Maria Bramtot Penny

Where Am I?

Joe and I retired to San Diego in 2004. It was wrench to leave the Washington, DC area after 38 years there. However, our children both live in California, and the weather is perfect for my arthritic extremities.

What Am I Doing?

We’ve just moved this summer to a single-story house from a townhouse. I am getting settled into new living spaces and redecorating them to our taste. I am exercising every day to strengthen muscles around a bad knee. I take on-line classes through a community college for the fun of it (geology, webpage programming and cinema so far). I care for my kindergarten granddaughter one afternoon a week so my daughter can work late.

What About my Family?

Both my children have married and become parents since our last reunion. My daughter’s family is in the San Diego area; my son’s family lives in the San Francisco area. I have a new grandson in San Francisco; I don’t see him as much as I would like to. My husband still does occasional consulting for his old employer.

What Else Keeps Me Occupied?

I do volunteer work for the San Diego County Democratic Party; I help manage their membership database and help organize precinct walks at election time. Joe and I attend four or five jazz concerts and two or three theatre productions every month. I love to cook and am always on the hunt for new recipes. We take one major vacation each year. This year we went to Australia for three weeks; lots of good food and great wine there!