It was the happiest time of my life and the only time I can recall, other than now, having a real family experience. I lived with my mother, step-father (he’s my dad regardless of genetics), and our two Siamese cats from the time I was an infant until I was about 7 years old.

Dad still lives in the area. He is retired and instead of working as a police detective, he works for the fire department as a fireman. He’s a tough fellow even if he is 70+ years old. He’s my dad! I love Georgia.

Even after all these years, I still retain the Georgia accent and it seems most men adore it. According to a former college professor, the reason I retain it is because it is where I learned to talk. My youngest child has the same accent due to my being a SAHM. She picked up my accent albeit her accent is not nearly as strong as mine but it is there.