Twelve Things

Oh dear; I can't explain how it happened that it's been so much longer than I intended before posting again.  My only excuse is that it's been a much busier summer than I expected, in a very good way for the most part. 

One of my brothers had a very severe accident and that took a bite out of my time and energy (he's well on the way to recovery now after a pretty scary few days); the delightful Kara is a constant draw for this doting Oma; there's yard work without end this year; and all kinds of birthdays and other enjoyable family events mean hours spent with people I love ... and less time to write.

So, just for fun, here are twelve things you might not have known about me, unless you're one of my siblings. 

1. I am the oldest in my family of origin.

2. I have two sisters and three brothers.

3. My sisters and I are only thirteen months apart, which says something amazing about how well my mother coped with babies so close together.

4. I was ten years old before I knew my name.  That's a topic for another post but let me reassure you that it's not as bad as it sounds .

5. I spoke German only as a child and had to learn English on the fly, as it were, when I started school at six years old - no kindergarten in the town where we lived then.

6. I was a straight A student, until I encountered high school Math and Physics.

7. I've visited Germany and parts of Europe four times.

8. Beyond my parents, siblings and their families, and my own family, I have no relatives in Canada - no aunts, uncles, cousins - although some have come to Canada to visit from time to time.

9. I hold a preMasters degree in English literature and planned to become a high school English teacher.  But that changed and I still appreciate the degree because it inspired my love of writing.

10. I have raised four amazing children (with a little help from "the Squire," of course).

11. I'm the proud Oma of four wonderful grandchildren.

 12. My oldest grandchild is 13 years old and the youngest is now three months old.