I've shoveled snow, cut lawns, carried papers, and caddied in 90+F temperatures with 90%+ humidity. The money I earned went towards food, shelter, and clothing -- as did the money my siblings earned too. I worked my way through Catholic high school washing dishes, cleaning the gym floor, and stuff like that. I remember that in grade school we would sometimes get leftovers from the convent of nuns who ran the school.

We got a new pair of shoes once a year; other clothes were hand-me-downs from other kids. My mother would NEVER accept state aid or welfare other than Social Security survivor's benefits and, later, some money from the VA.

We were never poor, somehow. Times were just always hard, but we had a roof (that my father built before he died when I, the oldest, was five), food, heat, clothing of some sort. At a minimum there were six of us living in that house at the same time...and it had one bathroom and it was NOT large.

But my mother saw all four of her children graduate from college and me receive a Master's degree, her three sons marry, she had two grandsons she met before she died, and even took some college courses herself "just to see if I could do it."

The wolf was always at the door, but we killed and ate him instead of feeding him.