Catching up with a former Ballou Team Member, Susan Bonner

I don’t know about you, but I am a lover of High Tea!  The smell of the scones, the yummy lemon curd and cream, and those darling sandwiches --- sigh!    And every time I indulge, I think of my good friend, Susan Bonner.  Why?  Well as some of you may remember, she was also a former Office Manager of our firm, and she made the BEST scones and homemade lemon curd ever!  If you were lucky enough to attend one of our open houses back in those days, you’ll know what I’m talking about!

That’s just the tip of the story, of course, because Susan is talented in so many areas, we can’t stop there.  I’m so delighted that she has realized her life-long retirement dream and is now enjoying life in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.  She’s been through a lot, always remained forward thinking and optimistic, and is at heart a kid with a huge curiosity and joy about life on this amazing planet.  You will enjoy catching up with her in this Blog, featuring the multi-faceted, multi-talented Susan Bonner.

Susan hiking the Tetons, 1979

I have known you for so many years Susan as everything from valued employee to retiree, with a myriad of stops along the way.  How did we get so lucky that you joined what was then Ballou Financial Group?

I tell the story still; that I went to you as a client and wound up working for you.  I was energized by the appointment my then husband and I had with you.  I loved that we had a plan of action because nothing happens by magic.  Then you called and asked if I would be interested in working with you and your Team.  I jumped at the chance.  I was impressed at our first meeting with your clear direct manner which suited my approach.

It’s somewhat ironic that after joining us, you and your then husband divorced, putting you into the same financial planning process so many of our clients experience.  Out of that difficult journey, you emerged stronger than ever, and took on the world with a new focus, a new career and a move to San Francisco.   Can you share with us how you were able to regroup, refocus and move forward so successfully?  What advice can you offer others, especially women, experiencing what you lived and came to conquer.

I thought I was going to be a bag lady, seriously.  It was a traumatic experience for me and one of the things that really helped me work through it was to see what I could learn from the experience.  I took advantage of a very good counselor who had a very natural approach that worked for me.  I still hear his advice in my head and have shared with others his clear view.  

It turns out, since I was a "Jackie of all trades,” when it came time to determine how I would move forward (and how much support I would receive) it was suggested I go through the battery of tests to assist in finding a career path.  I had already worked in the buying offices of Joseph Magnin, been a Group Sales Manager for Bullock's, worked for Central Bank/Bank of the West in the corporate headquarters in the human resources department, and in customer service training.  At the time I was doing a five room remodel of my house, alterations for Georgiou in Sun Valley Mall, teaching sewing at the Walnut Creek Senior Center, teaching the alterations class at Diablo Valley College's Apparel Design program and doing custom sewing and alterations for private clients.

 Two views of a fun blue coat Susan designed and created

Those tests pretty much said I could do about anything.  On the list were paralegal and attorney.  My brother is an attorney and I decided we didn't need two in the family so I looked into the Paralegal Program at Saint Mary's College.  So, knowing nothing about the law, and entering another career field, I thought it would be smart to find a job in a law office while I went to school at night.  I wound up working for two different offices and was given a lot of leeway by both offices I worked in, and have developed lifelong relationships with all those I worked with and for.

There was a book written a few years ago which posited the notion that the newer generation would have multiple careers in the new century.  I think I was ahead of the curve since I had already had about 5 careers before I became a paralegal.  That is how I made it to a new field in 1995.  I followed the opportunities presented to me and transitioned from paralegal to legal secretary for a managing partner of a firm (better pay scale), then moved to another firm and transitioned into management, at my final firm I managed a branch office and was a marketing specialist for the firm.  What motivated me to move from place to place was the way employees were treated and the management policies of the firm.  My last firm represents public sector agencies: cities, counties, community colleges, school districts and more.  I believed in their mission and it was easy to tell people about them.

I realized at some point, that you just have to make a decision and do something.  From that jumping off point, opportunities happen and you need to be open to them and go in the direction that feels right for you.

Tell us about the role you served as a leader in your professional organization.  How did you make time and were the benefits worth all you put in?

In one of my firms, I was exposed to the national professional organization for legal administrators.  When I made the move to managing the SF office of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, I asked that in my offer the firm would pay for my membership in the Association of Legal Administrators, and that I go to their conferences each year.  I felt that the way to get the most out of it was to become involved on the board.  I was on several committees, met great people who helped me learn my job and created working relationships with administrators of many firms in SF.  I became chapter treasurer, VP and then president.  It was all worth it and what helped to make it easy was that I had the backing of my firm.  I made sure before I began the path that I had their full support.
 
My office was right across the street from AT&T Park and being a Giants fan all my life I was thrilled that in the year of my presidency, the Giants won the World Series - 2010 was a great year! I was nominated for a position on one of the national regional boards for the association, was selected and served the year of 2012, another World Series year!!

I just recently went to Paris, the South of France and Barcelona with three other administrators who are lifelong friends.  People ask me, so how was it with three other women for 2 weeks?  It was great, we had all worked on each other's executive committees, managed lawyers and must have good people skills because we were together 24/7 and had the time of our lives.


