Villagers, like everyone else, like to know where the fire truck or the ambulance is off to. Excitement prevails but your heart skips a beat when someone you know is involved. That’s what happened this week when Einar T. (Shorty) fell in the parking lot. The rescue squad came offering first aid and the ambulance transported Shorty to the hospital. There it was learned no bones were broken but you should see his facial cuts and bruises. He’s the butt of lots of jokes about what does the other guy look like. Peonies are beautiful this year. Blooms are so big and lovely colors, dark reds, pinks and white. Their aroma fills our dining room for we’ve been blessed with flowers from Grace’s garden, Ruth Jackson and Arla Bakken.Kitty Helgeson reported another kind deed from Friendship Days done by a teenager. Kitty, her husband and two other couples were watching the parade when a young man came up with a handful of candy and offered them a treat. How about that?The men of the Village were honored with a cookout for Father’s Day. Staff grilled steak and the men reported it was an excellent meal. We do like the grill and the garden room patio. We can look to the east and see the fields growing and green everywhere. The women were not neglected for they ate French dip au juice sandwiches, on homemade hoagie buns. Three trees, donated by Wally’s Nursery, were planted at the Village in memory of the three persons who lived here and had died, Edna Hetland, Edith Leslie and Obed Bakken. There was also a dedication program. This is not to be confused with the Tree of Lights celebration we have each year as a memorial to all who have passed throughout the years. At this time, trees will be planted in seven area locations for the 75 deceased. Dan Smith, the Hospice Chaplain, spoke at the program on "bringing back to nature." We sang "The Trees of the Field" with words that went like this:"You shall go out with joyAnd be led forth with peace.The mountains and the hillsWill break forth before you.There’s to be shouts of joy,And the trees in the fieldWill clap, will clap their hands.And all the trees in the fieldWill clap their hands, While we go out with joy."Wednesday we had an informational program. Jolene Brackey, author of "Creating Moments of Joy," spoke of her experiences of dementia care to the staff in the afternoon and in the evening addressed the topics of family caregivers. About 50 people came to hear her. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of this disease that causes nerve cells to disintegrate in the brain making the brain shrink. The audience found her information interesting and helpful. We had a watermelon spitting contest. However, we ate a lot but didn’t spit much. Mr. and Mrs. Al Gore of the Klondike area visited Signe. The Village Circle met in the garden room. I’ll keep you posted.
