Thursday Thirteen

The Me Edition!

1. I was Born on November 17th in Massachusetts.

2. I weighed 9 pounds and 1 ounce, and I was 23 inches long. My mother swears that this nearly killed her, as she was barely 5 feet tall!

3. I was my sisters first baby! She was five and a half years old, and she was so happy to have a little sister. Truth be told, I am lucky to have her!

Melodie and her baby, little sister, Maribeth.

4. My appendix ruptured just before my fourth birthday. I wasn’t scared at all. I did not like the Ether, but I did get twice the gifts for my birthday that year! One I remember quite well was “Digger The Dog”. This may explain my love for long dogs! In my life I have almost always had a dog. And at this point, I think I always will.

5. I was the youngest child to perform in our community theaters version of The King and I. What I remember the most is showering after the shows and watching the make-up and the spray in black hair color wash down the drain.

That’s me, the third from the left right out in front.

6. I remember JFK’s assassination because I was home from school with tonsillitis. I was lying on the sofa with my pillow and blanket and Mom was watching her soap operas, when the news came on. Mom was so upset and at 5 years old, I wasn’t really sure what was happening, but I knew it wasn’t good.

7. When I was 8, I won the much coveted role as Gretl in the community theaters version of “The Sound of Music”. I had memorized all the music from the record, and I loved singing it. I recall a large tryout, and then the announcement was made. I was Gretl in the first cast. In fact, after the play debuted, I was even mentioned in the review of the play. Not bad for a little kid.

8. I loved growing up near the beach and spent a lot of time down there. Actually my whole family loved being therre, with the exception of my father, who burned very quickly, so he almost never went with us.

9. My cousin, Janet and I rode our bikes all over Falmouth. When they came down to Falmouth from Billerica, Uncle George always brought their bikes and off we went. One day we rode all the way to the Bourne Bridge and then rode over. Oh my goodness! It was so windy, that I admit to walking the bike back over on the way back! But Janet and I sure had a great time riding everywhere on our bikes!

Me and my much loved cousin and best friend, Janet!

10. I was a pretty good student until I reached High School. I seemed to lose it then, and although I graduated just fine, I wish I could go back and really work hard to get the grades I know I could have gotten!

11. I sort of played the flute. Okay before you ask, how I sort of played the flute, I will tell you. I had a mild case of dyslexia, which made it impossible for me to learn to read music. But I loved music. What happened was, for me a sort of miracle! Once I heard the music once I could either play it on the flute (or sing it in the choir). But to this day, the ability to read music eludes me.

12. I love to cook. Okay, that is no surprise to most of you, but what you may not know, is that way back when I was married to my first husband, I was a terrible cook. I could barely boil water! I once actually made meatloaf and put chunks of hotdog in it! I shudder now, but well, I guess you have to start somewhere. By the time I married Jack, I had a better idea of what I was doing, and no one was forced to eat experimental cooking that involved ground beef and hotdogs!

13. I think being an Oma (grandmother) is the best thing in the entire world! When I learned that Mandy was expecting Savannah I cried with happiness, and each day since Savannah’s arrival has been filled with joy. And then we were so blessed with the arrival of Quinn, and I cannot remember what life was like before them! They bring smiles to me each day of my life. And I know that it just doesn’t get any better than this.

My daughter, Mandy, Matt and their beautiful children, Savannah and Quinn! My loves, my life!