We had great parents and yes they taught us how to work together and how to play together. As a family, we hauled and sold firewood (I hated that job. It was hard, dirty work); we were caretakers of the Iona Cemetery, (I didn’t mind that job. I rode a riding lawnmower and got a suntan). We mowed our lawn and other people’s lawns. And we cleaned the house, sometimes. I remember one Saturday in the spring, the ward had a mother/daughter activity.

I really wanted to go and see my friends and enjoy the luncheon. It was a beautiful day so Ann and I went out to play. Mom told us, if we didn’t get the house cleaned we would not be going to the activity. Well, I had heard that before and we always seemed to go, so I ignored her and continued to play outside. When it was time for the party, I went in and said, “let’s go”. Mom said, “No.” We didn’t get to go. I was heartbroken. I learned later that mom was heartbroken also. She really wanted to go and enjoy time with her friends. She taught me a valuable lesson that day. Even though I was quite young, I learned that our choices do have consequences. I also learned that when mom said something, she meant it.
Mom & dad taught us to work hard and they worked at our side twice as hard as we worked. Sometimes I wasn’t a very hard worker. I remember faking being sick to get out of hauling wood, but then I felt guilty. I don’t ever remember having my parents intentionally giving me a guilt trip, but I would feel guilty knowing they were working hard doing my job also. 

I also remember going into my room to clean and twirling around spraying the Pledge then twirling around with a rag to dust, of course never touching the furniture. 

The only part of working at the cemetery that I didn’t enjoy was two weeks after Memorial Day, when we had to pick up all the flowers. The water in the pots was disgustingly stinky and I was little. When I attempted to throw them in the truck the water would spill on me and I became stinky also. Maybe that’s why dad called me his little stinker. Actually, he called me that before we started working at the cemetery. 

Yes we were taught to work hard, but sometimes I worked hard getting out of work.