You've inspired me to get off the usual screens and finally get started on a book I've been meaning to read for a while - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's starting off really well! I'm going to go back to it after this comment, but...

I had a closer relationship to lower living standards growing up, still very much first world but things like your own patch of grass, the space to not live constantly surrounded by others, a relaxed way of living, wide open spaces and yes, having a car for many people, were all almost unattainable privileges. And just one generation removed my family came from a country that definitely had much less: I remember the constant power cuts, military checkpoints, curfews when I visited (and we were considered privileged back there, having migrated away from it all). Parents had their stories of lining up for rations, the bombings, the terror...

Yet I still often fall into the trap of the hedonistic treadmill and forget how absolutely, blinking, freaking lucky and rich I am to be where I am right now. It's easy to get caught up in how unaffordable housing is, etc, and it's not like those things shouldn't change, but holy shit most people in the world would still kill to be here in our places. We never, ever genuinely have to worry about starving... What a blessing.

And Peeler, you yourself have such a generous, creative, loving personality that is its own richness regardless of material wealth ☺️ the minis are blessed to have you as their mum indeed!