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Click here to see pictures of Tandi, the pug, and visit her site.

Click on picture to view Tandi's page on my site.

Easter Sunday when I was in 6th grade.

I'm reading a book, of course!

Greetings!

     I have been a bookworm all of my life and always wanted to be a teacher. My dad was a newspaper editor and publisher, and my mom was a teacher, so teaching and writing are in my blood.

     I majored in speech/drama and English at UNI and have taught both high school and middle school English for 32 years in this district.

     My husband Patrick is a career counselor and the creator of Matchstick Marvels. Check out his page on my site!

    *Our oldest daughter Erica is a high school English teacher in the Des Moines area. She is a fourth-generation teacher since my mother and grandmother were also teachers.

    *Our daughter Tara just received her Master in Fine Arts degree in May in nonfiction creative writing. The job search is on -- after a well-deserved trip to NYC with a friend.

     *Our son Brennan is a junior at the University of Iowa and works at the university library. He hopes to be a teacher.During the summer he is a lifeguard and water safety instructor.

     We also have a pug named Tandi.  She has her own page on my site too. Erica's puggle Darcy is featured on that page. Check it out!
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Erica and her puggle Darcy

Tara is in grad school in Michigan

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Brennan and his girlfriend Kassie

Erica, Tandi, and Darcy admire the poppies.

Brennan -- a lifeguard on crutches?

Tara at Lake Superior in Michigan

Tara spent the last three years in near Lake Superior,

where she earned her Master of Fine Arts in

creative writing in Marquette, MI.

Facts and Favorites

Gone With the Wind -- still the most popular movie of all time! Click here.

Click on movie poster

E-mail address:

aacton@po-1.gladbrook.k12.ia.us

College: University of Northern Iowa (Speech and English)

Family: husband Patrick, daughters Erica & Tara, son Brennan

Dog: Tandi, a Chinese pug (See her webpage on this site)

Birthday: January 29 (No, I wasn't born in April.)

Favorite pastimes: reading, especially mysteries and kids' books, answering my Grammar Lady questions (see webpage), Broadway, crocheting, and the Internet

Favorite book/movie: Gone With the Wind

Favorite TV shows: Glee, The Big Bang Theory, American Idol, Lost, Mad Men, So You Think You Can Dance, Robin Hood (from the BBC), and all Law and Order shows

Favorite Broadway shows: Wicked, In the Heights, Spamalot, Beauty and the Beast, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Legally Blonde, Chicago

Favorite authors: Agatha Christie (my all-time favorite), Janet Evanovich (see photo above), Sue Grafton, Mary Higgins Clark, Meg Cabot, J.K. Rowling, Sophie Kinsella, Mary Jane Clark

Favorite sport: figure skating (Michelle Kwan, where are you?)

Favorite food: Chocolate

Favorite colors: purple and pink

Collections: Theme sweaters, holiday Beanie Babies, mystery books in series, Broadway memorabilia, bookmarks, snowmen, Santas, author dolls and magnets, and more. I love to collect things!

Favorite web sites: imdb.com (Internet Movie Database), Amazon.com, Broadway.com, Ebay. See MRS. ACTON'S FAVORITE WEBSITES page!

One last comment: I love

e-mail messages, but I

hate to talk on the phone!

We met our favorite author, Janet Evanovich, 2003