Susan (2nd from left) and friends in Paris

So, hobbies ---- dare I call them that?  From master baker to master pattern maker and seamstress extraordinaire, you have tremendous creative talent, Susan.  When we met you were balancing a sewing studio and an alterations business in your home with your job here at Ballou Plum.   How did you do that?

Hmm, how did I do that?  Things seemed to grow organically and I looked to see if there was room for each of the new opportunities to fit into my daily routine.  Scheduling, and being able to job share at Ballou Financial allowed space for that growth.  Somewhere along the road I learned how to say "no" to things that might appear problematic and to push toward the growth opportunities in design and interesting projects.


Susan's drafting table - where the magic starts!

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi wrote the book Flow which says: “Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.“  That sort of sums up how I approached all the activities I did and I think it allowed me to be productive and focused.

So now, retirement!  Hooray!  I am so thrilled for you as you have worked SO hard and with such focus and purpose on your goal of financial independence, that you are both exceptional and inspirational.  Left with an unwelcome divorce in unpleasant financial circumstances, to retiring in full at age 65 to a home you own in the beautiful Pacific Northwest – on your own --- it’s been, well, a true journey.  Tell us how you decided to acquire your future retirement residence and the steps leading up to that decision.  One of which involved NOT owning property here in the Bay Area while you worked in San Francisco, but renting here instead.
 
The original thought was based on looking for a vacation home.  I was in a relationship where my partner/significant other owned a home in SF.  So the thought was to look beyond the Bay Area.  Water is and always has been a great attractor.  So, I began looking on the internet back in 1998/99 while it was far from what we know today.  I was born in Seattle and had once been on a trip to the Olympic Peninsula and remembered how much I loved the green of the trees and the clean environment.  I thought about the San Juan Islands and began looking from there.  I found a realtor online, picked out a few places we would like to look at and then flew up one weekend to see what there was.

As usually happens, the place we found was not on the list!  So in 1999 I purchased something I could easily afford with my current job.  I was also lucky that the market in Washington where I had chosen was also a bit down at the time.  It was important to me that I always be able to afford the property.  In 2006 I ended the relationship and moved to a rental in San Rafael.  I always knew after I had purchased the home that I wanted to retire there.  I also knew that if I tried to buy something in the Bay Area I would have to work the rest of my natural days, and that was NOT in my plan.  I once again was lucky enough to find a place that worked for me at a rent much less than in the city.  I had an extra bedroom which became my studio.  I was still getting 50 mpg so driving to work was the best option.  I ran the numbers and I was able to pay my $1325 rent and my $890 mortgage and pull it off.  I made increases and got bonuses which always went to savings so it was always doable.

I could have rented the property but chose not to do so mainly because I did not have to and I didn't want the hassle long distance or any tenant issues.  I got the property tax benefit and that really helped with my taxes.  I made decisions that I could live with.  Over the years neighbors I came to know in Washington watched my house and I never had any problems leaving it.

When we were talking just the other day, you described being outside your home and watching the eagles soar above, enjoying the bay just across the street and a few other moments of beauty.  Tell us about your new hometown and what you are enjoying the most.  After life in the Bay Area, it must be a bit of culture shock!   How are you finding ways to become a welcome part of your community?

I live in Dungeness Beach, Washington which is on the outskirts of Sequim (skwim) a town of about 6,600.  It is situated in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains.  Out of my kitchen window I see the mountains and out my front window, the Straits of Juan de Fuca with the San Juan Islands within easy reach.
 
Victoria BC is a short ferry ride away, Seattle is another ferry ride away and Portland is only 4 hours from Sequim.  Since I had been coming up for years I knew a couple of people, but within a couple of weeks I met more talented people on my road.  I was invited to a Thanksgiving dinner and met some folks, started watching football with a teacher who had moved here the year before, did some alterations for a couple of ladies on the road, went to the First Friday Art Walks and things bloomed from there.  Last night I attended a book club in a wine tasting room in town, how bad can that be and it looks promising, more new people!


Bald eagle in the neighborhood

I was ready to leave the concrete behind, but each time I came up I always asked myself the question, is this where I want to be, and so far the answer has been yes.  I always wanted to be in a place where there are seasons and now I have seen the intense colors of fall, a winter without the terrors on the northeast and now the incredible spring.  There are over 250 species of birds in this area and I have had the pleasure of watching the Bald Eagles, Herons, Wigeons, Chickadees and so many more.  This area has a resident herd of Roosevelt Elk which also makes it special.

The things I thought about in moving were my connections to the Bay Area, my family and friends.  In this new age I can remain close and meet new friends to add to the circle.  I Skype with friends and family, text and email daily and have guests on a regular basis.  It is also close enough for me to drop down to the Bay Area for special events and to see the circle of friends.

Although you can now afford to be completely retired, you were already describing some possible part-time work involving sewing and patterns.  I should have known you are way too active to hold still for long!  So, what projects do you have in mind?
 
Well, when I first got here, after I got the house in order, I began sewing and patternmaking with abandon!  I have a fabric stash of course and just started working on projects I had in my mind for a long time.  I don't want another full time job but I seem to wind up making coats of all kinds so now I am looking at developing a custom coat and alterations business perhaps.  I have also begun to teach myself to knit.  A new venture.


