Joan Woolstrum:  

I only went to 11/2 years at RCC after graduating from Ramona and never got my AA. Married, divorced after 13 years and have 2 beautiful daughters. Have been happily remarried since 1985 to Richard and have 6 additional great "kids" and their families, not to mention grandkids and 5 great-grandkids (at the moment). Richard and I spent 25 years fixing up a portion of a 40-acre parcel we own in Amador County, CA and finally were able to build a house and move there on Valentine's Day 2003. I always hated "gardening" when I was younger. To me, the only thing it meant was pulling out goathead stickers. Today, I love it! What a surprise! Years ago when we were physically able, we built a picnic area for nonprofit groups and families to use, put in a breakwater and dock for the little lake, and (with the help of a Ford 800 tractor that Richard could do anything with) moved tons of dirt and rocks for rock walls. Together, we built one cabin and later another one and a cookshed was built. We would live in a tent for weeks, bringing in our own water, since the well wasn't in yet, while we worked. It was hard work, but we loved it. Now, we are unable to do all that. The tractor is gone. Richard's legs are "gone" (he uses a scooter for long distances) and I have had chronic fatigue for about 15 years, so we are limited in what we can do. Therefore, the landscaping we had planned for around our home hasn't been done at all, even though we had plants, boulders, etc. for it. Just recently, with the hired help of friends, rocks and boulders are being placed into position and trees and plants are being planted. We're so thankful! Being born and raised in Riverside, not to mention my Mom and Dad's orange trees, I'm trying to grow a navel orange tree here, but the cold winters are working against me. The first year, it had 1 orange, last year 2, and this year 8! Still don't know if it will survive. We just plante...Expand for more