Patricia Punch Barrett

Born in the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California, 1949, I lived in many locales where we were stationed. Ultimately, my dad’s military career brought us back to San Diego, where I grew up and went to college at USIU (the United States International University). There I earned a degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis on teaching, but there was an oversupply of qualified teachers. As a result, I took a job overseas in Melbourne, Australia, which I thoroughly enjoyed! A life-altering moment occurred when an American teacher friend and I went on holiday up to Brisbane and our VW broke down near Hanging Rock - on a Sunday! A wonderful couple living in a nearby farmhouse invited us to stay the night and helped us get a mechanic the next day. In the morning they fixed us a farmhouse breakfast and took us outside to see a special treat: a tree full of koalas! It was so enchanting! Then we had a stop close to Surfers Paradise where a shopkeeper had a baby koala in a shoebox. This just confirmed my passion for adorable animals, especially koalas that have been orphaned or their habitat destroyed! After leaving Australia, I went to Alaska to reconnect with a romantic relationship, which dissolved rather quickly. However, I found many friendships and a gratifying career as an elementary school teacher in Anchorage. Incredibly, the principal who hired me currently lives in the same community here in Henderson, Nevada! After taking early Alaska retirement and returning to San Diego to assist aging parents in their golden years, I was ready for another change of venue. My cousin, Marvin Moore, encouraged me to try Henderson, where he and his wife had a winter vacation home. During the Covid lockdown I decided to use my experiences to write a book, and The Panterra Chronicles is the result! There’s no shortage of inspiration in this town, and I hope you enjoy your read!