St. Luke Living Center
By AMELIA VINDUSKA AND SUE GUTSCH
St. Luke Living Center correspondents
It was a welcome sight Wednesday evening when Jim and Carol Hett, Ellen Darrow, and guests Iva Unruh and her daughter, Donna from Seattle, arrived and made their way to our "stage" area. They unfailingly bring us songs and words of joy and it's a treat to have a change of routine in the evening now and then.
Shirley Bowers and Sue Clough were here Thursday morning for hymn sing. It was wonderful to hear David Bowers' full, bass voice as he sang, "Down Deep in the Sea," with wife Shirley at the piano.
Our guest minister Sunday afternoon was the Rev. Michael Eurit who recently has begun his new charge at Eastmoor United Methodist Church, Marion.
As a "farewell performance" before leaving for college, Michael Brookens was here Sunday evening to sing and play the saxophone, accompanied by his parents, Bob and Anita. Michael performed a variety of popular and sacred songs. We wish him Godspeed and a fulfilling academic experience in Minnesota.
Eleven residents met Monday morning for our monthly council meeting. We were advised that the installation of a new floor covering had begun at our west entrance. It's wood-looking tile that could certainly fool you at first glance and gives the area a very homey feel. Khrista introduced RN Carmel Samples who will lead our nursing department and announced the addition of two new CNAs, Megan and Laura, to our staff.
We focused on another portion of the residents' bill of rights. Residents present shared some concerns, voiced some suggestions, and awarded some "atta-boys." Also discussed was an upcoming family potluck meal to be held in September.
This Monday our card-playing group was happy to have Olinda Meier join us. Foursomes are always best.
A facility-wide popular happening is when our large red and gold popcorn machine is pulled out, plugged in, and put into action. We probably wouldn't have needed to announce the availability of freshly-popped corn over the intercom Monday afternoon as the aroma circulates almost as rapidly.
This week we finished reading the book, "Spatzies and Brass BBs," by Dr. Ken Ohm, native Kansan, college professor, and lecturer. The chapters of this book are delightful recollections of Dr. Ohm's boyhood in WWII-era rural Kansas. It felt as though we were recalling with him things such as outhouses, lye soap, kazoos, noodling, pump handles, head sausage, victory gardens, spatzies, party lines, and Karo syrup lunch buckets.
Thank Janet Marler and Marion City Library for allowing our book club an elongated check-out period.
We still have zinnias, marigolds, and crepe myrtle blooming profusely. We thought our hummingbirds had moved out, but had one again today at our new feeder. We have other birds, finches, Mel Brewer told me, visiting our sunflowers to dine on the seeds, even upside down. The bees and butterflies still inhabit our garden, too.
