Christie's It!

Five “fun and interesting” (you be the real judge) about me:

1. Family lore had it that we were related to the famous “Hoosier Poet” James Whitcomb Riley (pictured). Over many get togethers and holiday meals this piece of ancestral trivia was trotted out and he was credited with conferring upon me my interest in writing. Then, my aunt became interested in genealogy and to our dismay discovered we are not related to Riley. However, we are descended from a man registered with the first name of “Punkin.”

2. I knew my husband and I were made for each other when we discovered that both of our mothers had refinished the family pianos in antique green. Don’t you think we have to be the only couple in the universe with green pianos in the family? Lucky for us, we have our very own (non-green) piano and so are able to graciously turn down the offer of taking over one of theirs at some future date.

3. My maiden name consists of three simple letters, but it was the bane of my growing-up years. Though many friends have kept their own surnames when they married, or at least use them as a middle name, I was ecstatic to wave mine buh-bye for good (sorry, Dad). But you can’t know the pain of sitting through years of roll being called, knowing that there’ll be the pause, the squint, the mangled pronunciation and then the surprise when the short caucasian girl answered “here,” to however they decided to say “Yeo.” Yup. That is my maiden name. It’s Welsh. It’s weird. Of course, my mother didn’t have a say in taking on her husband’s name (choosing not to wasn’t done in her time), but I have to admit she was probably happy to become a Yeo after spending her childhood with the last name of…Beaver.

4. One of my very best friends from high school is the current governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm. She was just re-elected Tuesday night! I visited her at the “Governor’s Summer Residence” on Mackinac Island and now hope for a repeat. Sophomore year, I was assigned “New Girl,” and asked to show her around on the first day of school. As she was blonde and incredibly beautiful I should have hated her on sight. Not so! She was warm and fun and smart and hasn’t changed in any of that over the years.

5. I’m on pins and needles about Kate’s Monday announcement regarding the Amercan Title II contest. (Does that count as fun and interesting about me?) Well, anyway, I am. So I’m stretching across the weekend and tagging Kate. You’re it! Tell us five things fast and then all about the contest.