Just checking in

I babysit two granddaughters before and after school, and some of the summertime. Since Missouri has a summer school program which pays children $100 for perfect attendance for the duration (one month), that only leaves two months when the girls need all-day care.

They are nine and eleven years old, so it isn't as though they need to be watched every minute; they're not likely to do anything harmful to themselves if I want to go to the barn or garden, or while Cliff and I take our daily walk.

It's even gotten to the point that I don't worry if I'm riding the horse and don't get home in time for their morning arrival, because I know they'll be just fine. Cliff works nights, and he's asleep in the bedroom. And they can dish up their own cereal just fine.

My daughter pays me, by the way, for babysitting.

The girls themselves are no problem; it's trying to schedule the horseback rides and motorcycle rides and little trips that sometimes throws a fly in the ointment.

But this weekend they go spend a month with their other grandma, and some schedules will be tossed out the window. The only time frame I'll worry about is Cliff's going-to-work-at-2:30 PM deadline.

I won't feel I have to get up before 5 AM in order to ride my horse while it's still cool.

If Cliff decides to take a vacation day on Friday and we go for a motorcycle ride, we won't worry about getting home before the girls get home from school. We can take a three-day weekend, knowing the girls are being cared for by Grammy.

So, I consider this coming month as a vacation. I think it's good for them to get away from me for awhile, too. And I'm sure by the time the girls are back, I'll be ready to go back to the schedule.