My mother, Sheila Stoodley, is one of my role models, and my best friend. I feel very fortunate to have the relationship that I do with her - quite psychic! She is a very talented multi-media artist, best known for her life-size portraits of some of the past captains of the battleship USS Missouri, and her beautiful watercolors, oils, pastels and pencil works.

She holds regular showings of her work in the UK and has appeared in several news articles.

Mum also uses oil, acrylics, oil pastel, and produces fantastic needlework. Click here to see some of Mum's work

My Father  - author of the book, Jim Stoodley's Private War, was featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest person ever to fly an aircraft - wholly untutored! (he crash-landed an American plane on some pine trees at the age of 13).

He is one of 14 children - and he and my mother have been together for nearly 50 years.

This is my handsome Brother, Peter, also a terrific artist.

My Baby brother, Jon and my gorgeous new Sister-in-law - Sally will be uploaded soon (I was their marriage celebrant - and that was an awesome experience).