What is your heritage?

As you may be able to tell from the time of this post, I couldn't sleep, so here I am again on Active Rain. As I slowly build a list of blogs to which I subscribe, I started thinking about the people writing them, where they live and how they got there. As Americans, we have many diverse cultures and I would be interested to hear about the backgrounds of some other folks out there in the Rain. I'll start with a little bit about my family.

The largest part of me is from Norway. My mother came over on a boat from Norway to New York in 1959. She remains a citizen of Norway but resides in Tucson, AZ. We grew up eating Norwegian food such as Lefse (potato bread) and lots of fish. No, I am not a fan of lutefisk (cod in lye).

I spent the summer after my senior year in high school in Southern Norway (near Tonsberg), staying at the home where my grandparents lived. It is incredibly beautiful and the fishing was outstanding.

My grandfather was a whaler. In elementary school, I would bring whale's teeth for show and tell. I understand this is no longer considered "politically correct."

On my Father's side, we are Pennsylvania Dutch and Irish. These people had been in the United Sates since sometime in the 1800's and had farmsteads in Oklahoma and Texas. We did not celebrate any German or Irish holidays so I can't say that I feel any real affinity towards either of these cultures. I was given a "good Irish name": Patrick Michael Randles. I could fit right in at a pub in Dublin (said with an Irish accent).

OK, I have been known to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. During the Great Potato Famine in the 1800's, over 2 million people left Ireland. I guess that explains why there are more people of Irish descent in the United States than there are in Ireland. One our next visit to Europe, I will be sure to spend a little time in Ireland and stop by the Randles Hotel in Killarney. Can I get a free room?

I think these three combined equal Northern European Mutt. My wife is Scottish/Irish/ German so my children will have more of the same. Sounds pretty typical of an American but I have nothing else to go on. I would be interested to hear a little about the rest of you, if you have the time.

Have a great weekend!

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Patrick Randles

Sunstreet Mortgage, LLC

Tucson, AZ 85718

(520)850-7485