MY FRIEND THE BARONESSA

This is a picture of my friend from Germany, Baronessa Helene Christina Hoffman. She moved in next door to us in about 1987, just after we built the home we are living in now. She was the most interesting person. She had so many stories of Germany and growing up in a small town and being part of the "royalty" there. She was in the summer olympics in about 1932, as I recall, entering the swimming contests. She showed me her swimming suit which she still had, and told about seeing Hitler come along and congratulate the people. For a long time I would go over to her house just about every day and spend several hours in the afternoon just sitting and listening to her stories. She taught me how to make veinerschnitzel and German potatoe pancakes. She had cancer and died about 10 or 12 years ago, if I recall correctly.