Kit Grindstaff: Hello. My name is Kit Grindstaff. That's "Grind," like what some people do with their teeth when they're mad, and not grinned, though I do like the grin part of that. And "Staff," well, that's how we say it in England where I'm from. Could you tell? So there I'm Kit Grindstaff, but here in the States, Kit Grindstaff.

I got the surname when I married my husband. Apparently it originally came from Holland, where it would be pronounced "Grindstaff." Different again, and a bit of a mouthful. As for my first name, I was called Kitty when I was little, but I hated it because I was such a tomboy and thought it was too girly. Luckily for me, my older brother shortened it to Kit, which stuck. Actually even Kitty was short for Keturah, which comes from the bible. Keturah was Abraham's second wife after Sarah, and funnily enough, my best friend in middle school was called Sarah. I think Katura is a beautiful name, but it doesn't feel like mine. So, I'm Kit Grindstaff in England, or Grindstaff in America. That's me.