In her own words, Mrs. Fay Penn’s health was plummeting, and she wasn’t managing at home. When the call came from the Residential Accommodation Enquiries team, Fay jumped at the chance to move into her new residence.
‘I knew that if I left it and ended up in hospital for some reason, then I wouldn’t have the choice of where I could go,’ Fay says. ‘I wanted to make the decision myself.’
Previously living in a unit behind McCue’s bakery at Murray Bridge, Fay says she is very happy with the move into her new home.
‘I’ve lived in Murray Bridge for the past 12 years,’ Fay says. ‘I moved here a couple of years after my husband died. Previously we had been in different spots around the state, including at Meningie where we ran a service station for six years.’
Fay and her husband ran the service station from 1964.
‘It was a pretty hectic lifestyle. We were working seven days a week, and even in the middle of the night we might hear the bell to alert us that someone was travelling through and needed petrol,’ Fay says. ‘In those days there was no self-service, so we would pump the petrol as well as clean the windscreen and top up the oil. Sometimes, we just about serviced the car right there in the driveway!’
Fay was also busy looking after her three boys, who at the time were aged 6, 8, and 10.
‘I did a lot of the cleaning and ordering, as well as the general gofer work to make sure everything ran smoothly,’ Fay says.
Around this time, Fay and her husband also adopted a little girl. The couple then decided to move from Meningie to expand the opportunities for their children’s education. A chance came up to purchase and operate another service station, this time at Light Square, Adelaide.
‘We were on the eastern side, with the hills as our backdrop,’ Fay says. ‘It was all big business when we were there. In Meningie we knew all the local trucking companies and the regular drivers. In Adelaide, we dealt with large businesses and fleets of cars. We had four workshops in total, so we hired two more mechanics who helped with the work. It was very different.’
Over time, Fay made her way back out of the city, and she says her latest move has been life-changing.
‘It was a bit daunting to pack up everything and move, but I am very happy here now that I have settled,’ Fay says. ‘The staff are simply wonderful – at all levels – whether they are cleaners, nurses, or management, they simply can’t do enough for you. Everyone is very pleasant and very helpful.’
Fay also laughs that she has been sending photos of her meals to her daughter to show her.
‘The meals are amazing,’ Fay says. ‘They are delicious, and so well presented. I’ve been sending photos to my daughter because they look so good! And my room is lovely. I’m very lucky to be here, and I really feel very grateful. I can’t emphasize enough how happy I am and how lovely everyone is.’
