You and I have a lot in common. I was at lunch over at my 90 year old grandpa's Wednesday (he had fried fish and cooked up my fresh out of the garden october beans) and much of the talk ended up paralleling your post. I spent my summers with him and grandma on the tobacco farm growing up, and what is funny is he was reminding my how to churn butter and how much I complained about it!!! I swear at 90 his mind remembers stuff better than mine does! I cherish that time, but I am not too romantic about it-I like having A/C, hot and cold running water, and a grocery store right down the road. But I still love my veggie garden (dinner last night was all vegetables-corn on the cob, tomatoes, cucumbers with vinegar and olive oil and grilled okra) and am glad he taught me how to live off the land if I have to!!!
Oh, back to the daylily lady. My wife was twitching like she needed to go to the bathroom and giving me "Come on NOW!" looks the whole time I was talking to the husband about the boiler. I may have to cook lasagna and cheesecake for her sometime as a bribe to get another chance to stop there, no matter the time!!!
Steve