Sandy Orrillt

Born in Berea, Ohio, my parents and two older siblings relocated to Florida when I was just a tender preschool-aged kid.  I eventually married an avid sailor and we enjoyed the pleasures of the warm Gulf waters with our three kids.  As his yacht charter business failed, complex dark clouds of financial uncertainty loomed large on our family horizon.  After our number one son graduated from high school and was accepted to the Air Force Academy, the rest of us­­ moved lock, stock and barrel to Southern California, closer to my husband’s relatives.  Family nature outings in Cali expanded beyond sailing including snow skiing, hiking, biking and dune buggy play with occasional sailing trips to Catalina Island.  After our son’s USAFA graduation, we now had an honorable rocket scientist in the family, while the rest of us remained devoted to living our best lives outdoors whenever possible.  Continue reading →