St. Luke Living Center
By SUE GUTSCH
St. Luke Living Center correspondent
The Morning Star young people from the Durham area were here Sept. 20 to share the word in song. It always is a pleasure to be hosts to this faithful church group. Snacks and drinks were served by our staff before these guests made their trip home.
After breakfast Friday morning our residents joined Marie Navrat, Peg Edwardson, Vickie Melcher, and Pat Smith in the chapel for Mass with Fr. Hien of Holy Family Parish.
In the meantime, the remaining living center bakers munched their way to New England by mixing up marmalade cookies. This recipe came from Wanda Eldrige of American Legion Auxiliary Unit #2 of Augusta, Maine, who said she got this "delicious, easy to make" recipe from her late grandmother. We expanded the original recipe by adding chopped pecans, compliments of Hank Sklenar.
The bingo faithful filled the dining room tables in the afternoon, playing while Pat Smith called the winning letters and numbers. Pat also shared some trivia, jokes, and a loaf of homemade zucchini-applesauce bread with us.
During our group exercise time following bingo, we "twisted" Evelyn Conyers' arm to join us — exercise is exercise!
It was a real treat to have trombonist Dr. Eugene Vinduska join his son Gene for polka hour Saturday morning. Many of us had been patients of the good doctor and hope he'll come again soon.
Rev. Don Mashburn of Strassburg Baptist Church was our Sunday afternoon guest minister.
Fourteen members of Resident Council met, with popcorn, Monday afternoon. Khrista announced Magdalen Dvorak is feeling much better and will return for bingo and craft duties in October. Halloween festivities were discussed. Amelia suggested residents dress in costumes and it was proposed we have popcorn, cider, and of course, treats for the little trickers.
Lydia encouraged more walkers to join the morning hike, and the possibility of a hot dog cook-out was brought up. Residents also would appreciate an in-service on medications and also voiced a desire to have coffee in carafes at breakfast for those who would like that extra cup. Another section of the Residents' Rights was shared with everyone.
Tuesday morning, Almanzo Wilder realized the people of DeSmet would surely starve before the long winter was over. So he and Cap Garland, another 19-year-old, headed 20 miles southwest with two sleds and two horses looking for a homesteader who was rumored to have wheat to sell.
Mrs. Hancock and her fourth graders entered our building and entertained us with patriotic, gospel, and wizard music (of the "Over the Rainbow" variety). To top it off, Shyla Harris played some rock and roll on the piano. These short visits last for a long time.
We passed around some raspberry 7-Up floats Wednesday afternoon, provided by Karen Carlson of Lincolnville, before reading portions of the Marion County Record. We especially loved the picture of pumpkin Kaitlynn, then squirmed and shuddered seeing the python and reading its story. (The cute little pumpkin's great-grandma, Agnes Bina, lives in our home).
The lunch bunch dined Thursday at the Chipped Cup in Lincolnville. There had been some unable to take the Flint Hills tour last week, so another Middle Creek K-150 excursion was taken in the afternoon. Later, another group drove to Peabody to see the beautiful garden featured in that week's newspaper.
