@jonsblond I understand completely, and I apologize if I offended you. Obviously, I’m Fluthering at this very moment, so I certainly enjoy some e-communicating of my own!
When I posted, I was thinking about a friend who didn’t know that her sister had given birth. She knew that her sister was expecting a baby, of course, but nobody bothered to call when her sister went to the hospital and had the baby. When she expressed, later, that she’d been hurt and embarrassed, her sister looked at her with amazement and said, “You should have checked Facebook!”
I was also thinking about how I drive around my (safe, lovely) neighborhood on a weekend day and never see kids playing. Nobody’s jumping rope, tossing around a football, riding a bicycle, playing tag, or otherwise getting exercise and fresh air. They’re at home, cruising the internet, emailing, and IM-ing. Is it any mystery why childhood obesity is becoming an epidemic, and why kids make playdates instead of friends?
Even though you live in a remote location and are staying at home, I’m guessing that you spend plenty of good time with your husband and children. Nobody needs to take expensive trips to see interesting things; there’s beauty to be found in changing seasons and the wonder of a fresh, new day. A picnic doesn’t cost any more than a meal eaten at home, but it’s an fun outing and an adventure. An old-fashioned board game can make a memorable evening. From reading your posts, I have no doubt that you’re the sort of wife and mother who finds ways to spend real time and build memories with her family.