Charter Members

Queen Mom:
Jay King
Countesses Itsy Bitsy over Fifty:
Terri Amick
Lady Lolita:
Linda Berry
Lady Elan:
Debra Camfferman
Dizzy Chrissy:
Chris Daniels
Lady Wisteria:
Helen DiCicco
Enchantress Hot Flashin Goddess of purple Passion:
Cary Elliott
Goddess of Fire, Angel of Light:
Adele Haberman
Members:
Jean Hamilton
Rebecca Hayes-Bloxsom
Still Thinking Pink:
Amy King
Members:
Cindy Kuhn
Empress Nosey Rosey:
Rose Perry
Member in Hiding:
Kayelynn Salsman
Pink Goddess:
Becky Sinnreich
Goddess of Maternal Meditation:
Heidi Talkington

Links Section

	RED HAT SOCIETY
	MURIELLE WINERY
	BETTER RED THAN DEAD SISTER CHAPTER
	PRACTICALLY PIKASSO
	RED HAT RECIPE EXCHANGE
	BELLEVILLE RED HAT SOCIETY

This is a chapter of the Red Hat Society. We formed in August 2004... just in time for the worst hurricane season in Florida that we can remember!

We are based in St. Petersburg, FL and our members live and work all around the Tampa Bay area.

Please check back often for more photos and fun.

Queen Mom Jay

jking28@tampabay.rr.com

Better Red Than Dead Society of St. Petersburg, Fl

Check out our Sister Chapter in Iowa-Their link is on the left.

The attendents were Queen Mom Jay, Lady Wisteria, Empress Nosey Rosey, Goddess of Fire, Angel of Light, Jean (still thinking of her title) and new comer Becky.

We had a great evening making new toppers, snacking, and socializing.

Lady Wisteria came prepared with wonderful ideas for future outings. Everyone was thrilled with her research and we managed to work out our calendar for most of the year.

(Check back again for the pictures-Lady Elan is better at these entrys.)

She has more than earned the Member Profile of the Month title. She has attended each event since joining and is a most pleasant woman to get to know! She's a little quiet... but spend some time with her and you learn she is an interesting, funny, upbeat person!

Here are parts of her biography in her own words.

"I am another Florida transplant. I was born in Massachusetts. Had a very happy childhood. Lots of friends and family.

Graduated from Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater , Massachusetts with a BA in English/Secondary Ed. Years later I went back to school to earn an Early Childhood (K-3) certificate. I was also Office for Children certified in Infant/Toddler, Nursery, and Preschool. So I was certified to teach infants through third grade and grades seven to twelve. Never did go for those middle grades cause I knew Kindergarten was it for me.

Later still, I earned a Travel Consultant Diploma from The Travel Education Center in Boston, Massachusetts. I worked part-time as a travel agent and enjoyed it but at the time my teaching and my family limited my exploration of this career possibility. Some day maybe..... .

After graduating from Bridgewater the first time, I got married that same summer to my husband, Paul. We dated 4 years and have been married for 30. We raised our family in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. I was a stay at home mom until the youngest went off to school. We have two girls: Michelle, 28 and Rosanne, 23.

Michelle is married to my terrific son-in-law, Tom, and have had their first baby, a boy, this past May. They also are the proud parents of Tom's son, Ryan, 15. So, yes, I am now happily a grandma. My daughter, Rose, 23 lives here in Florida. We originally moved to Florida when she chose to go to Saint Leo University in St. Leo Florida. ( It would have been pretty far from mom and dad was looking for a new job anyway.) What a beautiful campus and a great community! She graduated from St. Leo with a degree in Business Administration and is currently a graduate student at the University of Tampa earning a Masters in Marketing.

When we moved to Florida we expected to be "empty nesters" and enjoy our spare time exploring our new home. Expected it would be like being on "vacation" everyday in beautiful, sunny St. Pete. However, our adventures were cut short when both parents (living in Punta Gorda) became ill.

Lady Wisteria

Thankfully, I was here to step in when it was needed. It became necessary for me to buy my house to bring them to live with me. Sadly I lost my dad to cancer in the summer of 2001. A HUGE void for me as he and I were so close. I was his "Wisteria, the clinging vine", a queen, a princess.... all of it.... loved and spoiled royally. My mother, who suffered a debilitating stroke in 1999, is still living with us and requires 24 hour care. I am grateful for the 20 hours a week in respite I now receive that allows me time to get out to do errands and spend some time with my husband and daughter outside the house.

This stay at home arrangement makes it difficult to get out and meet folks in hopes of developing a circle of friends. Had many back home and miss them all although we talk on the phone or email regularly. Not quite the same. So I decided to be proactive in searching out a way to meet people and came across the Red Hat website. Back home I belonged to a similar group called the Wacky Women Wanderers. We were a group of women not all of whom knew each other that got together once a month for one day bus outings to wineries, orchards, historic places/restorations, the theater, restaurants, ice shows, flower shows, shopping...... lots of fun activities. Red Hats sounds much the same and "Better Red Than Dead" just sold it. What a great name!!

I am looking forward to the same sort of fun sisterhood.

A few asides:

Hobbies: Used to enjoy cross-country skiing but that's a tough one now. Ha! Ha! I enjoy music, reading, cooking/baking, flower gardening, (still alot to learn about Florida gardening), crafting, picnics, The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and of course, my teams from home ... The New England Patriots and The Boston Red Sox.

Favorite Foods: Ice Cream is number one followed closely by pizza, pasta and pastries. Since moving to Florida I do enjoy fish more often and am acquiring a fondness for caribbean cuisine.

Favorite Ice Cream Store: Scoops, Custard Mon or Dairy Queen

Favorite Restaurant: Ooooh so many..... and they're all good. Going out to eat is one of my favorite things. Name a category and I've got a favorite. So favorite " just everyday kind of restaurant" rather than cook would be Sweet Tomatoes.

Favorite color: aqua or bright pinks

Favorite Music: Country or 60's/70's oldies although enjoy all kinds of music."