by Katie Ouilette

Faithful readers, WALLS just looked down at the footstool in front of the chair that is placed at the window from which we can watch the birds at the bird feeder or from which we got a surprise the other day when a young deer appeared. Yes, the birdfeeder had a visitor. Then, another surprise came our way a few days later. We had a new visitor by way of a woodchuck! It was more interested in sleeping on a big rock that trims our backyard. Unfortunately, we have seen neither one since.

Well, WALLS, it is time to get back to the footstool. There was a headline about ‘How we see the poor’ and you read it, but I’m about to step into this discussion. You faithful readers know that I am now 87 years young, but, admittedly, I was a Depression baby, born in 1930. I guess people had already jumped out of their office windows in New York City when my birthdate came along, but, WALLS, I know what it was to live during those hard times, even as a growing baby. Now, we all read today about people in Maine getting older, but I’m now going to take you, faithful readers, back to the days of poor folks. Granted, some people are truly poor-in-spirit (even the rich folks, so to speak), but WALLS, tell folks about what poor meant during that era of Depression in the USA.

You’ve told faithful readers about living in a three-family house (grandparents, my mom and dad and me). And you’ve told about my mom’s working in the, then, selectmen’s office, in Skowhegan, and giving food orders to folks and their pay-back ten-cents at a time and grocers carrying ‘folks names on a tab,’ also waiting for payback.

But, WALLS, it is time to tell what you learned about poverty. Yes, you’ve already spoken about lots of money sometimes leading to depression, but in those days of The Depression, there was a town nurse. The schools had a doctor and health examination days. Insurance? Well, folks had life insurance and some of you faithful readers may remember the insurance man collecting 50 cents at your house every week. Kids worehand-me-downs and only the older kids got ‘new clothes’. Lunch at chool? Well, if you were lucky enough to be poor! Otherwise, school lunch happened to be what was put in your lunch bucket! Credit cards? WALLS, our faithful readers must to told there was no such thing for shopping and every day the word was “saving.” We wereurged to save, save, save our pennies, which were, in our house, kept in a jar. Yes, some of us did get a reward for ‘whatever’ was important to parents. Y’know, WALLS, I was rewarded for eating everything on my plate…scraping the plate clean! I learned so well, I still scrape my plate!

Well, faithful readers, there probably will be more about growing up during the Depression, but if anyone considers the family poor, it would be wise to think about those days of the 1930s and live with leftovers and without credit cards.

by Katie Ouilette

WALLS, this just has to be ‘summer celebration time’ throughout Maine! Faithful readers, you surely have had a lot of reading to do with The Town Line and every newspaper telling about a celebration for something in towns throughout our grand state of Maine.

Yes, thanks, too, to our television stations telling us about each one at some time of the day. Certainly, we can begin with Portland and the Tall Sails Regatta. You know. WALLS, that it was also identified as a ‘learning experience. So Portland can be praised for teaching, as well.

Driving to Central Maine, one could also learn at Skowhegan’s Kneading Conference. That event surely has grown from its start at the parking lot of Federated Church on The Island. Now, the Kneading Conference has its new locale at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds. Yes, WALLS, the, now, Tewksbury Hall, behind the Federated Church, welcomed folks to the pancake breakfast, which was held at that hall on August 5. Now, WALLS, add to all that daytime and evening chicken events hosted by Skowhegan Lions, the widely anticipated lobster dinner by Skowhegan Rotarians, the bed races, animal zoo, bands playing, and Sally’s School of Dance performing, plus the long-awaited parade. Then there was a golf tournament at Lakewood Golf Course.

Oh, WALLS, surely there is much more activity for all ages on the River Fest program that everyone received by way of Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce.

But, maybe you who are on the road north, will soon find that Aroostook County is about to celebrate the Maine Potato Festival. Whatever your time or calendar allow, The Town Line says “ENJOY”!

Yes, WALLS, you are so right. Our summer seems to have been short, but certainly, not so short that planning has taken place since last year’s events. Do you faithful readers know how much planning goes into these events? You, WALLS, know very well how many of us have said that, as long as I am ‘fine’ from the shoulders up, I will be o.k., and I still say it. Oh, there’s no question that Lyme Disease has taken its toll, and certainly I’ve visited Skowhegan’s Redington-Fairview General Hospital a couple times, but I can still hear, think right, and talk! Oh, well, I may not play the game, but I can ride in the golf cart and see Lew’s golf ball……and he sure can hit it a long way!

Hmmm, not bad for two old duffers at 90 and 87 years young, respectively! Yup, Skowhegan State Fair will begin and we’ll see you there!