The signs of spring began like a whisper on the cold winds of winter, but with a crescendo they now shout from the hilltops to the valleys. Dot Gardner, Pat DeBaun, Jeanette Hanson, Dottie Bly, Wally Pickhardt, and Art and Natalie Laidlaw have been enjoying the local spring scenery thanks to country rides provided by Personal Care Assistant, Melissa Bard.
We’ve all enjoyed walks around the home and in Cooperstown, and some of us have been seen sitting outdoors on the porch and patio. The birdwatchers, led by Nancy Rackmyer and including Barbara Mook, Natalie Laidlaw, Dot Gardner, Dottie Bly, Hilde Parr, and Peg Hage, are enjoying the birds as they return for spring.
On April 12, we had coffee, tea and sweets and thanked Karen Lottridge for her years of service and dedication to the home. Karen moved out of town and she will be greatly missed, but we will watch for her at the Yankee games as we know her favorite pastime.
On April 15, we had an indoor picnic followed by the April birthday party. We celebrated resident birthdays for Wanda Noyes, Doris Blomquist, Art Laidlaw, Julia Gil and Ellen Hankin.
We celebrated staff birthdays for Darcey Schilling, Kristen Hext, Kathy Lindberg, Laura Black, Chris Hickling, Sheila Jones, and Sandy Brigham. What a fun celebration!
Dot Gardner, Pat De- Baun, Carol Affourtit, Jan Scrafford, Susan Kenyon and Laurie Blatt enjoyed a bowling game. The fun and fit classes provided by Amy Porter and Maureen Moglia are always popular with the residents. We have also stayed active by continuing our winter exercise competition. We started in January and have continued to track the time spent walking, using the wellness room and any other type of exercise.
On April 27, personal care staff, Jaclyn MacDonald and her husband Scott narrated a spectacular photo tour of their trip to Scotland.
They took us through Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, Loch Ness (complete with pictures of Nessie), the highlands, Glencoe and the Isle of Skye to name a few locations. We learned about the history of Scotland, some of the clans, including the MacDonalds and the Campbells, the castle in Edinburgh, the depth of the lochs (lakes) and the fine whiskeys of Scotland. We extend many thanks to Jaclyn and Scott for sharing their journey of a lifetime!
Spring brings renewed life to our environment, as our close knit community at the home experiences a renewed sense of joy, friendship and family.
“A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.” ~ Buddha
Columns
Home Notes: Spring is in the air at the Thanksgiving Home
- Columns
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Passing along advice of seeing the humor
The best advice given to me many years ago when I started teaching had nothing to do with my discipline, English. Rather, a former mentor insisted on the necessity of having a sense of humor
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The week that was ...
For a number of years now, we have not been in Cooperstown for the spring season. And we must admit that we had quite forgotten what it is like. But since we decided that travel was not on the docket for this year, we have become reacquainted with the Cooperstown spring. And we must say we rather enjoyed it with the possible exception of occasional uncalled for snow and seemingly frigid temperatures.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
Last week, my mother made the 25-hour plane trip out to Thailand to visit her son, me, after nine months of having only choppy Skype sessions and scattered emails to give her an idea of what I look and act like since having left home last August.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: World traveler calls Euro-Tour experience of a lifetime
While I've had a great time throughout my entire exchange, I can say hands down that the month of April brought me the best memories of my exchange if not some of the best of my entire life. What kind of wonder would bring me to say this? Simple. Euro-Tour.
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Maryland port attacked
Havre de Grace, May 3. "This morning, a little after the break of day, a British armed force, under cover of armed vessels which anchored in front of this town ... landed below a small breast work which had been roughly thrown up, and in which were one 9 and two 4 pounders, manned by 50 militia.
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Memoir reflects on 'roller-coaster life and career'
Apparently, the third time wasn't the charm. The way Reynolds described him, the third husband was worse than the first two combined and that's saying a lot. Eddie Fisher literally walked away from Reynolds and their two infant children to chase a sex goddess. At least he got his just desserts when Elizabeth Taylor tossed him aside for Richard Burton.
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Imagine what might have been ...
A while back we got a telephone call from a reader of this column wanting to know why we had not written a column in support of Otsego Manor continuing to be owned and operated by Otsego County. And even though we have followed the debate over this issue in the newspaper, we readily admitted we did not feel we knew enough about the situation to take a stand.
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Herpes virus brings harness racing to a halt
I've been going to harness horse race tracks my entire life. My family has been in the business for years.
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Time, if not traffic, moves on ...
It is with sadness we note the passing of two people who we have known since moving to Cooperstown in 1982.
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Canadian capital captured
Dear Sir, I have just returned from Fort Niagara, where I saw a Captain of the United States' navy. He is just from little York, the capital of Upper Canada, and gives the following account, which is confirmed in official dispatches from Gen. Dearborn to Gen. Lewis ...
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Local Voices From Around The Globe: Exchange is like a life in a year
All exchange students realize the credibility of this statement. Like all lives no exchange is the same, all are incredible unique exchanges. The metaphor of life, from baby to old age, extends to every part of the exchange.
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Movie depicting legendary Jackie Robinson does not disappoint
Going to the movies is not something I do often. I can count the number of times I have gone on my fingers, unless you include trips to the drive-in. And even so, it took me years before I made it to one of those -- going for the first time two summers ago.
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'Dubious' about weather, Hawkeyes 'suitable' nickname
Unfortunately, it seems to us that this spring has, thus far, been anything but spring like. In fact, we are still more than happy to stay bundled up in our polar fleece.
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'Who's on Worst?' reveals the ugly in baseball
The Baseball Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players, managers and owners from our national pastime. Any of us who have watched Major League baseball have inevitably seen some of these immortals practicing their craft. But we have also likely witnessed a sample of their opposite brethren, players who shouldn't have been in the Major Leagues. Has there ever been a definitive source that "celebrates" the non-accomplishments of the worst that Major League baseball has to offer?
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Swallow talk and bluebird vigilance
I assume the swallows have returned to Capistrano. They have returned to Hawthorn Hill as well.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Life in Hungry has taken a turn for the better
I can truthfully say spring has finally arrived in Hungary. It's almost time to wear shorts and sandals, for summer will be just around the corner. This brings me great happiness and great sadness, my adventure is coming to a close. Really what a time it was, I don't think I can compare it to anything else.
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The importance of speaking up ...
Over the years we have come to understand that, in writing a weekly column, it is not possible to always please everyone. And such was the case with our column that ran at the end of March in which we wrote about our experience as in inpatient following a total hip replacement.
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Public schools created
The Common School Act of 1812 marked the start of New York's public school system. Much of the credit for this was due to the radical Otsego County politician Jedediah Peck (1747-1821). To quote the NY Education Department:
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Book takes readers on path for equal rights
One of the most troubling aspects of our history is race relations. It takes a long time to achieve true equality in a society when the heritage of one ethnic group is slavery and Jim Crow laws. Even today African Americans are more likely to be stereotyped as athletes than doctors, lawyers or entrepreneurs. The path to a "color-blind" nation is still a work in progress.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Experiencing India at every new turn
Come, sit down. Hold this and, wait ... ah, there you go. Obeying these commands, I found myself seated on the pavement, wearing a turban and attempting to make sounds out of a recorder-like instrument for the black cobras in the baskets not two feet away from me.
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Passing along advice of seeing the humor
