The People In Our Neighborhood: Catherine

I am introducing a new series here on DeenutsDana called "The People in our Neighborhood" where I will be highlighting friends of mine that I want to introduce to you.  I know some pretty great people and I want to share them with you. 

Our first Person In Our Neighborhood is Catherine.

Catherine lives in Shelburne, Vermont with her husband Andy and their two sons Matthew and Brendan.  I met Catherine in 1994 at our Orientation for Boston University.  We lived on the same floor freshman year and in the same suite sophomore year.  We lost touch for a few years after college but then found each other in 2006, and she did a reading in my wedding in June of 2007.  We've been close ever since, and this weekend Catherine and her two sons came to visit and spend some time with Greg, Leah and myself. 

I have some great memories of Catherine.  Once freshman year we were heading back to our dorm after a night of partying.  As we stepped out of the elevator, she bumped into me, and my wallet fell down the elevator shaft.  We just watched it fall, almost in slow motion, and then looked up at each other and started laughing.  It wasn't until I sobered woke up the next morning that I realized how royalty screwed I was without any debit or credit cards, i.d. or money.

My second favorite memory of Catherine is when we were playing Uno in our suite sophomore year eating Doritos.  We were singing that song "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and I licked the cheese off of a Dorito and put it down to draw a card.  Catherine picked it up and put it in her mouth, not realizing it had already been licked.  I started laughing and could barely get the words out to tell Catherine that she was eating my ABC dorito.  When she realized it she made this horrible BLLLEEAAACCCCHHH sound and spit the dorito out.  We laughed about that for a while. 

Here is what Catherine would like to share with you, in her words:

I am the youngest of three children; I was born in Brwyn Mawr, PA on October 29, 1975. And yes, I had a Halloween party every year until I started liking gymnastics, and then I had gymnastics parties.  And then there was the year that my mom spilled Hawaiian punch all over my garfield sheet cake.  I'll never forget that.

I moved around a lot, and in 1986 we moved from the Philadelphia area to the Baltimore area.  I went to a Catholic school called Notre Dame Prep in Towson, MD.  We only lived there for three years when my parents sprung on me, "We're moving to California!"  Being the youngest, I had to go.  I was envious of my sister, who was starting college.

My brother would tell you that I was spoiled.  I got a nice car, but he got one too, only mine was in better shape than his.  I used to listen to my sister's phone conversations through the vent in my room.  Once I heard my mom talk to my sister through the vent about finding drug paraphernalia in her room.

I'm not sure what my dad did for a living.  He worked for railroads--that's all I know about that.  We moved around a lot because of his job.

I was a Brownie; I played softball; I swam for a long time--all the way through high school. I love to travel.  I've been to Russia three times on student exchange.  That's what started my interest in international travel. 

We lived in California from eigth grade through high school, and I knew that I wanted to go back east for college. Both of my siblings went to Syracuse. I was accepted there too, but I wanted to be different.  I saw the BU sign at the football field while passing on the Massachusetts Turnpike one day and decided to apply there.  I knew I wanted to major in International Relations and made sure that BU offered it.  It was big school and I wanted to go to a big school. 

After graduation, I worked for Kraft Foods as a sales rep.  I was there for a little more than 8 years.  I met my husband Andy at a Halloween party.  He showed up without a costume and my friend Beth said, "You can't come to my party and not wear a costume." So she put him in one of her business suit jackets and called him Fat Guy in a Little Coat.  We married four years later.

I quit Kraft when my first child Matthew was 9 months old and decided that I wanted to be a stay at home mom.  My son Brendan is three years younger than Matthew.  These days, I live in Vermont and I'm a full time mom and also help Andy at our furniture business Burlington Bedrooms.  Three years ago we launched a pet bed business, called Lillypad Memory Foam Pet Beds, which are ideal for all pets and especially beneficial for older pets.  I like to road bike, run, and plan to do a triathalon by the end of the summer.  I'm doing a half marathon next month.  I enjoy visiting college friends in Sparta, NJ.  I enjoy a good drink or two.  I like to waste time on Facebook, just like anyone else. 

Thanks, Catherine!
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