Boundaries

Aidan: delegation

{Aidan}

Turtle!

Not much to report, except thank you for whatever you said to Ralph so that he didn't call yesterday. Mel hovered by the phone for an hour or so, but then was distracted by other projects. I think I've learned that we're using the funds you gave us for these repairs. I assume that would be all right, but mostly I was wondering what treasure chest Mel found in the yard that meant we could afford any of this.
She's talked about hiring Brian and me out to Phil and the other farmers, maybe Daria and Casey too. Not Katie, because she looks so slight, nor Keith who is too large. We don't want to draw too much attention to ourselves. I wouldn't mind; it'd be a chance to get off the property and out of the madness of this house. Mel and Casey have been concocting a story for why we're all here. There are not a lot of good ones that make much sense. No farm this size needs six farm hands. We're too old to be college, and we don't look enough alike to all be cousins, even though that's what Mel has told the town. The current plan is that Keith, Brian and I were invited as cousins, and we brought our girlfriends with us or something. It's not perfect, but we need something to stick to.
Not that Keith would have time to work off -site; Casey started calling him the foreman. He's quite happy making plans and building walkways and prepping for spring. He's finally convinced Mel to wait for some, but only because we can't plant anything with the ground like this. Instead, we're planning on building a small grow house, not for weed, though I know that you thought it, but for seedlings. Katie has begged to be in charge of the garden; apparently, she really enjoyed it last year. Mel has agreed, and so Katie ordered a couple catalogs that should be here next week. We've been looking online at the varieties and when we'd need to plant them.
And, we're going to get some goats and sheep! I've been asking about it basically since I came here; they'll be our pest control and milk and wool, which it's going to be a lot of work, especially since they'll be my project. It was Keith's idea of giving each of us part of the farm to manage. Keith will manage the accounts and Mel and Ralph, when he gets back, can run the company. I think it will work. I look forward to a time that money isn't so tight, and we all have a real place here.
We've been brainstorming what Conor would want to do, but honestly, since he may dart out of our lives at any moment, it's hard to delegate anything to him. Keith suggested that we wait until he gets back and so he and Mel can talk, but all of this is being decided now. So he's going to come back, and he'll be in the way all over again. It's not that he doesn't know what he's doing here; he knows more about the farm than any of us. But we have been working well together without him. So I don't know; mostly I'm telling you so maybe you can bring it up with him? In some delicate way, I haven't thought of? Or don't, if you think talking with him would make it worse. Katie suggested Conor take care of the house, but he's not like a maid, you know? I don't want him to feel like we forgot about him.
Hope things are going well there,

Aidan

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Oh lil Aidan.
Since this is such a short chapter, double chapters this week!