Occupation: I was a nurses' aide at the River Glen Nursing Home in Southbury for about six years and I owned the Put 'n' Take in Sandy Hook for ten years. It was a consignment shop for clothing, toys, and various household items. Now I'm reti
Occupation: I was a nursesâ aide at the River Glen Nursing Home in Southbury for about six years and I owned the Put ânâ Take in Sandy Hook for ten years. It was a consignment shop for clothing, toys, and various household items. Now Iâm retired. I am president of the residentsâ association at Nunnawauk Meadows. Iâve enjoyed doing it. Weâve had a lot of interesting projects.
Family: I have four daughters, and one son who died in 1992. I have ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. They all live in and around Waterbury, so I go there a lot.
Pets: Not anymore. We always had dogs and cats, though, when the kids were growing up.
How long have you been in Newtown? Iâve lived in Newtown 35 years. I lived in the Taunton Hill area for 30 years, then I went away for 20 years, and moved back her five years ago. Iâve always considered Newtown my hometown, no matter where I was.
What do you like to do in your free time? I do embroidery work. I made a signature tablecloth â where everyone in the family signed the cloth and then I embroidered it â for my granddaughter when she got married in June. I have another granddaughter who got married in August and I have hers to do yet. I do a little bit of quilting, I read, and I garden. Five other women and I put in a memorial garden around the gazebo here at Nunnawauk. I play bridge at the Newtown Senior Center once a week and I play canasta every Wednesday night with a bunch of ladies here.
Do you have a favorite plant? Roses are gorgeous. I love the daisies, too. We canât seem to get the Montauk daisies in the memorial garden to grow, though. We have a groundhog under the gazebo and I think heâs been eating the daisies. Itâs wonderful to watch the hummingbirds come into the bee balms, too.
Do you have a favorite travel destination? I think Nantucket. I used to go there with the Girl Scouts when I was a leader in the 60s and 70s. We went to Marthaâs Vineyard once, too. I love the ocean and the beaches, swimming in the salt water. I love the history of Nantucket, as well.
What is the best thing about Newtown? The thing I like best is how clean and beautiful it is. The plants, the flowers, the trees are beautiful. Itâs such a pleasure to see the order that exists here.
What changes have you noticed in Newtown? I just canât get over the size of the houses. I canât imagine living in one of those big homes.
If you could spend a day with anyone, who would it be? I wouldnât mind spending a day with Mark Twain. We had an actor come to Nunnawauk this summer and portray him and I think it would be fun to meet him. I also like the Harry Potter books, and I think J.K. Rowling would be an interesting person to talk to.
Do you have a personal philosophy? The Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Let go, and let God. How important is it?
What do you most cherish? My family. Theyâre all so different, but itâs a pleasure to see them all and see what they are doing.