HELP

I’ve always felt like a capable female–an only child raised on a dairy farm where my mother worked outdoors alongside my father and I was dragged along. There always seemed to be some ‘child-sized’ jobs that I could handle as I was growing up. One of the first things I did in the barn in the afternoon before our 24 cows were let in from their exercise yard, Dad would dip ground feed from a five-gallon bucket and place a serving before each stanchion. I would follow with my little pail and add a measure of dry molasses on top of each mound.

Many years passed and the time came when my mother, a widow, needed my help as she aged. I remember her asking me to take over paying her bills. “I’m forgetting things,” she said. She had added my name to her checking account. We lived just a few blocks apart so it was easy for me to visit her home often and help where needed.

I’ve always expected to handle things myself. As an example, several years ago, I was pouring the gravy out of the big, stainless steel, frying pan–one of the last touches for our family Thanksgiving dinner. Our grandadult, Katelyn, walked by the stove and asked, “Can I help you, Grandma?”

I responded, “Thanks, but I’ve got it.”

Since I updated from a typewriter to a computer, it’s easy to ask our son, Kurt, for help because it’s new to me and he speaks the language.

But now, it’s become time to ask for help with some routine tasks. I am fortunate to be living with my husband, Ken, so the two of us can handle most daily chores together, but I have hired a cleaning service because I can no longer vacuum and mop.

We want to continue to host traditional holiday dinners but I need our daughter, Lisa, to help me in the kitchen. I can handle the things that can be done in advance, but not all of the last-minute duties.

Do you need help with anything?