Chapter III - Home, Hearth, and Health
The home life that I shared with my baby sister was the envy of most people that we came into contact within this little place of Americana that we grew up in. I had a dedicated, hardworking, educated, and rugged outdoorsman kind of father that would rather eat glass than beat his kids or hurt his wife. My mother, my incredibly beautiful mother who passed her genes onto my sister with one slight exception: Both of my parents had brown hair and while my father had green eyes, I am still trying to figure out where in our ancestry did my sweet Ashley gain her bottomless blue eyes and golden hair?
It was not that we were well-off, we were standard middle class, comfortable, but had the affection and encouragement of two parents who loved each other. This deep association between my parents was a prime positive influence that psychologists in this day and age have forgot is the best forum to raise a family. So jaded are mental health professionals today that actual successful domestic units are the exception rather than the rule. We were without the need of professional intervention and of course, without the subsequent unnecessary billing that would be invoked upon us if we followed the basic screwed-up norm. The extra money unspent to try to level out and maintain wild children simply went to doing things that families have been doing for years. Namely, we went camping, fishing, and to amusement parks. Still, as an adult myself, I have to believe that with all the extra goodies and attention my parents provided to my sister and me, they still saved a buck or two for themselves for that romantic dinner and the sly acknowledgement that some quack with more sheepskins than brains would not be receiving regular payments due to their emotionally disturbed offspring. Alas, we were young. What I know at the time is that my little sister and I were loved, clothed, fed, and shown that we were wanted. I loved my folks and showed my deep-felt appreciation in return, however, my deepest warmth was always reserved for Ashley.