Hello from Ohio, USA

[Carolyn 44]

I began learning BSL (or at least most of it as pictured on one of the site posts) from the early age of 8 or 9 when my family moved to Jackson, Ohio and lived with my Paternal grandparents for a short time before moving into our own home. My grandfather was deaf and had been from an early age and for some reason the family in the late 1800’s in Southern Ohio had found and learned the BSL instead of ASL form of sign language at that time. When we grandchildren came along, those who were near enough to see grandpa often and could use the signing and had the interest to learn the language became proficient enough to carry on a conversation with him. It was so sweet to be able to talk to our grandpa and such a precious memory even now, 60 years later. To this day, my sister and I can communicate using BSL. 

The attached picture is of Grandpa & Grandma sitting as they were so often in later years; she so often with her hands flying as she told him something or maybe she and my Daddy were talking to him and Daddy too could talk with flying hands, much faster than most of the rest of family as they were the ones who were with Grandpa the most. How thankful that I was allowed to be a part of that heritage!