Right away Monday morning, residents came to shake off the weekend cobwebs with a little Monday Movers exercise. Noel led the small group through a great 30-minute workout and everyone did their very best! Our little gathering didn’t stay very little once Sing Along started; Stacey began strumming her guitar and it worked its melodic magic to lure folks into the dining room. Lunch came next and then it was soon time for Kitchen Corner with Noel and Chef Jeff; this week’s culinary creation was a Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake! Most folks decide not to help out making these tasty treats each week but sometimes a few gather around to watch and chat---this week’s “supervisor” was Kay George and she dubbed this cake “decadent.”  Tic Tac Toss was the name of the game for the afternoon and per our usual, there was quite the turnout playing as Carol Campbell came in fourth, Yvonne Sinz and Carol Bauer (Seasons) tied for third and Kay George and Warren Seifert tied for second. Milda Bautch was quite surprised with her first-place win! A little supper and then Monday night Bingo with Kathy Luebker and Teresa Fedie; we appreciated your assistance ladies, thank you for spending your night with us!    

Another sunny Tuesday began with morning Mass with Father Jojo and Terry Pelzel; residents sure welcome their smiling faces and calming presence every week while they worship! After the peaceful morning, lunch was served and mail delivered. The afternoon began with Stacey wheeling out the popcorn machine and making a huge bowl of crunchy, salty popcorn for the hungry masses that followed their noses to the dining room! Once the last kernel was scooped up, Pastor Paul from Sabylund Lutheran arrived and it was time for afternoon church. After the peaceful prayer service, supper was served and then Willow gathered folks after the meal for an evening of fun and games!   

Wednesday came before we knew it. It was an exciting start to the day once folks had gathered on the bowling lane for our morning game! Ave Maria students Gabe and Wyatt were here to help with pin setting and scorekeeping and we appreciated all their assistance as Ivan Mason scored fourth place, Dorothy Pfaffe claimed third and Yvonne Sinz place second. Jeff Halverson was the first-place bowling champion of the morning! Lunch filled hungry bellies and then it was soon time to set up for Fruit Bingo. Wanda Ebensperger and Monica Krings came by to lend a helping hand with the game and everyone let out a cheer as Warren Seifert won the $1 prize at Blackout! While everyone thoroughly enjoyed the game, the main event was yet to come at our Mid-Week Social. We finally dug our forks into our Pumpkin Caramel Poke Cake, topped with whipped cream, caramel sauce and chocolate syrup, and there was not a crumb left before long; everyone decided that this delicious confection must be made again as soon as possible!   

The care center’s Local News and Coffee group gathered Thursday morning after breakfast to listen to Marlene Zimmer read all the recent headlines in the newspapers and it was an enjoyable start to the day! Lunch followed, mail was passed and then Noel was here for manicures. She had quite a few ladies who were eager for a new nail color; the most popular colors of the day were a bright and cheery pink, as well as an iridescent mint green! There was plenty of time for visiting with folks while walking outside to enjoy the warm weather, as well as making folks laugh out loud with funny joke books. Willow arrived a little later to convene for our weekly Conversation Cards table chat and it has been a really enjoyable way to get to know each other a little better! Supper was served and then a game of Pokeno with Willow wrapped up the evening. 

The warm temps greeted us at the end of the week as the competition heated up inside with our morning game of Dart Ball! After three exciting rounds, Yvonne Sinz came in fourth, Milda Bautch scored third, while Kay George, Warren Seifert and Ivan Mason tied for second. Carol Bauer from the Seasons was the morning’s first-place winner! Lunch restored everyone’s energy and then we had eight Ave Maria students at the care center for our monthly Book Buddies reading group. Residents gladly sat and listened to a few seasonal stories while the students practiced their reading skills on their captive audience! There was time for lots of visiting in the afternoon but then Craig Morton arrived to get the party started at our Birthday Celebration Happy Hour. We had a HUGE crowd of residents and visitors join the party, listening to the delightful live music and snacking on messy but delicious chocolate cupcakes, in honor of National Chocolate Cupcake Day! All too soon the party was over but then it was on to supper and then Movie Night, where folks came by the dining room “theater” to watch “Little Shop of Horrors.”