I've been single since 1975; and, I lived in Chatsworth until a month after the 1994 earthquake when I moved to Tucson. A mile from the epicenter was just too close. My move is referred to as a "calculated risk". My first jobs here were in the medical field as a Medical Transcriptionist, and the work was always part time. Tucson economy is much lower than California. So, I always held two jobs. In 1997, 1 changed to Volt Temps Agency and was sent to Hughes Aircraft Company to work for the manger of the Raytheon/Hughes transition for 18 months - truly an interesting job. In August of 1999, 1 was finally hired into a full-time permanent Administrative Assistant position in Engineering. Whoopee! The Company name has changed a couple of time from Hughes and is now Raytheon Missile Systems. I began working in aerospace in the secretarial typing pool at Litton Industries in Woodland Hills in May 1965.

My children - Dawn and Leslea - still live in the San Fernando Valley -both will very likely retire in Tucson in four or five years. Myoldest step-daughter - Erin - moved to Tucson from Phoenix a year ago and lives about three miles from me. Erin's husband, three children, her mother and I consider us to be an extended family. My youngest step-daughter -Kathleen -will be going to Russia on a full scholarship to pursue her Master's Degree in Russian Culture this fall - she's at Berkeley now.

I am so fortunate to have been able to purchase a townhouse a year and a half ago (Thank you to Raytheon) in Central Tucson, and I'm having the time of my life interior decorating. I could never quite afford to own my own home in California. My retirement has been delayed until 2004 so that I can complete all my home improvement plans. My little Dachshund - Chloe - is great company, and we share house cleaning and gardening duties - she always faithfully and patiently watches me while I do the cleaning and gardening.

My Sunday afternoons are spent teaching my life's passion - European Folk Art (tole painting) - at Ben Franklin Crafts which is a couple of miles from my home. In September my teaching schedule will expand to Thursday evenings as well as Sunday afternoons. Of course, my retirement plans include teaching folk art and attending lots of National Society of Decorative Painter's yearly conventions . There is a mini-convention every February in Las Vegas that I plan on attending in 2002! Wonder if there are any tole painters among us?

Fond Memories, Kay Young Posell