What other people think

Pete's daughter is a gardener and - after much persuasion - Mum has reluctantly accepted her as her gardener once a fortnight (basically she cuts the large lawn and then looks round for other useful stuff she can do, as Mum won't plan the hard/heavy stuff to leave for her to do).

She was there yesterday, and I talked to Mum on the phone last night. Apparently they were both saying that it is a shame I do not live closer (hello, I'm only 30 miles away!) then they could see more of me.

Neither of them get that I need to live my own life and being tied to their apron strings is NOT what I need. Since Pete died I have gradually made less effort to spend time with 'old friends' because the reality is that I make the effort but don't get any of what I need in return.

There is a family that my family have been friends with since before either couple got married, their daughter moved to Oregon (from London). I envy her that distance, although I don't envy the 2 month long visit by her Mum that she gets instead!

OK, off to Mum's to have the will to live sucked out of me again...