I was born on a cold, fall November evenin' in 1946, in Springfield, MO. It was almost midnight by the time I arrived (11:58pm). Mom and Dad welcomed me with open arms. I had a sister, 6 year old Sandra and a 1 year old brother, Danny, when I came into the world.

As a young child, I had lots of little friends. Some of my friends in the neighborhood were Karen, Jody, Danny, Donnie, Calvin, Jeanie, Betsy, Glen David, and Phyllis.

When I was 'bout 3 or 4, my dad worked on B-47 bombers as an airplane mechanic. He and the pilot flew over our home while they tested his work and 'tipped the wings' to "say howdy" and let me know they could see me on the ground below. That was an awesome sight for a 3 or 4 year old; to see that huge plane not too high in the sky, and know her dad was up there in it!

When I was 4, I remember helpin' my dad plant 4 mimosa trees in the same spot in our front yard. We inter-twinded them together to make one tree. I felt very big helpin' my dad plant those trees (ya know, those trees are still planted there at the little house we rented).

We raised registered cocker spaniels for a local pet shop. One afternoon, Dad had taken a litter of pups out in the back yard and I heard them squealin' all of a sudden. I ran back to the back yard and Dad 'was cuttin' their tails'. I was so upset, but Dad explained to me that's what they did to the few day old cocker pups. That's how they got their 'short tails'.

I also remember, 'makin' mud pies' for our postman. Every day or so, I'd go out to my special place and create the mud pies. When the postman came, he'd take the pies with a pleasant smile on his face each time. Ah, the fun filled days I had, 'fore I went to grade school.

I entered the first grade at Teft Elementary, Tuesday after Labor Day, the fall of 1952. Mrs Hallam was my 1st grade teacher. Mrs. Irvin was my teacher in 2nd grade. Mrs Snyder was my 3rd grade teacher. In 4th grade, it was Mrs Shook. My 5th grade teacher was Mrs Laney. In 6th grade, Mrs. Reed was my teacher.

I attended Eastwood Jr. High School in Springfield, MO my seventh grade.

I went to El Paso, Texas the second week of my eighth grade (1959), to stay with my Aunt Vivian, Uncle Howard and my cousin James. My Uncle Howard was a Sargent 1st Class in the Army, and stationed at Fort Bliss, TX. I attended Burges Intermediate School (same as Jr. High or Middle School) off post, while my cousin went to Burges High School. Uncle Howard didn't think too highly of the schools on post. My cousin James and I got up at 5:30am each school day and caught the school bus at 6:50 am, along with other kids that lived on post, but attended school off post. There were 5 large bus stops on post 'fore we pulled into the bus stop area at Burges, 1 1/3 hours and 15 miles later.

That school semester I lived in El Paso, TX with my aunt, uncle, and cousin will 'always be extra special memories' for me!! The family life they furnished there, it was the very best!!

I met a very dear friend (Shirley Weir - Cassidy, and we're still friends today) at the church where my uncle was the choir director. Goodness, that was 46 years last September, 2005! It sure doesn't seem that long ago!!

I got my first experience mountain climbin' in El Paso, TX! I talked my Aunt Vivian into lettin' my cousin James take me on a mountain climbin'exposition on a Saturday mornin', and climb "Mount Franklin" (tallest peak in El Paso, over 2,200 feet above sea level). For a 12 year old girl, that was a mighty tall mountain! What an experience that was! I'll never forget it!

Durin' our 3 week Christmas - New Year break, my Grandma and Grandpa Christian drove in from Tucson, AZ. And Aunt Vivian's mom, flew in from Kansas Ciry, MO for Christmas.

I got to go back to Tucson, AZ with my Grandma and Grandpa Christian for a weeek or so, durin' my break.

My grandmother was their minister's babysitter and my grandpa and I would drive her each mornin' to their home. One mornin', my grandpa surprised me bigtime. You see, my grandpa was usually very quiet and reserved, but this paticular mornin', he asked me if I'd like to drive up "A Mountain" (a mountain in Tucson with the a huge letter 'A' in white paint or something like it on the side of the mountain. I believe it's a part of the lower "Cascade Mountains") on the way back to their home.

Then, on Sunday after church, we drove out to "Old Tucson" (where they made/make alot of movies and TV shows). I sure remember alot of the buildin's and the streets in some of the great westerns on television and in the movies.

As we walked along the streets of "Old Tucson", there was posters up on posts and on buildin's, tellin' what movies and TV shows were filmed there. I saw this special one, and boy, was I ever upset! Just the day before (on Saturday), John "Duke" Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and other actors in the movie had been there filmin' parts of the movie, "Rio Bravo". Man, if we could have only come the day before!! That would have 'made my day'! Oh well, guess it wasn't meant to be! Since that time, I've gotten to meet several of John Wayne's grown children and Ricky Nelson just 'fore his plane went down that killed him!

They filmed some of the scences from "The Lone Ranger" "Gunsmoke" and other television series there at "Old Tucson". I can't remember the other movies, but there was some. I'll never forget that trip to "Old Tucson"!

Along the way back to my grandparents, we saw alot of the giant saguaro cactus out in their native landscape. We stopped and Grandma Christian took picures of me standin' by one of these tremendous giants. She also took photos of me standin' by an Arizona orange tree. The orange trees and the huge cacti were spectacular! I fell in love with the Arizona West, the desert and the different cacti while visitin' my grandparents durin' my Christmas break back in 1959. To this day, I still love the Arizona West, the desert and the different cacti.

Stay tuned for more on Buffalo Gal's page .