in shelters and I worry about this. I do not intend to have a funeral and I do not want an obituary and sure hope that if I do die first that my husband honour's my wishes - as stated in our wills and in separate documentation. But if I did have an obit - our dog - and especially my 2 soul mate dogs who hopefully are on Rainbow Bridge - and there had better be a Bridge - would be listed as my pre-deceased family.

Today I'm roasting a chicken, actually two of them and will have whipped potatoes, fresh garden peas, gravy, sliced garden tomatoes and cucumber with red wine vinegar and oil. Honeydew mellon chunks. Terilyn, LOL about showing my sons gf how to cook. Her mother is a fabulous cook and supposedly her daughter does know how but thinks instant is faster. I had to laugh when his gf said she couldn't make it here today for a chicken dinner...she said she was busy and besides she had poultry yesterday...LOL. I wanted to tell her turkey lunch meat isn't poultry its chemicals. LOL.