Honestly, I'm not a fan of writing about myself, but my family said, people like to hear stories, so here you go..
My story begins in 1956, born & raised in New York. Lived in Bethpage, Levittown, Brookville/Brentsville, Roslyn, Sea Cliff, and Port Washington, all within twelve 12 years. Moving around was due to my father and first stepfather passing away, neither of whom I knew well. My mother referred to herself as a war bride, which is accurate since she was taken away from her homeland and family in Italia by my father who was in the US Army. Both my siblings were born in Italia and after coming to USA in 1948, she had me 8 years later, undoubtedly a surprise!
I was young when my father passed and there was a lot of secrecy about his family. Recently, through the help of my sister-in-law, aka super sleuth of genealogy, who through digging around found a dark, jaw dropping past. I was told that my father (born 1912), was an orphan when he was young. There’s only a birth & marriage certificate for his mother, no death certificate. Apparently, a NY State/County official had a sister who was childless and she took in my father. In a newspaper article that my super-sleuth SIL found, in December of 1936 a man murdered his wife, her 10 year old child from another "marriage" and then turned the gun on himself. As the newspaper article read, he was crazed over marital difficulties after learning that the 10 year old girl was born out of wedlock. This man was my grandfather.
In 1942 my father enlisted in the US Army at the age of 29 and was honorably discharged in 1945. He married my mother in Rome in 1945, and adopted my sister who was born out of wedlock. My mother never disclosed the identity of my sisters’ father.
After my fathers’ death, my mother married another man who didn’t care for children. While my sister set off to college, my brother was sent to military school and at age 8, I was sent to the “dungeons” of St Joseph's Academy. I was 8 years old and the youngest boarder. Happy times were lean during this time in my life. My stepfather passed when I was 10, and my saving grace was I got to attend public school. My mother then met my 2nd stepfather and married him when I was 13. He was a decent man but had his own issues, also having 2 sons out of wedlock.
We moved to Rye, NY, into a grand home on Westchester County Club grounds. Believe it or not, my saving grace came when I attended Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, CT. I did briefly attend public school in Harrison, NY, but I was drawn back to Sacred Heart. In retrospect, I chose to return because not only was I challenged intellectually but bonds were made with some standing the test of time, plus I didn’t have to live at home. It was there that I was finally encouraged to explore the artist in me. I spent time in the school darkroom with images from my first camera, a Minolta SRT-102, which I still have it today.
By the summer of 1975, the “Wild Child” in me took over. With my boyfriend, back packs, tents and virtually no money, we hitch-hiked across the county. Since money was tight, I didn’t take pictures because film was a luxury, so I tucked my camera away. I experienced ways of life that were very different that what I had known. Living in teepees caring for horses in Montana, mud houses, sleeping in tents, barns, and friends couches. Learning about outhouses, (I could have gone without that knowledge!), foraging, herbs and self-sufficiency. I met gracious, kind people along with not so kind people. It was all part of the experience.
I remember seeing the Rockies for the first time, thinking they were massive clouds formations on the horizon, then realizing the true grandeur of the world. I was in awe.
Eventually settling in Denver, CO where I worked at a 3.2% beer bar and attended Rocky Mountain School of Art. At that time it was only 3 random buildings in the city. The school was founded by Philip Steele, who was an influential teacher. He taught me how to truly “see” the world through simple, powerful lines.
{Insert random bit of trivia here lol} I remember around this time, the first “digital” camera came out by Kodak, it used a ridiculous number of batteries, a movie camera lens, and weighted about 10 pounds. Imagine lugging that thing around!
Eventually the “wild child” decided it was time for boyfriend and I to go our separate ways and I landed back in Rye, NY. I got a mundane job, small apartment and a cat. That’s when I met my future husband, dated him for about a year and you guessed it, I broke up with him. I was single for a bit then dated a guy who was into motorcycles. We made some amazing trips along the east coast of US and Canada. All the while with no camera, just a sketchbook. That’s the one thing I regret is not taking photographs of my adventures.
I then broke up with motorcycle dude and headed off to New Bedford, MA to attend art school again (Swain School of Design). Admittedly I got lost in myself, bad influences and horrible decisions, which I take full responsibility. I lasted a year and having a near-miss with a traveling circus, I packed myself and my cat up and headed back to Rye NY.
Back in NY I reunited with my future husband. He took me on our “second-first date” and proposed to me in the pouring rain outside of Franzels in Valhalla by saying “I lost you once, I don’t want to lose you again, will you marry me?” I couldn’t say no.
We married in NY, June of 1980 and had 3 boys within 6 years. We decided to move to Manassas, Virginia in 1988, which was more affordable than NY. We chose Manassas partly because of the Stephen Stills album of the same name with the Manassas train station on the cover. Apparently “wild child” was tamable and I became quite the Susy Homemaker, cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, maker of school projects, PTO President, school volunteer, creating backdrops & programs for school plays, and sports programs and even organized a lacrosse league in Western Prince William County.
I did get into filming my kids’ events, like every other parent out there but quickly came to the conclusion that I truly hate my voice.
I started back to work when the kids were in school full-time and since 1997 I’ve been a fixture with the same real estate company. I even opened a tea, herbs and spice shop on weekends for a while.
My family and I lost my husband to cancer at the end of 2021. He truly was my best friend, always encouraging and supportive, I miss him terribly. To occupy myself I tackled all the home projects we put off and while doing this I found my old Minolta tucked away in a closet.
As I approach retirement, the “wild child” has reappeared. She's dusted off the Minolta, graduated to the insanely diverse and a tad complicated digital camera and has come full circle. It’s back to classes, seeking traveling adventures and capturing all those photographs that I no longer need to regret not taking!
It’s life amazing?