Ms. Laube began by describing the effect of new war regulations on farmers, particularly the paper work involved. She then described methods of coping with shortages and rationing, including pooling resources, making clothes, and substituting ingredients. During the war, Ms. Laube and her husband were living in an unfinished, unheated house with no running water on her father-in-law's property. Ms. Laube described how she managed the housework and child rearing, and the division of work between her and her husband.
While her husband was never drafted, several of their friends were, and Ms. Laube recalled following the war in the newspapers, and exchanging letters with friends and relatives who served. She also corresponded regularly with several refugee families, particularly in Czechoslovakia. In addition, Ms. Laube described the difficulties of getting adequate education for her sons in the rural school system, and the frustration of constantly dealing with bureaucracies, particularly in order to get ration coupons. She then discussed the various volunteer activities, including Homemaker's Extension, and the ways that World War II changed women's expectations and opportunities for working outside the home. Ms. Laube discussed the benefits of living in rural areas, particularly in terms of her family's interest in the outdoors. The interview concluded with a comparison between World War II and the Vietnam War.
