Somehow I'm not too tired tonight -- maybe having a four hour nap this afternoon would have something to do with it!!!!! Really feel like a free woman with both Marion and Buffy gone!!! Have been out and about every single night -- or had people in here!!!!!
Thanks so much for calling. Christmas Day was a good busy day for me. I was going to call you all up this weekend -- not fight the telephone lines that day!!! There was so much food here that day. I had bought lots of sliced meats -- turkey, ham, roast beef, corned beef (that was the most popular -- and lots of good cheeses. Then everyone that came brought some sort of salad or dessert -- alot of them brought two or three dishes -- the counters were all full of food. It was a beautiful day weather wise -- much, much warmer than last year. I remember seeing Dad and Rob all bundled up to ride the bikes!!! You all should have been here to enjoy the sunny weather. And thank goodness much more room in the new house. Hard to believe that this time last year we were watching this place being built . . . making sure the walls would be painted yellow . . . or slipping the electrician some money to get the hook-ups for the ice-maker, garage door opener, etc.
I've looked over the class schedule for ASU several times -- the classes that I need to take all seem to be at the wrong times -- middle of the day -- the only classes that would be ok for me to take -- late afternoon or evening -- I've either had -- or not ready for yet. I'll keep you all posted should I register. I've been at the senior center a year the first week in January. It seems hard to believe. We are now turning away more people each day than we used to serve. A new center will be on Southern and Mesa Drive area -- about three miles from here. I'd love to work there -- but its to serve the minority (Spanish) mostly (which is a joke) so a minority will have to run it. It won't take any of our people -- not that they couldn't go there -- but due to the distance -- they would not drive in to it. We really need a bigger center so badly out East. We just have one large room -- which is the dining room -- so hard to have other activities -- because nothing appeals to all. And its next to impossible to keep those not interested quiet so that a speaker can be heard.
Thanks so much for the Christmas check!!!! I've spent a little of it already -- bought a new tape today of Dallas Holm -- my first of his. Also bought a new pair of boots -- bedroom slippers. A pair of Dearforms -- they can be machine washed. The men's medium fit me just fine. Don't worry -- I won't spend this money on the utilities -- but I'll tell you I don't see how families make it -- sure takes alot of money to keep a house going. Are you aware of this situation Daddy???? There always seems to be something that either needs bought or repaired.
We are starting a monthly newsletter out at work -- was hoping to get the first edition out first week in January -- but not sure now. It will include senior activities, recipes, household hints, known sick, want-ads (free -- of course). The people seem to have taken to the idea -- and we have been bombarded with poems, where they live, their jobs, all their promotions, etc. We have got three women working on the newsletter -- as far as putting it together. It will also include monthly birthdays. I'll be sure to send you a copy.
We are also trying to get a weighting club -- or rather a "how to stop playing the weighting game" group started out at work -- first meeting will be the first week in January. Several people have requested a group like this. Should be interesting. We can't prescribe any definite diet -- more of a thing of awareness -- of your own power.
Marion called up today. Think I told you she was going to fly into Des Moines, and then take a bus to Monmouth, Ill or somewhere much closer to meet her folks there. She was so nervous with the idea of getting from the airport to the bus station, then buying the ticket, etc. I just couldn't believe it. But, she called and her sister and brother-in-law were at the airport to meet. They did not recognize her -- with her curly hair, and a new winter coat. She retired the red one "old red".
Marion will be back New Years Day -- that evening about 6:30. It was last year when she was to fly in the night before going back to school and due to the weather and all got back to school two days late. After this short time without Dear Buffy -- I'm convinced I could make it this summer without him -- having to rush home from work to walk him, feed him, etc.
Through a lady out at work I've met Dorothy -- a girl from Portland about my own age. She is here visiting her father for the holidays -- really a character. Both the father and Dorothy. Dorothy went to clown school for a week this past year -- maybe you all are familiar with the idea. Guess there is -- was -- an article about Clown Ministry in the Sept. 3rd issue of Time magazine. She came out to the center one day and did a little fun type routine -- had a little duster broom that she dusted off all the tops of the bald men. She had the clown outfit, paints her face all up -- really neat. Her dad just thinks she is crazy for doing it. She came in here Christmas night -- and I stopped by to see her last night. She is an Ex-Catholic Nun. Worked for some Methodist Missions school in New Mexico. Went to Portland some four years ago and just stayed. She is now working on her Masters -- took her 9 years to get her BA degree. Now working with mentally retarded children in a school situation. Dorothy is such a talker -- hardly pauses at the end of paragraphs -- let alone sentences . . . .
Talking about other Dorothys . . . Dorothy Stubbs and her husband came over today -- in fact they woke me up from my nap -- Rich Stubbs was on my old red bike -- the Honda Express and Dorothy is now riding a new bike -- just a bit bigger -- goes 45 to 50 mph -- called the Honda Passport. Marion had talked about getting one of them. Guess they have been very popular overseas and this last year was the first year for them to be marketed here in the states. Really a nice bike. She had just gotten it today. They had been out looking at new cars and just stopped by the Honda Dealer on the way home -- their one car is just about worn out. But now Doreen is going to be riding the old bike back and forth to school. These new cars are really high priced -- Dorothy thinks maybe her husband had it all planned out to stop at the Honda dealers the whole time. I think you all would really like one of these small Hondas.
I went over to Stubbs for leftovers tonight. Would you believe I didn't have any leftovers on Christmas . . . actually I had gotten lots of food, but then when people left packed up several bags of food for everyone. It really was a nice day -- just sorry that you all weren't here.
Don't think I told you that Grayce -- the one who used to work out at our center -- the one whose husband died just before Thanksgiving . . . is now working at the center in town. She just couldn't stop talking about her husband to the people out at the center -- really wasn't a good thing for the people. I talked it over with Ann (my boss) and she thought it might be better for her to work in town. Besides she had been going to school (if you can call it that -- training to be a hotel manager) two days a week and was all done with the schooling. We really didn't need both Grayce and Judy (the part-time one) but I didn't want to lose Judy because she is so talented -- music, arts and crafts, etc. Ann had talking about sending Judy into town when Grayce was done with school but I was sure cold on that idea. To make a long story short, Grayce has been in town now some three weeks and really seems to like it. They have her doing office work type of stuff in the mornings, and then in the afternoons working with the outreach program. It really has been good for her.
The first few days after she got back she was so quiet at the center -- but then all Gracyce could do was be upset and get alot of other people all upset too. As Catherine Marshall said in the latest Guidepost (thanks for the new subscription) that everyone feels their loss is worst than anyone else has had.
Wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR . . . and I thank you for all your support (in all ways ) during this last year . . . I love you all . . . .
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