I will still love to pull weeds in the early morning.

Woke up at 0420 and couldn't get back to sleep for over an hour... but Drox was asleep in the living room so I couldn't blog or do anything useful!

Then, of course, it was hard to get up and going when the alarm (radio) came on. Got to the garden @0720, the tomato plant (volunteer) by the house more than doubled in size in the week I was babysitting, everything else did great, the sage that the cilantro was shading (the cilantro bolted and is 2-3 feet tall) has made amazing progress. Have to look up recipes calling for fresh sage... the nasteraniums ;-} are in bloom, the marigolds are vigorous but bloomless, the late germinating peppers are coming along, if they aren't killed by the August heat they will likely bear in ... October? More tomatoes are set, the cherry ones especially but nothing red yet. The 'bugs' are eating their share of tomatoes and/or blossoms but I haven't the time to devote to spraying this year and last year eventually the tomatoes proved more prolific than the bugs, TJ has NO bug problems... she must be sic'ing them on my plants! Chives look better, in fixing one of the in ground sprinkler heads about 1/4 of my bolted cilantro had to be pulled, a lot of it has seed pods, green just now but one is looking like it might brown. Cilantro is coriander so the seeds will be a 'harvest'.

SO, my room is about 80% done, I am moving the work for the 18th to the 28th, back on schedule today, and the 20% of my room will get done in 'fits and pieces' (fits of energy) as time rolls on.

My boss/stepson talked to me yesterday about his concern that I am throwing away an opportunity here (and it IS a good one) for torment and unhappiness and poverty at my destination (some of which is certainly going to be true). I WAS able to tell him about things that have troubled me over the last year plus, he really believes that remaining here, working 30-40 hours a week for twice the money is what is best for Drox and I. It has never been about the money for me. I am moving because I have things to do there in connection with my children, yes, they are grownups, AND because I need to be independent. As in more responsible for my own income and lifestyle and comfort . . . Mostly because I honestly believe that is where God wants me to be. And I have been misled before, at least that is how it appears to onlookers. I totally understand that fact. I also know that I have gained immensely from those 'mistakes'. And I feel peace with moving. I promised I would fast and pray tomorrow (my choice) in light of his input and deep conviction that I am "waving off the helicopter"* but I believe the focus for me will be for him to understand that it is not about the money, it is about something I need to be there for and NO, I haven't the slightest inkling as to what that might be.

It was a stray thought in mid March, strengthened by my severe illness the end of March and actually set in motion the beginning of April when he told me, "I can carry you for April, May and June but then you are on your own". I realize now that the tactless presentation was most likely due to regret on his part that finances required letting me go. Now that the other rep is being fired and the entire area will be SK's there is money and work enough for both of us and then some and I enjoy working with him. But between April and the end of June when things got brighter I determined a course of action I feel good about, apprehensive but 'good'. And a list of pros and cons would indeed lead one to doubt my sanity, I know that better than anyone, yet it still seems the thing to do.

*I will lift the pertinent story and add it below ;-}