LOVE IS WEALTH

1-7-10...LOVE IS WEALTH

WEALTH IS NOT VALUEABLE
BUT LOVE IS
It is brutally cold here today. The wind is blowing 35-40 MPH and the wind chill is supposedly at a dangerous level. It is just hard to stay warm. I am thinking about the house where I grew up. Very open and airy if you get my drift. As I set here in a good tight house and I'm cold I just can't imagine the winters in that wonderful house that was my home. We had lots of love but even though the song says it does, love don't keep you warm. I remember when Norman was small he slept in the bed with Mamma and I slept in the bed with Daddy because they were afraid we couldn't stay warm. The little heater was like a drop in a bucket when it came to heat but I guess it kept us from completely freezing to death.
On cold winter nights like this one will be we all slept together. Daddy set one of the iron beds up in front of that little stove and we all slept there. I remember how warm and safe I felt. There were very cold nights when the pressure would go down or the gas would freeze up. Daddy had to watch so the stove didn't come on and gas us. I don't imagine Daddy slept much most nights.
If you left a little bit of water in a container anywhere in the house it would freeze up tight. No way did we ever step out of the bed with bare feet like I do now. We were warned by our parents to never do that. Well of course you know 'miss try it or bust me', I did it one morning and there was frost on the floor. Never did that again.
Daddy had to go out before daylight and bring in water, slop the hog, feed the horse, cow, and chickens. I cry now to think of that dear sweet man having to do that. Mamma would carry Norman on her hip and cook breakfast. I can remember seeing her shaking from the cold. Years later after Daddy was gone Mamma had a nice snug apartment with central heat and air. She would often say, "Oh how I wish you kids could have had this growing up. Or I wish Clyde was here to enjoy this. After Norman and I were out on our own they were able to make some improvements on the old house but it was still old and was never perfect. I was so happy for them and so proud that they were my Parents. I told Mamma one day when she was wishing for us, "Mamma Norman and I had the very best of everything and we didn't have any reason to want for more. The way we grew up with Daddy and you in that wonderful house that was a home made us what we are today. I wouldn't have it any different". She cried when I said that just the way I am crying right now.