2 days to go & lots of memories of my dad

Playing in the ocean: The best free entertainment in the WORLD!! Life for Lori & her children would not be the same without the ocean. Lonnie could live without it, but not the rest of the family.

The ocean is truly in our blood. The first time I went to the ocean that I actually remember was with my sister, Amy, & my parents when I was young. I was completely mesmerized by it. My fondest memories were of my dad picking me up & holding me into the waves as they came in. I LOVED IT!!

During that visit, we stayed with my step-grandmother, Hilda, who was this amazing German woman. She & my grandfather owned this huge three-story beach house in Ocean City, NJ. They lived on one floor & rented out the other two floors all summer long. Even after my grandfather passed away she continued to keep it up herself. From what I am told, she was an opera singer in her younger years & even had to sing for Hitler!

My grandparents came here from Germany. But sadly after 4 children, my grandmother, Alfreida, died of cancer when my father was only 3 years old. From what I am told, many years after her death my grandfather returned to Germany where he saw Hilda (my step-grandma) performing when she was an opera singer & knew he wanted to marry her. Both of my grandmothers were amazing women. Alfreida was a very spiritual woman who used to read tarot cards. From stories that have been passed down through the family, it is said that she even knew she was going to die as a young mother & would not be alive to see her children grow up. How sad that must have been.

Later when I was a teenager I went with my cousins & my aunt to New Jersey again. I came home & told my mom I was hooked. My mom agreed to let me move to the beach the day after I graduated from high school. My friends & I all worked & lived at Phillips in Ocean City, MD. It was a short but great summer! This explains my fondness for not only the beach, but for Ocean City! (I know you have all been dying to know why I love the beach so much! giggle!)