My little brother, LB is a cartoonist. I’ve hired him to do cartoons for me on separate occasions. I think he has a wonderful talent. He’s been published in New York.

My little sister is a wonderful interior decorator. She sews, works in the backyard, entertains the family on holidays, and invents. She and her husband built an adorable (Martha Stewart type) garden shed from their own design and using recycled products from their home. She’s terribly creative and innovative. When she was a teenager, she sent in an idea to a teen magazine and had it published. She also writes beautiful poetry and draws. She’s an uplifting sister. As children we had the normal fights, but now that we’re older we are friends and live close to each other.

She and I have had our moments over dolls and ideas. My whole family runs along the same line of genius, although some of us are more open about it than others. My sister and older brother are more into their jobs than their creativity. My little brother and I are more into our creativity than our work environment. My sister has been on the same job for over 30 years and I have been on 30 jobs in over 30 years; quite a difference in personalities, wouldn’t you say? I’m so proud of her.

Mom paints beautiful pictures of landscapes, birds, seagulls, barns, foliage, and other beautiful pictures. She has tole painted on several pieces of furniture that are still in the family. Mom sews quilts, makes dolls, dollhouses, renews furniture, interior decorates, draws floor plans of houses, designs landscapes, gardens, prepares elaborate dinners for large groups, writes, and creates recipes. You name it, mom does it.

Mom is also a storyteller. She can tell the most beautiful, little stories. She never forgets a detail. She loves to just sit down and tell you about her life as a child and about all of her family.

I always wanted to go into business with mom. I know she’s elderly now but my dream is for she and I to open up a lighthouse beauty shop. In the lighthouse is the elevator to the top where she has her little café where I can also sell my books and her cookbooks. She can sell her famous recipes. She is a fantastic cook. She can bake anything, and keep people happily fed forever. She is a very jovial person and fun to be around.