Katherine Ciak, Kittery, Maine

Thank you to the reunion party crew. I will not be able to get to Rochester for the actual reunion so I am very excited that this reunion blog is getting started. And I love the possibility that I will be in touch with classmates from Bishop Kearney.

After going away to college I lost touch with most of my old classmates. The only person I did stay in touch with was Pat Scarpulla-he is married to my sister Margo. Two years ago I searched out Susan Kinsella and we resumed our friendship even though we live on opposite coasts. And this summer I was able to spend several days with both Sue and Barb Neary. I am amazed at how easy it was to pick up on the threads of conversations that we started over 40 (we were in grade school together so its over 45) years ago.

I have been slowly moving east since leaving Rochester in 1969: Albany, western MA, Cambridge, NH. About 5 years ago I moved to Kittery, Maine. Kittery is a true New England village for me. I live across the street from the ocean with my husband, David. We bought a house (built in 1908) together 3 years ago and are working on making it ours (lots of scraping, peeling, painting).

I find that so many of the things I liked to do and the values I have held are not that different than they were 40 years ago. I still love the water. I started kayaking years ago. David has re-introduced me to canoe camping. We are learning our way around Maine’s wilderness areas and exploring the lakes and rivers in the North woods.. I enjoy being outside. I bike ride, I walk every morning along the ocean with my dog Rosy. I have both a vegetable and flower garden. I am experimenting with year round vegetable harvesting in a “hoop house.” I have been weaving for many years and I try to show my work occasionally.

I worked as a middle school counselor for many years but 5 years ago I quit my full time job. Now I work part time in the Adult Ed program in Kittery as a counselor. I also work with a landscaper doing gardening in the Portsmouth, NH area.

My family all live in California, now. My sister Andrea moved there in the 70s. My nephew, sister and brother-in-law and mother have been there 4 years. I still get to Rochester occasionally since my husband grew up in Brighton and we go visit his family.

Picture 1:  Katherine and David on right with Kelly and Ann (witnesses at our wedding).

Picture 2:  Katherine and Rosy in the lugger, Brave Boat Harbor, Maine

Picture 3:  Rosy, our canine companion.