So, you want to know a little about me. I'm not a rocket scientist, nor do I have a big job in some Fortune 500 company! My claim to fame is that I am a mother who has raised two wonderful sons. I was born in Ottawa, and I'm certain I'll die here. My husband John, who is the best guy on the planet, and I share our home with three beautiful felines. Our sons, Jason and Jeffrey are currently living in Kingston where they are attending St. Lawrence College. When will they graduate you ask?? John and I are wondering the same thing.
I've worked outside the house on and off throughout our married life. When the boys were little I stayed at home until they went to school. I worked in a computer company with John for eight years. Then took some time off. About a year ago I joined another computer company. This company developed software for electronic mail. When I started with the company it had been several years since I'd been in the work force. My computer skills were pretty rusty and I'd never heard of email. When I received my first email it was like something magical had happened. Frankly, it still feels like magic - but I know it isn't. Haven't figured out exactly how it works, but as long as it works that's all I really care about.
My interests are genealogy, gardening and interior design. My real love, next to my family, are my cats. I almost never watch TV (frankly, if I were Queen for a day, I'd outlaw the television). I enjoy an interesting radio talk show, love poetry and enjoy a good book.
I first became interested in genealogy as a result of reading "Roots" by Alex Haley. However I never dreamed it possible for anyone to explore their own personal history. Several years ago my Grandmother and I were discussing what it was like for her to leave her family in England and to start a new life here in Canada. During our discussion, she brought out birth certificates for herself, her Mum & Dad and her Grandfather. I couldn't believe my eyes. It has their parents name, date of birth, township, occupation. Good old England! Whatever criticism people may have about England, she sure knew how to do it right. Sitting with my grandmother and sharing her stories and personal papers is what started my journey into the past.
I've tracked down many distant cousins and had a McGuire Family Reunion in 1993. The Reunion is a memory which I will always treasure. Many families today are spread from coast to coast and often family members are living in other countries. That's what made this special. We had family from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, Florida, Maryland and even Wisconsin. It was really something to have people from several generations unite in one place for a day. As I looked across the faces in the yard, I couldn't help think of those dear old pioneers who came to this country over a century ago. While it cannot compare with the wonderful journey Alex Haley took, it was a heartwarming experience. I must say it is the thing I'm most proud of.
I've been looking at Web Pages for over a year and wondered how people did it. Finally I decided I wanted one too. My background is in accounting. It's amazing how much like accounting this HTML is - totally unforgiving of even the tiniest mistake. Creating this Web page has been the most frustrating and exhilarating task I have ever undertaken. It is wonderful to take a blank page, type a bunch of letters and brackets and have it magically transform into "all of this"! If people knew how little I know about computers, they would understand that the completion of this Web Page is a miracle. I really doubt I could have done this without assistance from Ian Shaw & Taylor Maguire. Many many thanks.
An Old Irish Blessing
Here are a number of Web Pages I enjoy. - Of course all are related to my interests.
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