the basement. I was the youngest and couldn't figure out why our house got so cold during the winter.

We would get one load of coal for the winter and that was it. The only problem was that one load wouldn't last through the winter. My brother was 10 years older than me and would go down by the river and stack up dry driftwood. Then Dad and I would come down and help load it into the inside of the car and the trunk. We would cram pieces of wood under the seats and in every open space. At the time I thought it was a great adventure.

Then we'd drive home with the trunk open so that we could load more wood in there and use some rope to keep it from falling out. Even at that a carload of wood, would barely last a week.

My folks both worked full-time but near minimum wage. I didn't know until I was an adult that the reason we picked up driftwood down by the river, was so that we could have heat for the next week, since they didn't have enough money to buy any more coal.

Always had enough to eat, but nothing expensive. Mom was a true penny pincher. Being the youngest of five I can look back now and realize that each time one of the older kids left home, there would be just a little more to eat.

They never owned a home. Rented all of their lives.