I read Julie Savard's posting about living apart together. I found this idea very interesting. I have obviously heard of couples living apart to "take a break" while trying to sort things out, usually while deciding if they actually want to stay in the relationship. I have not heard of couples going into the relationship with this understanding.

I found this delightfully interesting. I think this could be the path of any future relationship I may enter into. I like the idea of maintaining some of myself. I always seem to lose myself somewhere along the way when taking care of a man and trying to be that perfect wife.

I like the independence I have found in this post-divorce world. I have always been in some form of relationship it seems. The past two years have been the longest single period in my adult life — I have been alone to just actually get to know myself, which by the way, I am enjoying immensely. I like being in a relationship but can't say the same about living with someone else. I have enough dirty laundry and dishes of my own.

I realize that I am nowhere near entering another relationship. I need a lot more work on myself before that can even be an option. This sounds like the perfect compromise for me when I am ready.

I want to thank Julie for this information. I will continue to look deeper into this arrangement idea.

The New Year is just around the corner. I cannot believe it. This is the first full year I have spent as a single mom.

My children are 18, 17, and 11. We've found we're able to do several tasks by ourselves — things we would have never tried to do alone before. No handyman needed here.

We replaced a section of the kitchen floor together. It's not perfect but it's much better than it was. In addition, no one has fallen through yet. So I guess we did it right.

We learned how to change an alternator on my daughter's car. That was not nearly as difficult as we thought it would be.

We've had a couple of plumbing jobs. One on the dishwasher and the other the bathroom sink. Those both turned out just fine.

We are gaining confidence every day in ourselves and the things we're capable of. Not just in household maintenance, but it carrying over to other things as well.

We enjoy the time together doing projects like this. We are learning together. We are saving money. We are building memories. So next time something breaks, we won't run to the phone and call someone to come and fix it. We'll sit down together, check the do-it-yourself sites on the Internet, get a plan, and make a day of it.

And we will all be better off for having done so.

Update.. Karen...You are absolutely right, The satisfaction is great.