Daphne had come back to Vermont in the Fall of 1980, after ending her relationship with the kids' father John Flynn. She rented an apartment in Worcester. She did book-keeping for small businesses which paid her more than being a typist, which she'd never learned to do anyway. They muddled their way through, some help from the state and some odd part time jobs. John would visit sometimes, but there was no financial help from him. John was ordered to pay $15 per week for child support. For two kids? Could the mother pay only that? He payed his share for a bumping 5 weeks before he gave up. Daphne went on to manage her own life with her children.
Around summer '82 Daphne went to England for most of the school year. More book-keeping kept her going there. She likes to call it - a non-emotional job with an emotional life at home. Book-keeping was a very mechanical job with numbers. She lived in a small town, rented a house when a school friend living locally gave her deposit money. Daphne came back to Vermont in April of 1983 and rented a house owned by family friends in Worcester; the mother was very supportive of Daphne and their sons have a life-long friendship. They were born 15 hours apart in the same hospital.
Daphne earned a living as a Finance Manager in Waterbury where the company profits increased by 300% in a year. Then she taught Math and Computers at Vermont College for several years as well as a year of Math at Montpelier High School. Her kids went to elementary school in Worcester.
During these years, Daphne met a terrific group of women friends who supported each other tremendously. They were building a strong community under their feathers. Soon it was time was Daphne to buy a permanent roof over their head, which led to the search of a house and the more challenging aspect of financing the house. She has written an amazing story of trials and tribulations she went through and how the universe conspired to get her the deal she got - how the realtor, the lawyer, the banker were three different women but all compassionate of Daphne's situation, and bent the rules to make this happen. On July 30th of 1985, her 40th birthday, Daphne became the home owner of a beautiful cottage in Worcester. What an achievement for the mother hen and her youngsters. That house is where the kids grew up, went to school, had their fights, had their playtimes, certainly loved each other.
It was the year of '92 when the turn of events happened. Daphne received 3 offers in one week. The first was acceptance at a PhD program at UPenn majoring in Financing of Higher Education, the second one was to be Associate Executive Director at Farm and Wilderness Foundation and the third was as Financial Manager at Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, where she'd been contracting for a while.
Any guesses on which job she took? This was her first venture to be a professional into the world of non-profit organizations. She became the Associate Executive Director, which included business management, at the Farm and Wilderness camps in Plymouth. She enjoyed her work, learned a lot, and her kids came too, each in their own appropriate summer camp and her in a cabin. They'd bought another house by winter but kept the Worcester one. She had some amazing experiences and interactions here, with the kids, with the year-round staff, with the summer counselors, with parents and Board members. There were exciting times when the campers were fully engaged in multiple activities, and less interesting times as when the campfire turned into a wildfire that called for emergency measures. Because of the move, Daph's older child was ready to plunge into another world. He was now in 9th grade and had his mind set on a boarding school near Philadelphia which, after somewhat tedious efforts, had offered a half scholarship. In a couple of years, the next one was ready to follow brother's footsteps and wanted admission to the same school. It took some real money but the best Daphne ever spent. She wanted the best for her kids and their efforts were rightly answered. Both children went on to good colleges, later to Grad schools (which they paid for themselves!) and are now professionals in their own lives.
For Daphne, she was ready for a new adventure. The kids were out of the house, Daphne was free once again to pursue her world travels. But a new challenging job confronted her. The Intervale Foundation in Burlington, VT had acquired 700 acres of wetland between the Winooski River and Lake Champlain. It was an opportunity to use the land for organic farming, with a subsidy program for beginning farmers and included a commercial composting company to pay most of the non-profits expenses. Daphne worked as the Executive Director of that project from 96 to the end of 2000, when she handed it over to a fellow who she knew would do justice to the mission. In December of 2000, she joined her youngest studying in Pune, India, my home country. She has written some amazing stories and experiences during her visit there. As an Indian, I found them extra-ordinary.
In 2001, with no more college bills coming her way, she moved to Washington DC and got lucky with a small apartment right behind the Supreme Court. After sending out 47 resumes and no interviews, she got a job on submission of her 48th, as a teacher in a small Quaker-styled school for edgy teenagers. There she met a younger handsome British fellow, friend for life, who I've had the privilege of meeting also. He is getting married to his fiance Peter next year, and Daphne is officiating at the ceremony. Oh, and did I mention that Daphne also officiated at my wedding ceremony? Rob and I unanimously agreed to this. On her 70th Birthday, as her friends and family gathered around in a circle introducing themselves, Rob mentioned this fact, to which the witty Daphne cited - Rob is probably the only man I ever married!
