My father taught me to chord the ukulele when I was age 5.  That was the beginning of my love for music.  I would sit on the edge of my bed and strum all the new songs that I would learn from school.  Mother taught me chords on the mandolin when I was slightly older.  Then, at age 12, Mother taught me to read notes on the mandolin, so that I could join the rest of the family in playing with the San Diego Mandolin Orchestra.  I played in the orchestra for 15 years.  I have fond memories of family and dear friends gathering to play music for numerous occasions.  With my husband and three children, I now reside in the Midwest where I can be Snowed in with a Mandolin on CHRISTmas Day!