Christine Lisiecki is living her best life every day, finding fun in life no matter what else is going on. The day we talked, Christine was finalizing the sale of her condo and preparing to move into an independent living apartment at New Haven Senior Living in Little River.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found New Haven through a friend,\u201d Christine told me as we began. \u201cMy family has wanted me to move into Independent Living for some time. I have one son in Pennsylvania, and one son in Boston \u2013 they\u2019re concerned about me. So finally I started looking.\u201d Christine found quite a few that weren\u2019t a good fit for her, but New Haven is perfect for her active lifestyle. \u201cThere were a few things that I really liked; one, they have a swimming pool and I love to swim, and two, they have happy hour six days a week!\u201d After we shared a laugh, Christine told me her sons came down and agreed she has made a good choice. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to moving to New Haven. The amenities are beautiful. And someone will always be available if I need assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christine will have a roommate \u2013 her 13 year old Westie \u201cI rescued him when he was six,\u201d Christine told me. \u201cHe\u2019s my Velcro dog and never gets far away from me \u2013 he\u2019s a lousy conversationalist though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a very social person. I worked in sales and have always enjoy being around people,\u201d Christine told me when I asked about her decision to move. Most importantly, this is her choice. \u201cMake your move to independent or assisted living when you\u2019re able to do it, not when your family has to do it for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m 89 but I don\u2019t feel 89. And I don\u2019t dress like 89,\u201d said Christine when I asked about her life. \u201cI keep active, even though I haven\u2019t been able to do as much since the corona virus started.\u201d A lover of fashion, Christine enjoys shopping for clothes, even though she does most of her shopping online now. \u201cMy UPS man says I\u2019m his biggest customer,\u201d she laughed. \u201cIf I don\u2019t wear if for a year, I get rid of it!\u201d<\/p>\n
Christine was widowed 20 years ago and was living in New York at the time. She has always worked, starting out in administrative work and at one time she worked for a company that sold Lear Jets. \u201cI sold the accessories, but these accessories could cost more than $200,000,\u201d Christine remembered. Then she went to work for a tech company called Time Plex that developed the technology leading to artificial intelligence like the Alexa we use today. \u201cMy last job was working as a receptionist for BMW. I moved to Pennsylvania to be near my son and didn\u2019t know a soul. I had so much fun at that job.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy two grandchildren live here. Christopher owns a local business and Elizabeth is a travelling nurse.\u201d Both are helping Christine pare down her belongings. \u201cI decided on the one bedroom unit at New Haven, and I will still have a kitchen, even though I can eat three meals a day in the dining room.\u201d<\/p>\n
When I asked how she stays so upbeat Christine replied, \u201cI love life, first of all, I always feel it\u2019s so much easier to smile than it is to frown.\u201d Continuing, she said, \u201cI had a good home life and a wonderful husband. When he passed I made a life for myself. I enjoy doing things.\u201d Christine shared that she took up tap dancing at 50.\u201d I don\u2019t like to sit around doing nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFormerly an avid golfer, Christine does still walk some, but says she\u2019s not an avid exerciser. \u201cThe hot, humid weather is hard on me.\u201d But she doesn\u2019t let her age stop her. \u201cI feel that even though you become older, you can still enjoy life. Just adjust your life to how you feel. I am not going to let anything get me down.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel very fortunate. If I die today, I\u2019ve had a good run.\u201d<\/p>\n