On the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Oh Pa, what is with you and your complete inability to just hang out and be happy. Yes you were living at Plum Creek for like 2 years (which is like 100 years in Pa time) and yes your poor poor family has sufferd horribly during that time - let us not forget the horrifying grasshopper incident, also random fires, the evil Nellie and most tragic of all, the scarlett fever epidemic that left Mary blind. I mean, wow, that family has had a rough couple of years. But you have a house! Animals! You live near town! You are creek and plum tree adjacent!
But you know Pa, he is restless, so when Aunt Docia stops by and invites Pa to immediately sell their house and come west to work on the railroad he agrees. Despite the fact that he is now forcing his family (recently recovered from scarlett fever) to sell their crap and move again. Also let us not forget that he is leaving NOW, so Ma has to care for Mary (blind), Laura (helpful but headstrong), Carrie (peaked) and Grace (baby) all by herself on the train! But, they do it anyway and get to live in a shanty on the shores of Silver Lake.
Then some good news, they get to move into the surveyors house which is fancy and full of food. So for one happy winter they get to have food and warm and safe. Then Pa finds a homestead, builds a building in town and mows a crap ton of hay ably assisted by Laura. And she meets Alamanzo and likes his horses.
It seems like things are looking up. I wonder what happens next...
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