When I was asked to write an "Where Are They Now" article, I thought,"Anita, your life has been quite UNremarkable, you really have nothing to say."
Fortunately, I had a teaching position before my graduation, because that summer I was involved in an automobile accident. I healed quickly (oh, youth) and began teaching that September for the district that recruited me, Middlesex ( its real name), New Jersey. I remained in that district until my retirement in 2002.
In those thirty-four years, I taught various subjects at a number of grade levels,served as a team leader and department chair and earned a masters degree from Rutgers University. During my career, I was fortunate to receive a number of honors, including the Governor's Award for Excellence in Education and nomination to Who's Who Among America's Teachers.
As a teacher, I was actively involved in the teachers' association. I was a building representative, a member of the negotiating team and a building captain during the one and only strike to ever occur. Thankfully, it lasted only three days and ended amicably. I also initiated, wrote, and even distributed the association newspaper.
Although I stayed in the same school district until my retirement, I did not live in the same place. Before my marriage in 1974, I did live in the town where I taught. However, after my marriage to Jack, who is rather nomadic,I made my home, at various times, in the New Jersey towns of Green Brook, Bound Brook and Watchung. Later Jack and I moved to Pennsylvania. This move required us to commute more than one hundred miles daily.
Our first residence in PA was a two-hundred-year-old stone townhouse in New Hope. It was purported to be haunted. I can't say that it was, but the ghost tour did stop at our front steps. Occasionally Jack would grab a sheet and head to the third floor window carrying a lantern. Imagine the surprise of the tourists AND the tour guide!
Next we moved to a log house on twelve acres in Durham Township ,PA (be sure to look at this site, especially the pictures). The large turkey and deer populations made for great hunting. We didn't hunt, but allowed several friends the privilege provided we got some of the bounty.
After Jack's retirement in 2004, we sold the Bucks County home and moved to the easternmost city in the United States, Eastport, Maine.
We based our decision to move "way up" here on many things...it's a thirty-five minute drive or fifteen minute ferry ride to Canada...there's an abundance of great seafood...we have no air-conditioning bills...there is no traffic light in Eastport...low tide has a fragrance reminiscent of the burning colliery dumps...whales , seals , and bald eagles are visible from the deck of our house...the glass-paneled doors from the old Scranton Public Library are being used in a shop down town...we can walk the dog wearing pajamas (us, not the dog) and noone notices...we've seen real moose tails, moose attached...we decided we'd KEEP BETTER :-).
Besides, where better for an old "Moos" to retire than a place called MOOSE ISLAND!?
I look forward to our "60" reunion where I hope to share with you , in person. If I start searching now, I should have travel arrangements in order by then. It will probably take that long, because, as we say Downeast, "You can't get there from here."
