A museum had acquired a pioneer house and needed someone to live in it to keep vandals away. I fit the bill to occupy the house.

The house had electricity and an indoor toilet, but I had to cut and tote my own wood. Keeping the house warm in the winter was a challenge. So too was cooking on a wood stove.

I wouldn’t go back to those pioneer times of 150 years ago, regardless of how idyllic we paint them.