Saturday Night Genealogy Fun

This week, Randy has six questions for us to answer about ourselves, not an ancestor. Here are my responses:

1. What was your first illness as a child?
   
   I remember having ear infections as a small child, but the first time I was sick enough to miss more than a day or two of school was when I got the chickenpox in 5th grade. They were going around, and my brother prayed to get them (he wanted to miss school, plus he knew my grandparents were coming up for a visit). I was the one that wound up getting them first, while my grandparents were visiting, and missed all of the fun end-of-year activities for 5th graders. Swimming in PE class, a trip to Kennywood in Pittsburgh, and who knows what else.  Chris wound up getting them from me, but after my grandparents returned to Florida. Ha! (Yes, I'm still mad at him. j/k. I think.)


2. What was the first funeral you attended?
   
   Both my great-grandmother (father's side) and my maternal grandmother died in 1970, and I know my parents took me with them to the funerals, but of course I don't remember them. My dad was a full-time minister until I was in 4th grade, and I remember attending a funeral for one of the church members when we lived in Illinois. I don't remember the man's name, now, though.


3. What was your favorite book as a child?
   
   I have to narrow that down to just one? Seriously? My nose was always in a book, to the point where Mom would have to take books away from me and force me to go play outside. The entire Little House on the Prairie series, Little Women, and the World Book Encyclopedia set were well used, and well-worn. If I had to pick just one, it would probably be the Little House books.


4. What was your favorite class in elementary school?
   
   Reading, of course.


5. What was your favorite toy as a child?
   
   Books. Anything I could get my hands on. Oh, those don't count as toys? Then probably my dolls, and if I have to go with just one of those, I'm not sure I could. Probably the one I named "Baby Sissy" would win.


6. Did you learn to swim, and where did you learn?
   Kind of, but not through formal swim classes. I could pass the swim test when I was in Navy boot camp, but to this day I still don't know proper breathing techniques.