Greta Lyles:  

drive so I came home and stayed for a while so Dale could train the boys to drive. One stayed on the truck so my stay at home lengthened. We only had a camp, up on top and a large tent called a Yurt which was fine when you are only home 4 days every 5 weeks. I was fine in it but it did get cool when the temp dropped. We put in a wood burner and cut lots of wood. I spent my days keeping warm. Really it wasn't bad. I got to catch up on my reading. Dale ended a truck lease the first of December that year and came home for a month. Life was too hard for me, he decided, so we bought a little 46' trailer and had it put in down below in the hollar by the branch. That's where we are now. I am at home and Dale drives. We can't leave the place empty or the locals might strip the place for copper wire and siding to make fighting chicken shelters. Three dogs and 2 cats later I had to make a choice to go back to work part time here. Dale now gets home almost every weekend and I got part time working at Dollar General stocking shelves. The District Manager decided I would be a good addition to his road team and at one time we were working 7 days a week, 10 hours a day then adding in our drive time. It was too much at my age. I learned what I could about merchandising and moved on to 3 companies that go into stores and do jobs the stores don't want to do. Its all part time but that's more than I need sometimes. All in all I am happy. I leave everyone else's story for them to tell. Yes its a poorer harder life than any of my friends would choose but this is us. I know many good people that are living separate lives with their spouses, not unhappy but nothing in common except the bills. Unwilling to lose their "things", they stay with people they are not passionate about. I don't see Dale that much but we are both working for a common goal and we talk constantly. Thank goodness for cell phones! He will come home soon and we have a lifetime of work here. I couldn't imagine any other way of life for us. So to end here is a quote I really like. "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Good-bye." quote by Anonymous For anyone that has read to the end, I wish you enough!