They came in Saturday and we worked together & finally got my Starlink system legitimately installed. (It had been sitting propped up on top of the old hot tub that I had hauled off last week with the cable running thru a purple pool noodle stuffed underneath the guest room window - yes, it was as redneck as it sounds!)

Then T couldn't stand it any more & mowed all the areas I'm afraid to take the zero turn. I kept telling him not to - that I'd hire someone to come weed eat them but he did it anyway.

We all went out to my favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner. My treat even tho it was technically my birthday dinner. Kate met us there with my oldest grandson - claimed the youngest was sick. She was as cold as ice to all of us. Barely spoke to any of us - especially me. And certainly never wished me a happy birthday even though T kept reminding her why we were there. Oh well. Maybe it's bad of me but I've written off all hope of ever being "family" with her again - it's just not going to happen. And that includes losing my grandsons. I love them dearly but fighting to stay in contact just seems to make everythign worse.

I told T & Meg they need to get moving on that front so I can have at least one grandchild to spoil!!! But... that is increasingly likely to be an adopted grandchild. (And that's okay with me.) Meg has several health issues that could make carrying a child difficult AND she was just diagnosed with rheumaotoid arthritis on top of that. Not a good combination & not a good situation for such a vibrant, active young lady. :-( I know how much she & T want to have children & T has already said he'd be perfectly happy with adoption. I guess time will tell....

Anyway, after dinner the 3 of us ran out to the farm. First time for me in over a year. First time for T without John. We all cried. It was super dry so we drove out to the far end of the top field and T & Meg walked down to the bottom and back. It's so grown up out there... Grass & weeds up well past my waist & autum olive bushes 10-15' high throughout the field. Breaks my heart because John always kept it so nicely mowed... I'm struggling with whether to hire someone to mow it for us or just let it grow up. The pros & cons of each are about equal.... We're going to try to get back out & at least mow around the camper & shed though. (More of the shed has collapsed & the camper is leaking around all the windows. They're a lost cause at this point.)

Sunday, we had a leisurely country breakfast (Meg made homemade biscuits while I fixed gravy & eggs) after T did some more weed eating around the house. Then we mostly just hung out on the deck until they had to leave to head back to Lville. While we were out there, the resident groundhog emerged from the rockpile out back & we were tickled to see that she was accompanied by two babies! We had so much fun watching them scamper around the pile & play!

I had a pretty bad meltdown after they headed back to Lville. It's hard realizing I'll be alone the rest of my life.... (Yes, I know some people find love again but I don't want to. I WANT JOHN!)

Busy week ahead. Already been to the bank (I'm almost done consolidating accounts from before John passed) and to get a hair cut. And to the grocery to pick up supplies for this weeks' club dinner. Will be meeting a friend out there this evening to clean the clubhouse & to confirm electrical requirements for Family Fun Day. (I'm negotiatign with a local band to perform for us live & we need to make sure they have enough electric for their equipment.)

Tomorrow I'll start cooking. Doing harvest cookies (apple/cranberry) and a chocolate bundt cake with choc ganache frosting. Wednesday, I'll do potato salad to feed 50 (that's a lotta taters) & am meeting out at the club to learn to use the new smoker and start pork butts & turkey going. And then Thursday, I'll make a couple peach/blackberry cobblers and head back out to help with the rest of the dinner (pulled pork, smoked turkey, baked beans, and macaroni & cheese) as well as representing the ladies group at the general meeting after dinner.

Then Friday, weather permitting, a group of us hope to go see a play at Pioneer Playhouse in Danville. I have next weekend free as of right now but then will be heading to Tenneessee next week for a few days of striper fishing on Cherokee Lake with my brother.

Are we having fun yet??????