MY EARLY FAMILY LIFE

I WAS BORN IN A SMALL TOWN CALLED TROY, OHIO. I WENT TO A SMALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WAS I BLOCK AWAY. ONE BOY FROM SCHOOL WOULD TRY TO CHASE ME AFTER SCHOOL AND PUSH HIS WAY INTO MY HOUSE. SO I RAN HOME FROM SCHOOL AND LOCKED THE DOORS. MY FATHER'S FAMILY WAS VERY WEALTHY AS THEY HAD MADE MUCH MONEY FROM A WESTERN STORE THEY OWNED FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS. I WAS RAISED WITH MY BROTHER, 1 YEAR OLDER, AND WE HAD MADE FRIENDS WITH KIDS OUR AGE ON OUR BLOCK AND SEVERAL BLOCKS AWAY. I MET MY BEST FRIEND IN JUNIOR HIGH . IN OUR HOUSE MY UNCLE ALWAYS CAME TO OUR HOUSE FOR SPAGHETTI ON SUNDAY NIGHTS. HE WOULD PLAY POOL AS WE HAD A LARGE POOL TABLE IN OUR LARGE ENTRY ROOM. WE ALSO PLAYED CHESS MY TIMES AND HAD OTHER STRATEGY GAMES. SOMETIMES MY FATHER'S UNCLE CAME OVER TOO. I HARDLY REMEMBER HIM, BUT HE AND HIS WIFE WERE PRETTY MELLOW. MY RELATIVES ON MY FATHER'S SIDE WERE WELL EDUCATED. MY UNCLE HAD A PH D IN CHILD PSYCHOLOGY BUT NEVER GOT MARRIED OR HAD CHILDREN. WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER WE WENT FOR WALKS AT ANTICH AND OTHER NATURE PRESERVES. MY FATHER HAD AN MA IN PSYCHOLOGY. HE AND MY UNCLE AND MOM WORKED AT THEIR FATHER'S STORE. MY MOM WAS AN ACCOUNTANT AND I REMEMBER PLAYING IN THE UPSTAIRS OF THE OLD STORE. WE ALL DRESSED IN COWGIRL AND COWBOY CLOTHES AS THEY SOLD THESE CLOTHES THAT THEY HAD SHIPPED FROM KANSAS. THEY ALSO SOLD HORSE SADDLES AND WESTERN BELTS.

MY PARENTS WERE UNUSUAL AS THEY WERE INTERESTED IN HEATHY LIVING AND HAD INTEREST IN VITAMINS, HEATH FOODS, AND HEALTHY LIVING. MY MOM COOKED GOOD MEALS ON WEEKENDS AND ONCE I WAS OLD ENOUGH I COOKED MEALS ON WEEKDAYS. SOMETIMES MY MOM MADE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD AND THEY WERE PROGRESSIVE FOR THEIR TIME IN OHIO. I TOOK AN INTEREST IN COOKING AND LEARNED HOW TO COOK WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG, AS WELL AS IN HIGH SCHOOL ECONOMICS. WE LIVED IN A 100 YEAR OLD HOUSE THAT WAS NEVER PAINTED THE ENTIRE 16 YEARS THAT I LIVED THERE! MY UNCLE LIVED ONLY 2 HOUSES AWAY AT THE TIME. MY MOM QUIRT WORK FOR 10 YEARS RAISING US. SHE HAD WORKED FOR VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES INCLUDING: BUREAU OF ENTEMOLOGY, TROY COURT HOUSE, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, AND AN AIR FORCE BASE.

I REMEMBER AS A CHILD PLAYING TENNIS ALOT. MY PARENTS DID ALSO.WE HAD A LARGE TOWN PARK BUT NOT MANY RELATIVES OR COUSINS HERE. I LEARNED TO MAKE FRIENDS EASILY. WE ALSO ENJOYED ICE SKATING INSIDE A LARGE RINK AS WEL AS OUTSIDE AT PONDS. THEY HAD PROFESSIONAL SKATING EVENTS. I HAD SOME ROLLERS SKATES AS WELL THAT I LIKED.

WE RARELY WENT TO CHURCH, MY MOM WAS BURNT OUT FROM GOING TO CATHOLIC CHURCH. HOWEVER MY DAD MUST HAVE GONE TO CHURCH AS HE WAS IN THREE CHOIRS. I REMEMBER GOING TO CHURCH ON EASTER AND CHRITMAS. WE VISITED MY MOM'S FAMILY MANY WINTER BREAKS.

I TURNED INTO A TOMBOY AND HAD AN AFFINITY FOR PLAYING OUTDOORS. I JOINED CAMPFIRE GIRLS AND MY MOM FOUND PLACES WHERE I COULD DO ACROBATICS, DANCING, ETC. MY HIGH SCHOOL ART TEACHER THOUGHT I SHOULD BE AN ART TEACHER. I WANTED TO BE A CLOTHES DESIGNER IN HIGH SCHOOL. I USED TO CLEAN UP SEVERAL OF MY UNCLE'S HOUSES AS HE GOT OLDER. MY DAD BECAME A SHOE SALES MAN AS THEIR OLD STORE WENT INTO BANKRUPCY. DAD TOOK US TO A NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN DAYTON AS WE ALL DROVE TO DAYTON IN THE SUMMERS, AND MY MOM GOT A GOVERNMENT JOB THERE. HEALSO TOOK US TO AN ART MUSEUM WHERE WE MADE ALL KINDS OF SCULTURES.