One of my main interests has always been writing, dating from before I was 8. For years I wrote stories for my family and friends, also some strange little rhyming poems. My 2 years in college were spent preparing for a chosen career in Journalism. I had worked on my High School newspaper, and then on the one in college. Also had several short stories published and some selected poetry.

But Fate and Love intervened so I married Kenward McKinney at barely 19 years of age. He was 22 years old, a veteran of WW II, with 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, mostly up in Alaskan waters. We married just 1 month after we met, near Sacramento, California. First it was circumstances and finally choice that I never returned to college. During many years of studying and researching since then I've actually learned much more in several fields than by pursuing a regimented education.

During the years which followed, we enjoyed many adventures. We had 2 small girls, Rynda and Dari Lynne, when Ken decided to take advantage of his GI Education Benefits, and we moved from Sacramento, California, to Provo, Utah, where he attended Brigham Young University for the next 5 years. Our 3rd daughter, Debra, was born during his Senior year.

Ken earned a B.Sc. degree in Hydro-Geology, with a minor in Math, and also worked 1 year on his Masters Degree before the GI benefits ran out. While Ken attended classes and worked part time, I also did whatever I could at home for extra dollars. This included writing, typing for others, baking bread and cookies, and sewing children's clothing. I also studied some of Ken's college books on many interesting subjects, and always typed his themes and other papers, while correcting spelling, as he had never learned to type.

After 5 years we returned to Sacramento, where Ken was employed by California State Water Resources as a Hydrological Engineer. We had a 4th daughter, Kenna, born there 3 years after Debra. It was after we returned to California that I seriously began the study of nutrition, vitamins, herbs, etc., although I had been interested in those subjects for many years, and read extensively about them.

Back in California I worked part time for a woman who owned a small health food store, and learned much from her. She was an Herbalist and Healer; many came into her shop seeking advice. Much of that advice and suggestions were common sense -- stay away from white flour, sugar, canned foods-- eat as many raw veggies and fruits as possible. My own childhood family had always eaten healthfully, but I learned even more from her. I was able to raise our children without ever having to take them to doctors, except for stitches and occasional vaccinations.

In early 1960 Ken received a job offer from an American engineering company hiring personnel for work in Pakistan. We considered that to be the chance of a lifetime to see the World, and went with high excitement. We lived in the great 2,000 year old city of Lahore, with over one million population, the next 5-1/2 years. There were some huge water projects underway then, comprised of dams, canals and wells.

The country was about 95% Moslem at that time, and quite friendly to Americans. I made a detailed study of the history of Pakistan and India, and their partition during the separation from British rule in August 1947.
Our only son, Bruce, was born there one night in February 1963, at the tiny local Christian hospital -- a small blond boy among 2 dozen darker Pakistanis. My doctor was a little Scottish woman who was born and raised in what was then India, but had medical training in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Our adventures traveling around the countries nearby, plus going to and back from Pakistan the following years, filled a book I wrote. We were able to visit 38 countries in Asia, the Middle East, N. Africa and Europe during those 5-1/2 years.

I experimented with and learned to cook the ethnic foods of Pakistan and India, and was fascinated by the many varieties of legumes, lentils, spices and herbs, plus the vegetables and fruits unknown in the U.S. That subject could also fill another book! I did develop, write and brought home many of my own revised recipes, as some ingredients are not available in the U.S., and the fiery curries are not usually well liked here, either! I later wished I'd brought home some seeds of vegetables we learned to love there -- for instance, the exceptionally flavorful RED carrots! I've never found them in the U.S.

In September 1965 we were caught up in the midst of a war between India and Pakistan, and were then evacuated by several U.S. Air Force planes. That was one of the first which occurred in the continuing dispute over Kashmir, but it has actually been a running battle for the past more than 50 years now.

That was another adventure, of which I wrote later. We were taken first to Teheran, Iran, then placed on a Pan Am jumbo jet and flown to Rome. After 2 days we were given tickets on other airlines to the U.S. There were over 450 Americans, plus several dozen others from Europe and Canada, most of whom had been working on the water projects.

We decided not to return to Pakistan when the brief skirmish was over, as many others did, and never went overseas to work again. Ken was again quickly employed by the State of California on the 500 mile long California Aqueduct being built from Oroville in northern California down into the L.A. Basin. We lived in Lemoore, (30 miles S. of Fresno) then in Bakersfield for a total of 2-1/2 years. We did not want to ever live in the L.A. Basin, as that would have been his next transfer, so Ken put in an application with the Utah State Division of Water Rights, and was hired right away.

In October 1968 we lived in Cedar City for nearly a year (SW corner of the state) then he was transferred to Price, 120 miles SE of Salt Lake City. Ken was then promoted to the position of Area Engineer over all of SE Utah. This has some of the most scenic areas of the U.S. and we have seen most of it by now. 2 daughters were married by then, and our 3rd married in Price.

I began writing as a freelance journalist for the local newspaper, also doing descriptive writing and photography for travel guides. I continued studying nutrition, herbs and vitamins all those years, and had some articles and healthful recipes published in newspapers.

In February 1977 Ken applied for a position with the SW Florida Water Management District. We moved to Brooksville, 40 miles north of Tampa, where we lived the next nearly 4 years. It was another new adventure for us, and a chance to investigate the unfamiliar flora, fruits and veggies of that tropical area. I continued studying and writing. Life was a Book of many learning opportunities for me and I tried to take advantage of as many as possible.

In October 1980 we moved north to Annapolis, Maryland. Ken had grown very tired of living and working outside in Florida's sauna-like atmosphere for about 8 months of the year! He applied to and was accepted by the Maryland State Water Rights Division over 50 other applicants. We lived across the Severn River from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis on a lovely peninsula of the Chesapeake Bay for the next 11 years, until Ken retired in December 1991.

In Annapolis I continued writing, researching, and studying. That was when I could have returned to college, but it no longer seemed necessary to me. I was already accomplishing most everything in my life that was important, and had learned more by studying on my own than I could have during many college years. I even worked there for several years in real estate, which was a real Adventure in itself. Our 4 daughters and son were all married by then.

In December 1991 we moved West, settling again in Price, Utah, near Debra, one of our married daughters, and her family. Others were then in Virginia, New Mexico, and the Salt Lake Valley. Our son eventually moved back to Utah and is now living in the Salt Lake Valley, too. It is impossible for me to separate my life from those of Ken and our children, as our lives are all closely intertwined. Our grandchildren are the Lights of our Lives, and we enjoy many extended family gatherings.

Back in Price I continued studying, researching and writing. We obtained a computer in April 1992 with a laser printer, and I quickly learned to use it, especially WordPerfect for writing and printing. In February 1997 I finally was able to become connected to the Internet, with the help of a son-in-law who was then working for the Veterans Administration in Salt Lake City as a computer expert.

That opened up a whole new world for me in more extensive researching and studying. It was not long before I discovered what I'd already suspected, that there were a lot of sick people searching for health answers on the Internet. So many of them had already learned that drugs were only masking their symptoms, not helping them become well. It was not too long after that when I discovered Tom O'Brien and some of his associates who were working together to help others become well. I was happy to join them, and devote all my writing efforts from then on to health articles and email messages on health lists.

We know we are all making a difference in the lives of many seekers after truths and ways of improving their health naturally. The power of the Internet is amazing, and will prove even more so in the Future.

I may be over the proverbial Hill, but I took the scenic route getting here. Furthermore, I expect it to be another real Adventure going down the other side!

Here's to Better Health for Everyone!