Betty, I like your description of the harness and lead arrangement with toddlers. It worked that way for us also - it gave the child a feeling of independence but also of security if they looked like they were going to tumble. Until they were each 2 1/2 they were both nursing (primarily at naps and bedtime when they got older) so there was always the cuddling reinforcement to compliment the independence.

The fire was doused by mid-afternoon so this evening we struggled and strained and lifted and pounded and got the roof sections onto the greenhouse. Before it was finished there were five of us in the yard - the heavy lifting fell to me and my ex, but Cecil and Jackie came over from next door and my friend Susie (who owns Zeke the chocolate lab) dropped by. They were here mostly to nudge with a plank and direct our pushing so the grooves met and the notches fit. The roof is on and now the rest of the shell can be completed by just me - I put the doors on one side just to see how they go, but the windows and other doors are a job for tomorrow. It isn't completely level, that is why some of it was difficult, so I'll be nudging the sides and cramming rocks and bricks under then filling with dirt. And I'll use gravel in the door ways.

I'll also put in a little French drain from the roof of the garage past the greenhouse so water doesn't wash out the platform I struggled to put into place. I will put a gutter on the garage to solve that and put in water collecting tanks (also brought from my friend's house.) I'm hoping the village officials don't notice this structure and come asking to inspect or tell me I need to pay for a permit. But it could happen, so I won't be surprised.

The kitchen is clean after a wonderful simple dinner of salmon, fried potatoes and cauliflower. I made a big bowl of guacamole and froze it for future use, then washed the dishes. I'm drinking a couple of extra glasses of water to compensate for all of the heavy lifting as I do a little computer work and watch an episode of Masterpiece Theater streaming via Internet. I'd rather not wake up to leg cramps. Earlier this afternoon I finally motivated myself to file a whole bunch of papers and old bills, so I'm fairly well caught up on general household stuff.

Tomorrow is a long day work-wise, but I'll spend morning time in the greenhouse. I'll photograph a couple of events this weekend and spend time processing photos, but I'll still have time to empty my side yard of greenhouse stuff and hopefully empty my garage of stuff that can be stored in the greenhouse.

A lot of typing, and I'm at the end of my energy for the evening. Catch you all as time allows. I think the cooler temperatures are giving everyone a lot more energy. Kat, we haven't heard from you. How's it going there?

SRS