Patti's ABOUT ME page

ABOUT ME

CHILDHOOD YEARS
My father was born in Port Colbourne Ontario and was in the Canadian Navy until 1974. He met my mother, who was born in Halifax Nova Scotia, while stationed in Halifax. They were married in 1958 and lived in ONTARIO where I was born in KINGSTON in 1959. We later moved to NOVA SCOTIA. I attended SHANNON PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in Dartmouth from 1965 to 1971. We moved to HAMILTON, ONTARIO for the school year 1967-1968. View my elementary school pictures on my SCHOOL DAYS PAGE. I have two brothers, Bruce and Scott, and one sister, Diane. I am the oldest. We lived at SHANNON PARK AND WALLIS HEIGHTS in Dartmouth. Also see more on Military Brats at MILITARY BRATS.

TEEN YEARS
I attended JOHN MARTIN JR. HIGH SCHOOL 1971-1974. View my junior high school pictures on my SCHOOL DAYS PAGE. I attended DARTMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 1974-1975 (Grade 10). My parents separated in 1974 and eventually divorced. We moved from Wallis Heights in 1975 to Woodlawn in Dartmouth where I attended Grade 11 & 12 at PRINCE ANDREW HIGH SCHOOL. I did not finish grade 12, however I did receive my High School Equivalency Diploma in 1981. In 1977 we moved to Forest Hills in Dartmouth. This was the first house we owned.

ADULT YEARS

In 1978 I had a child and placed this child for adoption privately. This was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made in my life. It has been a little easier living with this decision since contact with my son's adoptive parents began in 1984. Someday I hope to meet him, when he chooses to initiate it.
I started my working years with various waitress and then clerical positions in Dartmouth. I lived in South Milford, NS for awhile and then in Mississauga Ontario for a short time. I returned to Nova Scotia in 1980. I began working for the LADA car dealership in Dartmouth in 1981 and remained through three separate ownerships until 1990. I then worked at the JEEP/EAGLE dealer in Dartmouth for four years. I worked in the Parts/Warranty/Service Departments at these car dealerships and enjoyed my jobs very much.
In 1982 I went to DISNEY WORLD in Florida with my Aunt Diane and Uncle Jimmy and cousins Michelle and Jennifer. We had a wonderful time. In 1984 I became involved with a Support Group for Birthmothers called The Next Step. This was a wonderful group and the time I spent with the people of this group was informative and healing. I benefited greatly from the experience. I also developed a few valued friendhips with other birthmothers. In 1987 I vacationed with friends to Quebec and Pennsylvania,USA. I enjoyed this bit of travelling. I also became a "BIG SISTER" for a year in 1987. My "Little Sister" Crystal was so sweet. We baked a lot and went bowling often. I met my ex-husband in 1989 and we married in 1994.

MARRIED YEARS
We were married in Port Hilford, NS and we lived in WINE HARBOUR, N.S. I worked for a year at a bakery called "Mamma C's" in SHERBROOKE, N.S. and almost a year for Community Services in ANTIGONISH, N.S. I worked 6 years at Sonora Clams, in Sonora. I had two beautiful cats, Comet and Sylvester. We lost Sylvester in 2002. See more about my cats and other cats, including pictures on my CATS PAGE. I enjoyed my computer and the internet. It was a great means of communications and information. Distance separated me from my relatives and friends, but with the internet we stayed in touch regularly. I was and still am an avid amateur genealogist - researching my ten family names and six of my ex-husband's family names. See research on my GENEALOGY PAGE. I had many houseplants and I loved outdoor gardening with a vegetable garden and flower gardens - which I worked at every year. I was diagnosed with Diabetes in 2001. I have learned to control my blood sugar and my weight with diet and exercise. But it is a constant struggle. See my DIABETES PAGE. I was diagonsed with COPD in 2002. This disease is the result of 14 years working in the auto service department with poor ventilation and also smoking cigarettes. I have been trying to quit smoking, but it is very difficult. See my COPD PAGE. I also enjoyed (and still do) daytime soaps. My favorite soaps are All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital. See more at my SOAPS PAGE. I left my marriage and Wine harbour in March 2004 and moved back to Dartmouth.

RECENT YEARS
When I returned to Dartmouth I took many career development workshops, got my WHMIS and First Aid, took some time to re-evaluate my life with the new changes in it...and to consider what direction my life was headed. I spent 7 months in Ontario looking after my wonderful nephew Christopher and visiting with family members. I came back to Dartmouth during the summer of 2005 and spent a lot of time job hunting. I had a few temporary jobs through an agency and the last one with the Provincial Government led to a casual position that is finished in March 2007. So it is back to job hunting for me! I filed for divorce in April 2006, it was granted on February 5, 2007 and should be final March 8, 2007! I am not sure what my future plans are at this point, I guess I am just taking one day at a time. Job hunting, my genealogy interests, computer and reading keep me busy.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS:
SINGERS: Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, Rod Stewart, Conway Twitty

MALE CELEBRITIES: Tom Selleck, Clint Eastwood, Sean Connery

FEMALE CELEBRITIES: Sally Field, Barbara Stanwyck, Doris Day, Jackie Kennedy, Oprah Winfrey

TV SHOWS: Lost, 24, Survivor, Friends, CSI, Law and Order, ER

MOVIES: Gone with the Wind, The Great Gatsby, The Sound of Music, A Star is Born, Nightmare on Elm Street Series

WRITERS: Tim Lahaye, John Saul, Stephen King, Robert Ludlum, Clive Cussler, Agatha Christie, Danielle Steele

FOODS: Spaghetti, Pizza, Cabbage rolls

SPORTS: Swimming, Bicycling, Softball