St. Luke Living Center
By SUE GUTSCH
St. Luke Living Center reporter
Hymn sing became the victim of the blizzard-like weather Thursday morning when wise pianist Shirley Bowers stayed home. We used the small chapel to read short stories and visited about our blessings instead of singing.
Since it wasn't "outing" weather either, we chose love in the afternoon. More precisely, large red construction paper heart shapes became the background for a collage of our favorite things. The young daughters of our CEO, Jeremy Armstrong, Keighlee and Ariana were here and helped us cut, position, and paste. Drinking coffee and eating cake also followed the theme of things we favor.
Living center bakers made black walnut oatmeal cookies Friday morning, a recipe of Edith Macht of Wamego. We also added raisins, which had been boiled into plumpness and a little raisin "juice." We attempted to satisfy all living center eaters by baking some cookies into crispness while baking others a shorter time for the soft cookie connoisseur.
The large corkboard adorning the west wall of 400 hall now displays a pictorial family history of Amelia and George Vinduska. When you've been making history for 101 1/2 years as Amelia has, there is much to cover.
Our Saturday afternoon guests were Deana and Larry "Farmer" Olsen and their miniature horse, Foxy. This gentle equine, clad in shelf paper, duct-tape boots, allowed us to admire him literally up-close and personally. He even visited residents in their rooms, stoically putting his head close enough to be stroked or petted.
Shirley Bowers led a Sunday afternoon hymn sing worship service in the absence of a minister. A full chapel appreciated this act of kindness.
After spending some time "getting pretty" Monday morning, 10 residents joined Khrista for our monthly council meeting. We discussed plans for a Valentine's Day family potluck lunch Thursday. It also was decided to observe Presidents Day by making cherry crunch desserts and serving it to our facility's staff as a fund-raiser to benefit The Smile Train.
It was the consensus that we suspend lunch bunch outings until the weather becomes nicer. Suggestions for future meals and activities were shared and additional portions of the Residents Rights document were reviewed.
The main objective of our outing around Marion Reservoir that afternoon was bird watching, specifically bald eagles. It is our believe that we did spot two eagles in flight, circling the area. Perhaps the birds were doing a little white-van watching.
Using mental muscle Tuesday morning, we listed words made from the letters in Valentine's Day, Presidents Day, and Groundhog Day. Discussion of word legitimacy and proper spelling used some additional brain power.
During recent weeks the valentine spirit ha emerged quite visibly in our small beauty salon. Beautician Bonnie certainly helps us celebrate the season.
While drinking hot coffee Tuesday afternoon, book-clubbers read of Laura's final frozen weeks with the Brewsters while completing her teaching term. Almanzo Wilder, his Morgan horses, Prince and Lady, and homemade cutter taking her home and back each weekend made those weeks tolerable. Love also was floating in the icy Dakota territory air.
Lois Winter was here Thursday morning and led a hymn sing with her beautiful voice and piano playing abilities.
The afternoon was just for fun and included freshly popped corn and kickball with two great recruits, Devin and Michaela Regnier, great-grandchildren of Agnes Bina.
