@TauriskIn my younger days family didn't have much - came here...

@Taurisk

In my younger days family didn't have much - came here with a couple of suitcases and a few dollars (very few) but fortunately my dad found work and slowly saved enough to buy a humble older home - a home that many today would frown on due to it's modest size. Didn't have tools so making anything was not on - plus I was too young and not clever enough. Things over time changed, was always prepared to give things a go - started to restore furniture and even built wooden items like a chess table, an entertainment unit and even a music stand - all out of recycled timber and then from scratch, built and installed a new smallish L shaped kitchen with a parquetry bench top - all with rather basic tools - turned out rather nice (at least I thought so) - only to sell the house shortly after. Despite what I did, never seemed to be to the enthusiasm or approval from family members - thus the realization to do things for self - perhaps to prove a point, perhaps also to save money and to show willingness to learn despite failures along the way.

Prior to arriving here I still recall both my parents working weekly rotating shifts - the night shifts were particularly hard - I was left on my own (was rather young, a child) during the night - in winter it was worse - they had no choice and what choice did I have? Glad to have come to this country, despite whatever issues, life has surely turned out better here - hard to imagine how it could have been otherwise. But of course, some things are worse now than from what I recall from since coming here all those years ago. Not sure on 'creating one's own unhappiness but perhaps a case of much excess baggage from past events - not sure exactly how 2 suitcases could grow so much?

Sorry about your issues with your younger daughter - it must be hard to lose one and then have issues with another. We all have our cross to bear, some do it well some not so much. My mother used to say 'be happy' but she never told me how.

We can only try to do the best we can - my parents weren't perfect but they tried - you tried and perhaps one day soon, your younger daughter will realize the same - perhaps wisdom will come a little later.

Out and about today (dentist) then a kind lady had no objection to me picking some of her massive quinces from a loaded tree - oddly I still remember the fruit's hungarian name - how on earth? Then some rosehips and even walnuts in the area nearby - all typically European and all like ghosts from distant memories as I recall such pickings from childhood days. May have to sell some to pay the dentist bill.

Memories - some good, some not so: