Hi!  I'm 65 years young & a native of Chicago now living in Las Vegas for the past 10+ years.  I'm married for the 2nd time after being widowed, & we will celebrate out 21st anniversary on the 16th of Sept.  I have 1 married daughter living outside of San Antonio, TX & one grandson who's a 3rd class Petty Officer in the USN.  My Mom who's soon to be 88 yrs. old lives in the Chicago Lawn area near Midway Airport.  Jerry, my husband, & I moved into a new home just a little over a month ago.  We took full advantage of the horrible housing market here in Vegas & really lucked out in finding a home that was "move in" perfect for an incredible price.  I'm still in the process of trying to find a place for everything & I've gotten rid of so much stuff I could probably have opened my own "thrift" store.  I am a conservative Republican...on some issues I'm ultra-conservative & am an avid Fox News watcher.  I am active in my church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church, in the funeral ministry, as a lector, & in our Adoration Society. 

We have perhaps more 'outlet" type stores here in Vegas than anywhere else in the country & that's one of my favorite things to do...I'm not a shopper, I'm a buyer.  Shoes are my #1 passion & I still wear 3 inch heels.  I absolutely refuse to give in to the notion that because I'm 65 I need to act like an old lady wearing orthopedic shoes.  If you don't have to, why should you???  I've always tried to take good care of myself.  I recently decided that I needed to update my look & got highlights & lowlights done in my hair.  It took some getting used too going from light blonde but it perked up my complection & brightened my brown eye a lot.  I wear my hair short & spiked...again, I won't give in to the "grandma" look.

I also love clothes but unless something is on sale I won't buy it.  I've had some very good luck with purchasing through catalogs.  I've also bought several items for our new home through catalogs & on-line & have been very satisfied.  My other passion is earrings...I have double pierced ears so the possibilities are endless.  I know there are times when my husband thinks that I've completely lost my mind but, luckily, he very rarely ever says a word except to tell me I always look very nice. 

How did you get to where you are now?

If you mean living in Vegas...when Jerry & I married we did so in Vegas.  Shortly afterward my Dad was diagnosed with cancer.  As an only child I knew that I was going to have to be there for both him & my Mom.  A couple of years before my Dad passed Jerry & I started talking about moving to Las Vegas but that we wouldn't do anything until things were resolved with my Dad.  After he passed we put our home on the market, sold our business & made the move. 

If you are asking about my place in life I got here through hard work & determination.

 

How do you see yourself differently now than you did 10 years ago?

Ten years ago within months of moving to Las Vegas I found myself in the hospital having a quadruple coronary by-pass.  I spent almost 28 days in the hospital.  Outside of having a baby I'd never been hospitalized before & it was a real eye opener in many ways.  First, coming to grips with your own mortality was probably the hardest part.  Being totally dependent wasn't easy either.  I am a classic Type A personality...control freak extraordinaire & this experience changed my entire outlook on life.  I developed the "don't worry, be happy" attitude & I'm much better off because of it.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

God willing, of course, my health will still be good & Jerry & I will be going to the local casino on Friday night for dinner & a couple of hours of aggravating the penny slots.  Hopefully, I'll still be active at church & my family will be thriving & I may have a great-grandchild or two to brag about. 

If, at 21 years of age, someone would have told me that I'd be a widow at 39 & then go on to marry the son of my former neighbors I would have said "no way!".  Life is full of surprises & it has been a merry ride!