Same here Eddie, I wouldn't change a thing.
When my father died, I was 8 and he was only 40. Because he died on the job at The Brooklyn Navy Yard, it was a big deal and a government job didn't leave my mother out in the cold. We got Social Security till we were 18, which really helped. Later in life my mother got taken care of pretty well because of my hater's job. In her 60s and 70s, she had more money than I did. lol

My mother only worked part time bookkeeping. She had a lot of experience working in offices over the years. She was a Navy wife. She went with my father wherever he was stationed.
The biggest thing was that my Grandmother owned the house we lived in. They bought it sometime in the 30s for 2500 dollars.

Later my father and my grandfather put in central heat. It was one big happy working family. Then my grandfather and father passed away and it was just me and my mom. My grandmother was my second mother. Without her my Mother couldn't work. We had a good life and were very close.

My mother encouraged music in me. No one else did. There was no music in school. She bought me a little Organ and music books that she liked. It was bittersweet. She had me learn all the songs that she and my father loved. I'd play them for her and....she’d cry. It was hard trying to understand she was happy when she was crying.
It was her love of music, and she loved music, all kinds of music that got me into it.
She exposed me to every kind of music there was, except jazz.
Our home was filled with music while my friend’s houses were full of screaming. They were probably happy, but I think we were happier.

And you're right. I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything, even with my father dying when I was so little.
As far as I was concerned we were rich. We had music and we ate a lot of cake.

So I'll have to change my answer to, "I was privileged" Money wasn't everything.

She spoiled me and I got fat...lol
Wayne,

(I know, a very sappy story, but I think we all miss the way things were)

"My Music Page"