June 26th, 1965.
I was born 1 year and 23 days after my brother Tim. 23 days too late to be called Irish twins.
My first few years were a blur. My younger brother Tom was born when I was 2 1/2.
HORSES
My first time on a horse was at my Grandma and Grandpa O'briens house in Covina, California. They had the coolest place. a large bee's nest in the barn, an apple tree in the back and a jar of hard candies way up on a shelf that you had to climb on the counters to get to it.
Every time we visited I got to ride a horse.
When I was 8 1/2 my parents bought me a horse named Charlie.
I would go on rides in the neighborhood. He bucked me off once and it was a hard fall. One day I was brushing him and he didn't want to be brushed. I put some hay out to distract him. He was not happy with me, turned his head and bit me in the stomach.
My dad had just gotten home with his newly stringed guitar and he ran over and whacked charlie on the back to get him away from me. The next day he was gone. My mom and Dad said they gave him away but my brothers hinted it had something to do with glue or dog food. Either way, owning my own horse was short lived.
GYMNASTICS
I begged my mom for years to let me take gymnastics lessons. In the 7th grade I finally got to go to Almaden Valley Gymnastics club. I moved up to competing that year and did pretty good. In 1978 they had 4 competitive levels. Level 4 was where I started. It was basic compulsory routines.
Then I moved to Class 3 which was harder and then Class 2 which had optionals and compulsory routines. That meant I had to perform both types of routines on balance beam, Uneven Bars, Floor exercise, and vault. Compulsory routines were created by USAGymnastics and the optional portion was created by each Gymnast for themselves. It was so fun. I loved hanging out at the Gym. I loved to tumble across the floor. I had a great coach who was very kind and great friends on my team. My favorite meet was near Reno Nevada and we got to stay at the circus circus hotel.
I also competed on the high school team at the same time at Almaden Valley club team.
This is my friend Rhonda.We moved up the team ranks together.
This in me on the Vault at a high school meet.
This is the high school group yearbook picture. Most of the girls were really nice but some of the older girls were mean.
And this is me on the uneven parallel bars.
Maybe I could have been a famous Pianist, maybe not.
I could handle a gun like any true cowgirl.
and the best swimming pool in the neighborhood.
I loved learning to fish in Alaska.
I did not love touching the fish.
