Katy and her husband Craig have called Westlake home for over 30 years. She retired in 2006 after a career in graphic design with a major paint brand, but she remains as creative and curious as ever.
She recently began volunteering at the Westlake Porter Public Library and the Westlake Community Center Café, where she enjoys connecting with her community.
Craig, a passionate birder, has traveled the world pursuing his hobby. The couple met years ago during a Sierra Club backpacking class and have shared a love of the outdoors ever since. They still treasure their daily walks together.
When considering their options, Katy and Craig looked at local retirement communities but didn’t feel they were the right fit.
For Katy, the decision came down to two things: staying in the home she loves and having support when it’s needed. “I’m just not ready to give up my house,” she says. “Being able to step outside into my garden or go for a walk in the neighborhood matters to me.”
The couple doesn’t have children or relatives nearby, so joining Kendal at Home helped them to answer the question of who they would call if they needed care later.
“We can continue living the life we love, with the support we’ll need when the time comes,” she said.
Get To Know Katy
Favorite way to spend a Saturday
Have a leisurely blend of activities to do—drawing, sewing, some gardening, house project with Craig, garden maintenance, learn a new skill via YouTube video, a hike or walk somewhere. End with a tasty dinner-we both like to cook-and in the evening a good book or two, print or digital.
The meal I love to make
Hard to think of just one, as I have a lot of favorites. Would have to say what we call Mexican Restaurant Rice—brown rice with green beans, corn, and fresh tomatoes (cooked chicken or steak or pork if around). Add a bit of canola oil and lots of smoked paprika and chili powder. Finish with cilantro, lime juice and cheddar cheese and heat until cheese is melty. Yum!
If I didn’t live here, I’d live…
I would divide my time between a farm—chickens, goats, a nice veg garden, woods— and a cottage in hike-able woods near a lake.
What I’m most excited about this fall
I’m having a landscaping company redo garden beds around my deck using native plants, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ve designed. They’ve also suggested replacing part of our large backyard grassy area with native shrubs and plants as well. We did something similar to this the first summer of the pandemic as in we just let our backyard grow up and just mowed some walking paths. It was fascinating to see what grew and trying to identify it, like having your own private park. Much more interesting than grass!
Something nobody knows about me
I think it would be fun to try sword fighting (wood blades only!) Probably due to all the fantasy/sci-fi I read.
Guilty pleasures
Candy corn mixed with dry roasted peanuts. Also Enstrom’s Almond Toffee from Colorado. Both totally worth the calories!
What I’m reading now and why
The Spirit of St. Louis by Charles Lindbergh. I ran across this frankly raggedy edition (1953) from my dad and remembered it as a agood look at the early days of aviation as well as a fascinating look of the step by step process in planning the flight across the Atlantic, so decided to give it a go again. I like the structure, interspersing the flight itself with flashbacks.
I’m also reading The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, the 2025 Hugo Award winner for best novel. It’s a mudermystery/fantasy with excellent world building, characters and writing style. I will try his other work.
And finally, Better Small Talk by Patrick King. It’s a practical book on improving your skills of small talk and conversations that connect. Being mostly an introvert I’m always willing to expand my skill set in this area.
Mottos I live by
We can walk from here.
Let’s see what happens!
Show me how to do that…
