Janet Eriksson

How My Mom and Dad Met

I always enjoyed hearing how my mom, Joy Washburn Gillis, met my dad, William Gillis, Jr. My mom’s first encounter with my dad actually happened when she was two years old. They lived on the same street in Little River, in Miami, Florida. She would stand at the window and watch this 13-year-old boy walkContinueContinue reading “How My Mom and Dad Met”

Crickett Kitty and the Blizzard of 1996

From January 6-8, 1996, a massive snowstorm, one of the biggest of the century, covered the Northeast. We were living in New Jersey. As a Miami girl, I was barely used to cold and snowy winters. I had never been through a blizzard like that and didn’t know what to expect. My husband and IContinueContinue reading “Crickett Kitty and the Blizzard of 1996”

Favorite School Field Trips: Miami 1970s

Field trips were a great way to get outside the classroom and see the world. I loved the classroom and loved school. Still do! But I also love to learn, and field trips presented us with new, hands-on learning experiences. And one field trip in particular was just good ole fun, a treat for ourContinueContinue reading “Favorite School Field Trips: Miami 1970s”

English Lessons in a Polish Suburb

The atmosphere was quiet, as I waded through calf-deep snow toward a little apartment on the outskirts of Poznan, Poland. The light through the windows was inviting. This kind of winter was new to me, a Florida girl. The night sky was a deeper blue, as the moonlight reflected off the snow. After spending theContinueContinue reading “English Lessons in a Polish Suburb”

My First Trip Overseas

Traveling Family Growing up, I traveled a lot. My family was very willing to hit the road, visit, explore. And because my dad worked for Eastern Airlines, we got to fly for free anywhere in the United States. We flew to see my sister when she lived in various locations. We also visited family byContinueContinue reading “My First Trip Overseas”

Seeing My Global Future at The Fontainebleau Hotel

Growing up in a Multicultural City I was blessed to grow up in a culturally diverse city. Miami in the 1970s opened a window onto a much wider world. My classmates represented countries from Costa Rica to France, Korea to Venezuela, Spain to Jamaica. Our elementary school classrooms were like the United Nations. I lovedContinueContinue reading “Seeing My Global Future at The Fontainebleau Hotel”

Helping in the First Grade Classroom

In sixth grade at Miami Shores Elementary School, I had a special privilege: I was chosen to be an assistant in a first grade classroom. The program was called Teachers of Tomorrow, most often known as TOTs. Becoming a Teacher of Tomorrow Sixth-grade students were selected for a TOT role or a Safety Patrol roleContinueContinue reading “Helping in the First Grade Classroom”

A Pilot at Heart

I enjoy writing about family photos. I do this partly to remember and partly to share with future generations. If you’re writing a family history book or blog, writing about family photos can be a helpful way to piece your story together. You might use those photos and stories in your book. Or they mightContinueContinue reading “A Pilot at Heart”

A Little about My Dad

My dad, William Sturgeon Gillis, Jr., was 51 when I was born. Can you imagine? He had just put his first daughter through college, and along comes a baby. It wasn’t until I was in my 50s that I truly appreciated what he was dealing with. Dad’s Parenting My mom was his new wife; heContinueContinue reading “A Little about My Dad”

A Passport, a Piccolo, and a Summer I’ll Never Forget

In 1982, I was in 10th grade at Winter Park High School. Back then, high school in Florida started with 10th grade. I played flute and piccolo in the band. The annual district solo and ensemble music contest was a big deal, and I had experienced that scene for two years in junior high. InContinueContinue reading “A Passport, a Piccolo, and a Summer I’ll Never Forget”