Sis, you are one hundred percent correct. mom never made us do anything she wasn't doing right beside us, indeed, we even had to insist that she take a break when she would start having trouble breathing. I remember mike and I making deals with her that we would stay outside for another half hour or however many more loads of dirt if she would pack it in and go inside and rest.
I've outworked guys twice my size for twice as long in the worst kind of conditions without complaint up here(I worked construction for YEARS up here) and I've earned the respect of bosses and subordinates alike because of the work ethic I learned from mom. I don't regret it a bit, and you are right it was some of the best times growing up. But when I remember, and I reach back in time and touch that time and that place....