Happily Muddling

 

Some pictures from our apt., plus one of the courtyards

Sorry I haven't posted - it's just been so busy around here, and I mean Happy Busy!
We are enjoying the work so much, plus our "play-time."  Kattie has joined us as Activities Director, and she has been cleaning, organizing, and rearranging like crazy!  Her real gift, though, is getting to know the residents and their families, and their needs.  Tomorrow night is a perfect example of attending to those needs: we will start a Family Evening, supported by Single Adults in the area; two residents have been doing an evening like this on their own, and Kattie picked right up on that when they asked her about having a larger one.  She went to a meeting for the area SAs, armed with flyers asking for their support.  See what I mean?
And starting tomorrow, Danny's wife, Samantha, will be joining Kattie as her asst., as this is just up her alley and what she's been studying in college.  Kattie can sure use an assistant, with all she has been doing and has planned!  (And any of you who want to volunteer here, as an entertainer or whatever, please do so!)
Danny and Melinda and family came out for the Old Time Fiddler's concert here last week, and Alaina got up and performed some ballet/improvised dance numbers for us.  Then Alex got up and added some crazy dancing to the mix, till Melinda pulled them reluctantly from the floor.  Tristan came for the day Friday, and the residents just loved him, he was so helpful and friendly and polite.  We practiced saying, "May I ask you what your name is?" and other useful phrases, just as a reminder.  He took to everything and everyone, and exclaimed, "I love people!"  Isn't that cute?
Alaina is coming home with us this afternoon.
We also attended Josh's and Alex's birthday parties, which I will post pictures of later, and we went to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was very good, with nary a cuss word or sleazy innuendo in it.  Funny how you don't need those to have an exciting, entertaining movie, isn't it?

We've had some sad things, too...one of our resident's daughters passed away, and yesterday morning the wife in one of our resident couples passed away.  She was out and about just two days before, and I hadn't even known she'd gone to the hospital, so it was rather shocking to hear.

They have hired a new maintenance man, who hasn't started yet, and they are hiring a nurse for when the present nurse has to leave.  They have also started their new menu system which helps them order and have a good variety of meals consistently.   I've heard quite a few comments on the positive changes, from residents and from professionals that come in here for physical therapy work and so on.  That's exciting when it comes from people who don't know I'm not a regular resident.  I feel like a regular resident since Kattie's been here.  I get to do more with the people here and I'm getting to know them.
They are a great bunch!

I know I'm forgetting some things, but that's all I can think of right now.  Hope you are all well and happily muddling along, like us, lol.  We love you!
xoxoxo