Of course in england you have to be prepared for anything, it's a good idea
to carry a shovel as well, in case you have to dig yourself out of the snow.
;-)

I agree with everything you said; most of it applies here also (except
our trailer house was a bit bigger--12x60! And it was not in Alaska)
Ditto the broken washer--it would have meant either going to the
laundry or charging a new one on a credit card.
We'll never be rich either, but we have managed to stay debt-free since
empty nest. That's practically rich compared to our life 15 years ago.

Sherry
Sherry

Most of us could get by with less than we now think we need.  After all,
when I was growing up, there was no such thing as a personal computer or a
microwave.  I guess there was air conditioning, but not in private homes,
unless the owners were rich.  My family didn't own a TV until after I was
married, although my grandmother was given one as a retirement gift when I
was in high school.  She lived around the corner from us, and we would go
over twice a week to watch a few shows.  My husband and I didn't get a TV
until we'd been married for over six months.

We never lived in a trailer, but our first apartment wasn't much bigger than
one.  My parents spent the first few years of their lives living in a
basement in the San Juaquin Valley (California).  That's farming country,
and gets extremely hot in the summer and cold enough to freeze diapers on
the line in the winter.  The basement had no utilities, not even running
water.  In fact, it didn't even have a house on top of it.  My Dad was
building the house, and they moved in when the basement was finished.  When
he finally finished the house, they sold it and moved to Los Angeles.

What part of Alaska did you live in, Jo?  My mother and sister currently
live in Valdez.  They moved there, along with my brother-in-law and niece,
when my mother, a native Californian, was 80.

Joy

Jo, this reminds me of a thread on rec.food.cooking about the "old days"
when people had ice-boxes instead of refrigerators.  You know, sometimes I
think things were so much easier then; no moving parts, no freon to worry
about recharging or leaking into the atmosphere.  Once upon a time, milk,
butter and eggs were delivered to your door.  Once upon a time, bread was
delivered (or your mom or grandmother baked it fresh, without the use of a
machine).  Once upon a time, in a small town far, far, away, there was a
corner drugstore with a soda fountain; that's where you picked up your
newspaper.  Once upon a time, there was a corner green grocer and a meat
market.  Once upon a time...

I was born in the wrong time.  But I lived in that small town which time
seems to have forgotten, and in this other place where there are murders and
rapes and all sorts of horrible things.  I appreciate your time and
memories, Jo.  This era, where I live, is much too scary.  I'd love to go
back.

Jill