Katie Ingraham Birdsall

Got AA in Music at El Camino, then a BA in Voice and a multiple subject teaching credential at CSUN. Got married, moved to Monterey. Got a job teaching Adult School...10 years with soldiers at Fort Ord, and the next 20 years teaching ESL...and still there! I divorced when the twins were 2. They are 27 now, one married, the other engaged, and both are RN's (took after my mom) and live in Corona. My mom still lives in the house where I grew up on Carmelynn. She still has the same phone # that I had to memorize in Kindergarten... Well, I think the area code has changed once or twice. Music continues to weave it's way through my life... mostly singing background vocals for Ray Charles Tribute Band "For the Love of Ray", The Broadway Blues Band, and Blinding Nemo, a mostly originals band. I love Monterey...It's been very good to me!

I'll always remember the time my parents and I organized a camping trip to Joshua tree for any members of the Aristocracy that wanted to go. Shortly after we arrived, set up camp, and built a fire, it started to snow. I think it was the first time I had seen snow falling. The daylight was gone, but the snowflakes were so beautiful in the firelight. And we all began singing the Hallelujah Chorus, and I remember thinking that this was a moment in time that I'll never forget. And here I am, 37 years later, sharing this story with you.