Saturday, April 28, 2007

Sunshine

April 28, 2007
The past three weeks I've been going to the Mount Olympus Senior center with mom. We're taking a chair exercise class and a songbird’s class. (Singing oldies with oldies) I started taking mom so she could get a little social interaction but it has turned out to be the highlight of my week. I think the reason is that I find myself totally relaxed. It's like being with little children in the sense that you have to slow down and enjoy the moment. Everyone came up to us and asked us our name, gave us a hug and welcomed us. We felt totally accepted.
Our first Songbird class the piano player took charge and said, “Where are all the men today? Where’s Bob? Did he die?
Is Frank in playing Pool? Somebody go get him.” etc.
A little round lady leads the music. She sometimes sings different words because she can’t see the words but she has most the songs memorized. One lady had a banjo and several had guitars and they were all pretty good. As we were leaving after the first class mom said, “Everyone here is smiling.”
The last week of each month the Songbird class performs for the lunch crowd. One of the little ladies sitting by us said, “I don’t think we know the song well enough.” The little lady next to her said. “It doesn’t matter. Most of them can’t hear us anyway.” There’s no pressure.
One older man stood up when we were singing “Springtime in the Rockies” and asked one of our group to dance. As they waltzed off he said, “My mom always told me to try and be a gentleman. She said you might not make it but you can try.”
I loved it.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Earth Art






Kath and Alex came up this weekend and went on a hike with us up to Bell Canyon Lake. Dad did a little fly fishing and Kath and Alex and I did some hiking. Alex is getting really good at earth art. Take a look.