Activities Director & Music Therapist

A cold and dreary Monday was chased off and replaced by sunshine with songs about such. “You Are My Sunshine” and “Let The Sunshine In” are two favorites and certainly brighten our outlook. Mail delivery followed lunch as folks found their way to their rooms, settling in for a nap or some reading. The aroma of fresh popped corn soon led folks to the dining room. Heads were bent in conversation amidst the crunching of delicious, butter topped popcorn. A bean bag game ensued with contestants eager to try their hands (and arms) with bucket ball. Winners were: Fourth, Nancy Bishop; third, Frances White; second, Shirley Klinski, Willie Lindstrom; first, Lorraine Anderson. Supper arrived, as we’d worked up an appetite, and soon we were met by the smiles of the Berger girls. They were right on time to help with Fruit Bingo, setting up the cards and chips and the clean up afterward.

Tuesday treated us to worship services beginning with mass and communion with Father Jojo and Terry Pelzel. They are faithful to come each week, even though we know Father is not used to this snowy climate. Following mass, we moved on to play Name That Tune. It drew people in to the dining room, wondering why folks were shouting out answers. You have to be the first to “Name That Tune” to get credit for knowing the song title. This week’s winning “shouters” were: Barb Smith (5), Aileen Wayne (7), Shirley Klinski (13), Mary Ellen Coulson (16), and Penny Stafford with a whopping 22 correct answers! Way to go ladies! These cold days are easier to bear with the sun streaming through our windows. So we decided to take advantage of that sunshine and paint some suncatchers! There were many designs from which to choose: birds, geckos, and animals of all shapes and sizes. We chose many of our favorite colors of paint and even combined a few for different hues. The sun provided an outlet for our creativity that was captured and thrown onto the walls of our rooms.

Wednesday was back to our workout routine. All the candy and those irresistible Christmas cookies had to go somewhere and now we are trying to shed those extra pounds. Well, we try to keep fit anyway. Our wonderful cooks don’t help matters with the great meals they create, adding little touches that keep us coming back for more! The afternoon arrived and brought bingo with it. Everyone won candy and our big black out winner was Willie Lindstrom. We celebrated “National Whipped Cream Day” with hot chocolate topped with whipped cream! I have a feeling that Stacey enjoyed squirting the fluffy cream topping on the cocoa as much as we did devouring it!

Thursday morning was cold, cold, cold with shivering, hungry birds outside our windows. The empty feeders are the thermometer as our feathered friends empty them so quickly in this bitter weather! But we were warm inside as we read through the local newspapers while sipping hot cocoa. The afternoon included manicures and jewelry cleaning. The nail colors of green and red were replaced with pretty pinks. There are so many choices that these decisions can take quite a few minutes. The cold temps also kept our precious puppies at home as well. We missed Brad and his critters but we certainly understand that they must remain in their warm home. The weather, however, did not keep the Bauer family from bundling up and bustling over to the Care Center to celebrate Paul’s birthday!

Friday drummers saluted the morning with perky music and rocking rhythms. We’d missed a few sessions due to holiday happenings, but we still have the beat! After lunch, mail was delivered, including those many seed catalogs. What fun to pick and choose flowers and veggies during the cold months as we envision our summer flower beds and gardens. The afternoon included great music from the Konsela’s of Mondovi. Cheetos snacks, beer, and soda joined in and everyone had a great time for happy hour. Supper was served and we enjoyed our Friday night movie on the big screen. Our flick this week was “Apple of my Eye.” We look forward to a new year of adventures with our friends and families. As always, we hope you find time to visit, write, or call. You are important to us. See you soon!