Life with my mother and her sisters-five of them was a time of frequent laughter, excitement and joy all in the lives of women who lived through two wars, the great depression, poverty and a young limited medical profession. I looked for what kept those women happy, found what I already knew. They directed their lives toward a constant state of grace. They were vigilant, frequently warned in the confessional about the possibility of sudden death with stained soul going straight to hell. There were visits to the confessional for forgiveness of sins, and for a renewal of spirit that directed them to keep their children in the state of grace. They were vigilant, and in most home in those times there was an ongoing state of war between the generations, with cruelty toward a wayward child. This novel is the story of my relearning what I already knew.