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The house in Thunder Bay, Ont. I grew up in was no bigger than 900 square feet, plus a semi-developed basement where my brother and I slept in the same bedroom and yakked, told ridiculous jokes, played chess or table hockey, and made up imaginary stories until we drifted off each night.

There were two bedrooms upstairs — one for my parents, another for my sister — along with one bathroom (a sink, a bathtub and toilet).

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In the basement there was an additional toilet and a laundry tub that, as I recall, served as a second sink for us boys.

The main part of the house had a living room and small kitchen with eating area. Outside, our backyard was flooded every winter for a skating rink.

A garage? Nope.

But after my parents had taken us on a three-year journey across Canada in a trailer — an adventure around every corner! — the little house they settled down in seemed like a slice of heaven.

Our neighbours’ houses were no larger.