I am pretty lucky to live with two younger generations.  All four are kind and usually willing to do anything I ask of them.  They grocery shop, cook, clean up and do all the laundry.  The adults run the boys for sports an academics and social life.  I saw an ad the other day with this T-shirt

And realized I, too, am an asset here.

I’ve always been a geek and I continue to embrace technology.  The family router is in the window in my room.  I set up everyone’s iPad or computer.  I update the firmware in the router (about once a year).  If the power goes off, I reset and reboot and remind everyone to have patience.  The boys school laptops won’t allow them to use our wireless printer so I have them email their homework to me and then print it.  When I learn a new trick or a new app, I share my joy with them.

We don’t have a fridge with water and ice maker  There are four ice cube trays and every time I go to get a few cubes … all the trays are empty … except for one cube.  I now have a part time unpaid job here that is very appreciated.

Not many of this group have been trained in bathroom etiquette.  The boys take turns cleaning ours every week (with Gramma giving things a swipe with a Clorox wipe in between).  No one seems to be able to recycle the toilet paper roll and replenish the Charmin.  We have cute little containers for small paper cups and another that holds Q-tips and Swisspers (instead of cotton balls).  I’m the Bathroom Fairy for these chores.

What is the average salary/earnings for a part time Uber driver?  I had to look it up for our area of the world.  I make between $23 and $28 per hour.  Something to add to my Gramma resume.

I’m especially good at those quarterly jobs that are always on the back burner. Today I cleaned and organized the fridge freezer.  Tossed freezer burned bags of strawberries from 2022.  We save bits of fruit for smoothies but the ones in the back that are not easily visible don’t get incorporated.  And you remember the three day event cleaning the oven???

Being the start up business bookkeeper is not my favorite job.  But I had to remind them when they get a $500 order for plants it’s not really $500 to spend.  Last month I made an Income Statement for them.  They DID make money!!  Pretty amazing considering they didn’t really start Seablush Natives as a “business” until last March.  So now they know how to best re-invest.  Kate is so in touch with the industry locals.  Last week she bought rare bulbs from a sole proprietor in like her.  She is going to keep one or two of each variety and sell the others for ten times what she paid for them!  She will plant some to sell as plants and she kept a few for our yard.  Working in an office is not for everyone.

I volunteer for other small odd jobs … washing the pot holders, refilling spice jars from the bulk department, enforcing recycling, writing items on the TO BUY list, garnering coupons (for things we DO use), keeping the fresh fruit bowl with fast disappearing items, getting the mail.

Last, but not least, I’m a bit of a General Store shop keeper.  For the boys.  I have a dorm sized fridge in my room (for hummus, string cheese, tiny diet sodas, alcohol free beer and other items the family doesn’t enjoy.  I also have a container of gum, tic tacs, candy, cookies etc.  As well as a few regular sodas (the 6 oz size, of course).  All available for just a hug.

Look at me!  Just earning my keep!