"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Things were bad at home, so whenever possible I was ranging far afield with my dog, picking mushrooms and berries, collecting stones and beach glass, reading books in my hiding places in the woods. When I wasn't roaming, I worked along side my mom at home, gardening, cooking, baking, canning, or with my dad and little brother hauling wood and sawing it with the two-man crosscut saw we used, and splitting it and stacking it for the winter. School was problematic because of my troubled family, but it gave me a chance to observe my teachers, and attempt to use what I saw and liked to model my own behavior. Learned early how to work for money, as well, in the orchards and vinyards. Had some scrapes and learned to be resourceful. My life now is a continuation of that early life, and I'm happy with it. I haven't done anything grand, but I still love dogs, and nature, foraging for berries and mushrooms, reading books, cooking and baking and doing physical work in the outdoors.