I’m retired as of August 27,2009

Update 2009 - Lisa Stith

I can’t believe it has been 7 whole years since I have added to my website so before the year is over I figured I had better bring it up to date.

We’ll start backwards. I am now retired from Provia Door as of August 27, 2009. That is one of the perks for being a widow- husband dies and wife gets social security. I just turned 60 so I can still work but I can only make up to so much each year and that is what I plan to do. Part time jobs are out there but it does not pay enough to sustain a family so my theory is if I get a part time job and don’t like it I quit. I really like being at home. I feel so much better. I get more sleep, less stress, my feet don’t hurt from wearing steel toe shoes, and the best of all is that my knees don’t hurt anymore. I don’t have to lift my left leg up into the car or when I get up out of a chair I don’t have to get my balance before starting to walk. I get up every morning and start my day out exercising at Super Fitness. Don’s mom Leona comes with me 3 days a week. Then I putter around here at home. There is enough for me to do. I am planning a Handy & Harman reunion for next May. I have the place but I have to find people. Most everyone I have talked to are excited. I know it will be fun. We worked there for so many years and then boom we lost our jobs.

I have now turned the magical big 60. It is more of a turning point in my life than 50. I know it is OK but I live life to the fullest each and every day and don’t take things for granted. I try to do fun stuff and also enjoy my happy home and try to stay healthy. I still have goats but they are getting older, cats, a horse and a donkey. I had to euthanize Ed’s beloved Sugar 2 yrs ago. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done but thanks to the support of my Dad, Don and Bruce Hanna I managed to get through the whole ordeal. Good and Lively, his stable mate, was sick for 1 month after he died and she wouldn’t even come out of the lean too unless I dragged her out. Jill the donkey would come out often and run around like Shrek donkey but my mare deeply missed him. So life goes on with out Sugar although a white cat did appear 2 days after Sugar died and he has been here ever since. He is white just like the horse and has one blue eye and one yellow eye and he is neutered. So there Sugar came back to me as a cat and of course I named him Sugar. I now have chickens and with a bout of losing some to an awful looking fox. I have Fred and Wilma – a pair of bantys, Sarah and Allison- bard rock hens, Laverne and Shirley- don’t know what they are going to be yet and a banty hen Leona with 3 chicks. They are really fun creatures to watch. They are so busy scratching the dirt, finding bugs, laying eggs, and running around. They always make me smile.

I do travel twice a year to check up on my Dad. He is 90 now and he stills gets around great. We usually exercise at the crack of dawn and then we hang out the rest of the day talking, eating Dads great gourmet meals, napping and getting to bed at a decent hour. My dear college friends always make time for me whenever I come. Ann either drives up to visit me or I go down to the Cape via a train which was fun. Or we go up to Dracut to visit Carolyn and Jim. Whenever we get together it is always a fun time. My brother Ole picks me up and we visit at his house. Usually Delaine Ole and I have a bite to eat and have a great visit.. My cousin Faris lives near the Boston area and she has graciously received me in her home along with her friend her friend Tom. I did make it to Pound Ridge one last time after Uncle Eddie died and visited with my Aunt Louise and cousin Anne. I took the speedy Amtrak for that. I do come east via a plane which is scary for me but I am trying to overcome my fear of flying and I must say so it is getting easier for me. I look out the window now. I just don’t like heights!!!!! It takes me just as long on the subway and buses to get to Dads as it does to fly- 1 hour and a half.

My older brother, Joe and his family all came to visit Ohio in June of 2007 and we had a great time going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Football Hall of Fame which is right up the street for me like 20 miles. They were all excited about the football hall of fame which I barely know anything about but I had a good time playing with little Andrew my great nephew.

So for right now I am retired and Don is laid off but like I said there are a lot of things to do here at home. I actually forget what day it is. It is really nice to do what you want when you want. So far I haven’t found a free day meaning with nothing to do. So I guess that is about it. I am trying to learn more on the computer.

I want to thank my brother Ole for taking time for putting this on my website. I’m also on facebook.