Page 23 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Chapter Three

The homestead where he grew up is the house where we
all live. It’s nothing fancy, painted white with green trim. Two
storeys tall, three bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room. There’s
a tiny new bathroom with a bathtub and a flushing toilet. Before
I was born everyone had to use the stinky outhouse. We still use
it when we’re playing outside. I hate it. I don’t like to wipe my
bum with the magazines. They’re stiff and they hurt.
My three brothers, Jimmy, Frankie and Billy, used to have
to bathe in the big silver metal wash tub. We don’t have enough
water on our farm so we need to haul it from our cousin’s farm a
few miles away. I love going with Daddy in the big water truck
because I really love to see my cousins. I like to play house with
them and help Aunty Liz give baby Lana a bath in the pink
plastic tub. She even lets me put on the baby powder. It smells
so sweet!
Because we don’t have a lot of water, we only get one bath
per week. Mommy runs two baths for the seven of us. We can
never have very much water in the tub. I’m lucky because Vian
and I always get to go first.
Outside of the bathroom is one sink. Above it is a medicine
chest with a mirror on it. It’s too tall for me to see but my big
brothers always fight over it. They have to comb their hair and
pop their icky zits every day before the school bus comes.
Every winter morning, Daddy heaps coal into the black
potbellied furnace in our kitchen. Then Vian and I rush in,
carrying our clothes for the day. We dress so fast in front of the
stove. If not our skin freezes instantly!
When it starts to get really cold outside, our bed is moved
into my parents’ bedroom. Vian and I sleep together. My very
favourite thing about winter is sleeping in Mommy and Daddy’s
room. It’s the only reason I look forward to winter. Just for that. I
love it so much! It means we can all be together. Cozy and warm.

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