Monday, Sept. 6 greeted us as a holiday. However, we kept busy in between many visitors. The morning started out with “Stretch & Catch” to keep us limber. The afternoon included our popcorn social accompanied by some jokes and riddles around the table. “What do you call a cow that doesn’t give milk? A milk dud!” We were soon on to a fun game of Bucket Ball. Big winners were: Frances White (fourth place), Shirley Klinski (third place), Sandy Messier (second place), and first place champ Penny Stafford. Our evening included fruit bingo and a shout out to Teresa Fedie for assisting with candy rewards and set up help.

During this time, we were unable to have Father Jojo join us for mass. An unvaccinated staff person tested positive for Covid. Because of this, visitors and volunteers are unable to enter the building at this time unless absolutely necessary. We encourage you to get the vaccine as this affects our lives and determines our ability to have visitors and enjoy activities. Hopefully, these restrictions will be lifted soon and we will look forward to having our pastors and priests able to be with us. In the meantime, we played a fun game of Name That Tune. Winners were: Hazel Berger (fifth place), Shirley Klinski (fourth place), May Ellen Coulson (third place), Barb Smith (second place), and Penny Stafford (first place). In the afternoon, our baking bunch gathered in the dining room to make date nut bread. We made a couple loaves and the smells throughout the building were enticing our taste buds! The evening kept us busy with dice games. Alvin Bergmark and Nancy Bishop were this week’s big winners.

Dancing filled the dining room Wednesday morning with folks eagerly exercising. Kickball completed the morning and lunch arrived. Early afternoons are usually spent on the front patio watching the new home being built, watching a little television, or reading mail and the local newspapers. But come 2 p.m., everyone is raring to go and play some bingo. Laura called bingo numbers while Stacey put on her “roller skates” and moved smoothly from table to table delivering candy rewards. A game of black out ended bingo with Myrna Buccholtz and Shirley Klinski winning. It was National Date Nut Bread Day! So we enjoyed the date nut bread made by our baking bunch. It went very well with a cup of coffee and friendly conversation.

Thursday is news day as we gather to hear about our community through the Courier Wedge and the Pierce County Journal. We are grateful that each paper regularly prints our “chatter” from the week. Jessica served us coffee and cookies and then read all the news to us. Trivia filled in the time until lunch. Aileen Wayne guessed the most answers for first place. Did you know that the first toilet ever seen on television was on “Leave It To Beaver?” The boys kept a pet alligator in it! Boy, did we laugh at that one! Lunch arrived and manicures followed. We enjoy choosing nail colors and with fall arriving, chose some more muted shades of orange. Just before supper, we watched a good movie in the dining room.

Friday is drum group day. It is so much fun to listen to the music and play along with Laura at the piano. Those great songs from the 40’s such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” really get us going. Lunch was served and soon Stacey was busy delivering mail and making room visits. Mid-afternoon, we opened the doors wide and everyone poured out into the back yard for some great old time polka music. Caramel puffy corn was passed around and drinks were served. It was a great way to spend happy hour and wind down from the week’s events. In the evening, we tried a new dice game that we call, “I’ve Got The Runs,” since we throw dice and attempt to get runs of numbers. Winners were: Beryl Anderson (fourth), Shirley Klinski (third), Alvin Bergmark and Penny Stafford (second), and Frances White (first).

The weekend kept us busy as well. Saturday after mail delivery and a fun game of bingo, we played bean bags. Winners were: Nancy Bishop (fourth), Penny Stafford (third), Alvin Bergmark (second), and first place champ Lou Seyffer. Sunday arrived and many folks were busy cheering on the Packers. Others joined us outside for Bucket Ball. Stacey threw us for a loop. She made us play one round throwing the balls with our left hands! We still had fun. Penny Stafford was the overall champ.