Once a mother, always a mother. Even after kids grow older and the parent takes the role of a friend, circumstances revert their role to being a responsible parent and doing the right thing for their kids. Daphne faced those challenges with a bold heart and strong mind also. She retired from her job in 2010. In between years, saw the wedding in India of the older son to a New Yorker of Indian descent. It also saw the gender transition of the younger, now a happier person, though she sometimes still gets the pronoun wrong in conversation! 2010 was also the year when I met Daphne, through Cindy, my then homeshare and now a soul friend. Who would have thought that a 27-year old would be so influenced by the powerful women in Vermont?
Around summer '82 Daphne went to England for most of the school year. More book-keeping kept her going there. She likes to call it - a non-emotional job with an emotional life at home. Book-keeping was a very mechanical job with numbers. She lived in a small town, rented a house when a school friend living locally gave her deposit money. Daphne came back to Vermont in April of 1983 and rented a house owned by family friends in Worcester; the mother was very supportive of Daphne and their sons have a life-long friendship. They were born 15 hours apart in the same hospital.
Daphne earned a living as a Finance Manager in Waterbury where the company profits increased by 300% in a year. Then she taught Math and Computers at Vermont College for several years as well as a year of Math at Montpelier High School. Her kids went to elementary school in Worcester.
During these years, Daphne met a terrific group of women friends who supported each other tremendously. They were building a strong community under their feathers. Soon it was time was Daphne to buy a permanent roof over their head, which led to the search of a house and the more challenging aspect of financing the house. She has written an amazing story of trials and tribulations she went through and how the universe conspired to get her the deal she got - how the realtor, the lawyer, the banker were three different women but all compassionate of Daphne's situation, and bent the rules to make this happen. On July 30th of 1985, her 40th birthday, Daphne became the home owner of a beautiful cottage in Worcester. What an achievement for the mother hen and her youngsters. That house is where the kids grew up, went to school, had their fights, had their playtimes, certainly loved each other.
It was the year of '92 when the turn of events happened. Daphne received 3 offers in one week. The first was acceptance at a PhD program at UPenn majoring in Financing of Higher Education, the second one was to be Associate Executive Director at Farm and Wilderness Foundation and the third was as Financial Manager at Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, where she'd been contracting for a while.
Any guesses on which job she took? This was her first venture to be a professional into the world of non-profit organizations. She became the Associate Executive Director, which included business management, at the Farm and Wilderness camps in Plymouth. She enjoyed her work, learned a lot, and her kids came too, each in their own appropriate summer camp and her in a cabin. They'd bought another house by winter but kept the Worcester one. She had some amazing experiences and interactions here, with the kids, with the year-round staff, with the summer counselors, with parents and Board members. There were exciting times when the campers were fully engaged in multiple activities, and less interesting times as when the campfire turned into a wildfire that called for emergency measures. Because of the move, Daph's older child was ready to plunge into another world. He was now in 9th grade and had his mind set on a boarding school near Philadelphia which, after somewhat tedious efforts, had offered a half scholarship. In a couple of years, the next one was ready to follow brother's footsteps and wanted admission to the same school. It took some real money but the best Daphne ever spent. She wanted the best for her kids and their efforts were rightly answered. Both children went on to good colleges, later to Grad schools (which they paid for themselves!) and are now professionals in their own lives.
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| Daphne receiving her US Citizenship (Circa 2012) |
For Daphne, she was ready for a new adventure. The kids were out of the house, Daphne was free once again to pursue her world travels. But a new challenging job confronted her. The Intervale Foundation in Burlington, VT had acquired 700 acres of wetland between the Winooski River and Lake Champlain. It was an opportunity to use the land for organic farming, with a subsidy program for beginning farmers and included a commercial composting company to pay most of the non-profits expenses. Daphne worked as the Executive Director of that project from 96 to the end of 2000, when she handed it over to a fellow who she knew would do justice to the mission. In December of 2000, she joined her youngest studying in Pune, India, my home country. She has written some amazing stories and experiences during her visit there. As an Indian, I found them extra-ordinary.
In 2001, with no more college bills coming her way, she moved to Washington DC and got lucky with a small apartment right behind the Supreme Court. After sending out 47 resumes and no interviews, she got a job on submission of her 48th, as a teacher in a small Quaker-styled school for edgy teenagers. There she met a younger handsome British fellow, friend for life, who I've had the privilege of meeting also. He is getting married to his fiance Peter next year, and Daphne is officiating at the ceremony. Oh, and did I mention that Daphne also officiated at my wedding ceremony? Rob and I unanimously agreed to this. On her 70th Birthday, as her friends and family gathered around in a circle introducing themselves, Rob mentioned this fact, to which the witty Daphne cited - Rob is probably the only man I ever married!
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| Daphne in her kitchen, next to the wood stove, in her cozy Worcester house |
