CHAPTER 2
I never had siblings growing up (yes, I know I mentioned that before, but bear with me). Mom and Dad were already fairly old by the time I came around. Having both come from academic lifestyles in the past, they were ready to retire rural, and they brought me along for the ride.
I didn’t feel lonely growing up. We had goats, sheep, several dozen chickens, and acres of woods to explore. There was never a shortage of things to do, since my parents were one-hundred percent devoted to subsistence living. By that I mean summers were spent growing all the food we’d need for the winter; falls were filled with canning, blanching, and freezing; and if we couldn’t buy or make or grow it local, we learned to do without.
Books were the only exception, and after years of conscience wrangli
