It is hard sometimes to go on when our partner passes away. I still miss my husband for all the reasons that you mention Mariel...and some that you don't mention, but we probably share.

Five years ago it became apparent that my yard and garden was a bit much for me to handle on my own so I tried something that has worked out wonderfully well. I made the vegetable garden even bigger by getting the lawn stripped off and having some good garden soil mix hauled in. Then I had some help putting it all into raised beds. We didn't do anything fancy; so we didn't build any wooden frames or anything like that. We just hilled the soil up into 4 ft by 15 ft beds and made smooth even paths around a foot wide in the dirt between them. There are two rows of these beds with a path wide enough to accommodate a wheelbarrow going down the center.

Once there were around 20 separate garden beds, I began inviting others who couldn't handle a full sized garden to come and grow their vegetables in my yard. Well, it really took off and now there are a few regulars who come every year to garden. One sweet elderly couple in the eighties who rent a small apartment come every year since we started the community garden. This couple grows vegetables for themselves and for their adult children who work full time and don't garden. They, as well as another lady who lives alone and who was devastated by a long bout with cancer are overjoyed to be gardening again. They don't need to worry about doing heavy stuff as I arrange for that; usually through trading someone for their work with fresh vegetables from the garden or with apples from the trees in the yard.

We grow all sorts of things in the garden and then they can use my kitchen, dehydrator or canning equipment; as well as my freezer to put up whatever they like, as they choose. We also grow flowers for cutting and just enjoying. A couple of lounge chairs on the lawn beside the garden is a nice resting area for those who need a break or just want a nice place to hang out for a while. What started out as a modest garden plot now encompasses the whole yard. Now there is a wide garden bed that goes right around the perimeter of my city lot as well as another plot we put in just for flowers that takes up around a quarter of the yard. At one end of the back yard we have a series of compost piles on the go all the time, although I see that someone planted a couple of giant pumpkin plants on the top of an old one this year.

I don't have children of my own, but sometimes the children or grandchildren of these folks come and help with yard work. They do things like helping to haul and spread compost, prune trees, pick apples and care for the small lawn that is left. All in all it has cut down on my work load outside as everyone chips in to pull weeds and do the things that need doing; but only as we are able.
A nice additional benefit is to have a little company from time to time...but mostly we don't bump into eachother that much. Even so, seeing that someone else's green thumbprint has been left behind is just as nice.

Might be worth a try for you or others.