Double layer organic cotton vest, beaded.

I am working with organic cotton, hand sewing and embellishing these knit garments and tested some of them on my recent trip to France and Spain.  There is a huge organic farming community here with local produce going to some of the best restaurants in Seattle.  The organic fabric garments might just fit in.  One of the most successful farms, Nash's Organic Farms has a store a mile from my house so I can hop on my bike, load up the basket with fresh produce and have a great meal.


Susan's neighborhood cruiser

I am also "gleaning" produce at Nash's once a week.  That entails sorting produce with the end result that the not so perfect food is set aside to go to community shelters and non-profit groups.  An easy way to help out.

Another fun fact about you is that you are quite the outdoorswoman, naturalist, hiker, kayaker, adventurer --- you’ve had some amazing experiences.  Would you like to share a few with us?

In 1982 my husband and I floated three different rivers in Alaska using a raft and rowing frame.  Very few people were doing it then and it was an incredible experience.  We hired a float plane pilot to drop us off and pick us up at each of the rivers.  The funniest moment was when I recognized John Havlicek, former Boston Celtics player on the Tichik River; never in a million years!  We were stranded at a lodge we found after floating across a huge lake because of weather.  Our pilot got in but it took us a few days to be able to get out again.  I have few regrets but I wish I had taken up the lodge owner when he asked us if we would care take the lodge in the winter.  It could have been fabulous, of course it could also have been The Shining, so who knows......

One of the most fun things was working with my friends at their fly fishing lodge in Oregon.  I worked alongside Karen planning meals and cooking with her.  I really wanted to learn how to make bread from scratch, so I wound up making bread, appetizers and desserts.  The lodge catered to fly fishermen who fished the local waters and received gourmet meals with wines paired for each meal.  Winemakers visited to share their knowledge.  One year President Carter and his wife came to visit at the invitation of the owner and his wife.  This visit included all the secret service detail, a picnic for the locals with President Carter and a couple of great private dinners.  The lodge could hold about 14 guests so it was a very intimate event with the ability to have great conversations.


Steamers taken from the flats used for clams with linguine.  Yum!

Through my lodge friends I went on a trip to Belize and stayed at an eco tourist lodge in 1995.  The people were great and the sights wonderful.  Francis Ford Coppola had yet to buy his place and it was still very much a local environment.  The place was Placentia and it was far from the Blue Hole but had great snorkeling and diving off the cays.
 
In 2010 I went to Nantucket, a place I had always loved and stayed in a small guest house.  The owner and I became friends as we had a similar retail background, and it was October, not many other guests or tourists in town.  At the end of my stay she asked if I would like to come and take care of the business while she was on a retreat.  She was one of the town's pottery artists and had a studio on site.  So, for the next 3 years I took care of the operation, sold her pottery, made reservations and really got to know the island.  It was one of those opportunities that drop in your lap and one should never pass up!
 
And, just one more because it was so great.  I just got back from a float/hiking trip of 40 miles of the Rogue River in Oregon, one of our great Wild and Scenic Rivers.  It was a wonderful trip with three other friends from my working past, and I was the last one to be retired.  The Rogue is beautiful and the wildlife terrific, saw river otters, black bear, bald eagles, ospreys, mergansers and more.  Great weather, great food and thanks to our "girl guide" 27 year old Cory, a smooth and memorable trip.

What’s next on your bucket list, Susan?
 
Ahh, the bucket list.  I plan to do a lot of exploring in Washington, bike riding all parts of the Olympic Discovery Trail, visiting wine country here and going back to Alaska.  New York again, Florence, Venice and we'll see.  I am sure I have not thought of all the things I would like to do.

I also decided to give myself a year before I picked the volunteer opportunities I would like to participate in.  The local theater is on my list, and we'll see what else crops up.

Any other topics you’d like to share with us?

The most important thing is that I could not have done it without a financial plan!  At one point I found a list I had made, from 1992, about things I wanted to do, and had lost or forgotten the list.  There were 25 modest things on my list; when I found the list 15 years later I had completed 23 of the 25 things.  One of these was to build my dream house.  The place I am in now is my dream house.  The plan helped me keep on track, and writing down what I wanted embedded it in my brain so I guess I never lost site of the goals.
 
Both my brother and I make lots of lists, got that from my Mom.  I still make them and love to cross things off.  There are always new lists filled with books, movies, projects, travels and to do's.  I am so glad that now I have more time to keep adding things to the lists and doing the things I love.

If any of our readers would like to reach out to you, how can they best do so?

I can be reached by my email address:  bonnersusan5@gmail.com.  I am always tuned in unless kayaking or hiking.  Cheers!

I hope you enjoyed traveling with Susan through her life and times --- so far that is!  If you were fortunate enough to know her those many years ago when we worked together, I know she’d enjoy hearing from you!  And if you are up her way and need a hiking buddy or are thinking of an adventure in kayaking, let her know!  Thanks so much, Susan, for continuing to share your life with us all.


Hiking Mt. Scott at Crater Lake, OR, 1993