Outhouse in the middle of nowhere

"What are you talking about!!! I used to have to walk 2 hours in the freezing cold of winter through 5 feet of snow to get to school." It seems every parent has one of these trump cards up their sleeve to lay on a child when in need. I've got my trump card.. Do you?

When we moved to the mountains to build our house in the middle of nowhere, my parents thought it was a good idea to buy a small trailer to live in while my father finished the house. When I say the middle of nowhere, I mean it. One hour to the nearest store, one hour to school, one hour to the nearest hospital, and our nearest neighbor was more than a mile away!!

Our trailer had no electricity or water. We had to go with buckets to the stream every morning to fill up the small water tank, which was just enough to wash the dishes. My father built an outhouse about 20 steps away from the trailer. I still remember the fear I had going in that thing at night, the monsters that lived deep within that pit. At night we had a kerosene lamp that gave us light and warmth.

We of course spent as much time as we could outside, there was always something to do. When it got dark though, the four of us would make our way inside our humble abode. There wasn't much room to move around. I remember counting about five 11 year old steps from one side to the other.

We lived there for about 8 months until moving into our home. I will never forget those 8 months! For me it was 8 months of camping, and I love camping!! I remember a feeling of excitement over moving into my own new room, which was of course bigger than the whole camper. I also remember a feeling of sadness though, leaving that small womb that helped us bond so much as a family. I will never forget the sound of the kerosene lamp burning, the smell of breakfast being cooked a few feet from my head, the feel of the ice cold water from the snow runoff, but most of all, the family all being together.

The trailer does mostly bring back good memories, but a trump card is a trump card!! When my little ones complain about their living quarters or the like I always got this one up my sleeve.