Just wanted to update on the snowstorm tonight just in case our power goes out & I can't post tomorrow. The storm has already dumped close to a foot in my yard and it's coming down fast & furious at 11:30 p.m. It's supposed to go all night and til around noontime tomorrow. I've been watching the weather channel and it's crazy how much snow is coming out of the storm for such a widespread area. The wind is getting pretty strong up here and when I put on the spotlight the trees are bowing down with the weight of the snow. They are saying at higher elevations there will be the most amounts so I expect when I wake up in the morning I will be in for a shock. I notice that the Weather Channel focuses mostly on the metropolitan areas in their coverage. Those of us in tiny rural towns are getting huge amounts of snow. I see there are already some deaths related to the storm and I hope there will be no more. Jean, my husband works weekends so he will be at work tomorrow whether he wants to or not. He owns the local hardware store and also fixes power equipment so he was swamped by folks desperate to get their snowblowers fixed in time. Snow shovels were selling off the shelves...LOL. My son works the overnight shift at our local police department and when I talked to him a little while ago he said there are cars off the road everywhere. People just weren't expecting snow in October so they don't have their snowtires on yet. Everyone in the path of this NorEaster, please be careful! Celeste

So your daughters are withholding access to your grandchildren because your wife doesn't want to babysit them? Sounds like something is missing in this story. My kids' grandparents don't have the means to indulge their grandchildren materially, and they are elderly and inactive, but grandparents provide intangible benefits so much more important than entertainment. Growing up, I had one set of grandparents with a pool, they were active and had an energetic household. The other set were loving and gentle and milder in temperament. One grandma played tennis, the other liked to snuggle and sit and talk. I loved them both, and cannot imagine begrudging one set for not being like the other. The momma bear in me wonders if your wife isn't perhaps a source of worry to your daughters, making them concerned for their children's well-being in your home. An untrustworthy or unkind grandparent would be the only reason I can imagine that parents of young children would keep grandparents at arm's length. A pastor or family counselor can give you much better insight and strategies to foster a closer family dynamic.

Here’s an updated photo of how it looks now. Her lettuce is growing so fast, we can barely keep up eating it! And everything else is growing well. We may have been a bit too ambitious with how much we planted but it’s a good experiment in intensive gardening. Here is what is in the bed from left to right: - radishes, we just planted more seeds as the last ones bolted in the heat we are having - corn - drying beans - carrots - peas - bell pepper - cucumber - tomato - green onion - lettuce I’ve started writing an ebook that goes through the full construction process of the bed/planter which I hope to have for sale by next month.

@cat_ky - Thanks!! Since they are moving back here in a couple weeks, they decided to wait and tell people (immediate family only for now) in person. I am the only person that they’ve told so far - and I’m sworn to secrecy! She told me that I don’t have the usual “spousal exception” - so, I can’t even share this with my SO. He came over while I was just getting off the speaker phone with my daughter, and heard her comment about how we had been on the phone for 2 hrs and 50 minutes! While she and I have had long calls before - the calls have never been close to THREE HOURS! After I hung up, he made a comment about how long the call was, and asked if something was wrong. “Ummm . . . NOPE!” It’s going to be a LONG couple of weeks! It’s difficult to have such exciting news, and not be able to share it - especially with my three sisters! That’s why I decided to share it with you all! In a few months, we can all brainstorm about putting together the perfect nursery!!