Chapter 30 - Pa Declares "It Can't Beat Us"

I often ask myself, "How did Laura Ingalls Wilder get through hard times?"  The Ingalls family didn't lack challenges.  There were monotonous days and stagnate menus of coarse, brown bread.  During this period of self-quarantine, I decided to reread The Long Winter to discover - What Would Laura Do?

Chapter 30 - "It Can't Beat Us"

Chapter 30 begins with Laura describing her bleak days of wheat grinding, hay twisting, and shivering.  She is giving up.  "She felt beaten by the cold and the storms.  She knew she was dull and stupid but she could not wake up."  (I easily rewrote Laura's sentence to apply to myself.  Prairie Eydie felt beaten by monotonous weeks and teenagers binge watching Hell's Kitchen.  She knew she was regressing and listless but she could not wake up and take charge of her house.)

I think Millie is judging me for wearing pajamas as clothes - again.  

Now that distance "learning" is over, my days have a predictable rhythm.  Instead of grinding wheat, my endless task is clearing off kitchen counters.  I don't twist hay, but I continuously nag my kids to close cupboard doors and get off their screens.   Collagen infused green smoothies replace coarse brown bread.  Instead of crawling into bed with Mary, I curl up with my cat, Millie.  Millie, like Mary, can be very judgmental. 

Laura reveals she is no longer studying her lessons.  She used to study with the dream of becoming a teacher to pay for Mary's college education.  Ma is no longer hosting competitions involving Bible verse or long-winded speeches.  This is no surprise since side effects of extreme malnutrition is tiredness and a lack of energy. 

When the self-quarantine first started, my daughter and I sketched together daily.  I also frequently played Scrabble with my boys and we watched bird documentaries together.  Art lessons and Scrabble stopped happening weeks ago.  I ran out of mental energy to coordinate group activities.  Now my kids and I watch reruns of Survivor on Hulu.  Not very educational unless you want to learn how to throw someone under the bus or start a fire using flint.

Once again - Pa's stubborn "Pioneer Spirit" saves the day.

The Ingalls have survived to the end of March.  Pa says, "We're outwearing it.  It hasn't got much more time.  March is nearly gone.  We can last longer than it can."  Ma remarks that the wheat is holding out.  

LIW skips ahead to April.  She realizes her readers can't take more chapters of blizzards and hay twisting. Pa is giving his monthly pep talk to his listless family.  

Pa:  It can't beat us!

Laura:  Can't it, Pa?

Pa:  No.  It's got to quit sometime and we don't.  It can't lick us.  We won't give up.

Pa's talk gives Laura a glimmer of hope and warmth.  Evening progresses as usual with Laura eating coarse bread, heading upstairs to bed, and shivering until she falls asleep.

Chinook winds feature the rapid appearance of dry, warm winds on the side of mountain ranges.

In the middle of the night, Laura notices some glorious happenings.  The wind is blowing without howls or shrieks and she hears a strange liquid sound.  The dark feels warmer.  Suddenly, everything clicks in Laura's mind.  "Pa!  Pa!  The Chinook is blowing!" Laura calls aloud.  

When the family gets out of bed they see the eaves are dripping and the snow is nearly gone.  Winter is over.  Again, LIW is speeding everything along to finish the book. The Long Winter was painful for her to write since she needed to relive her family's hardships.  I want to fast forward to the Pandemic's end.  I want to write in coffee shops, lick my fingers to open those plastic produce bags, hug my friends, and smell scented candles in the store.

Chapter 30 concludes beautifully with Laura saying nothing because she is too happy.  Pa and Ma are joking around and it is too warm to sit by the cookstove.  Finally, things are looking up for the Ingalls. 

What Would Laura Do?:

• Listen to motivational speeches
• Feel hopeful, no matter how dire the situation
• Be still and enjoy happy family moments

See you soon for Chapter 31 - "Waiting for the Train."

Prairie Eydie