2023 Sweetheart Dinner-Dance and Super Bowl Parties

Sweetheart Dance - February 4, 2023

Every year, all couples who live in Savanna Club who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary this year are honored with an elegant dinner-dance.  It was a lovely affair and also open to anyone who would like an elegant evening!

(Click on each photo for a larger version.)

 
Some of the couples renewing their vows.

Hors D'oeuvres

The bartenders seemed to enjoy their jobs!

Eleanor and John Gormley

Diane and Bill Comeau

Tracey Riggins, Ron and Tina Fritz
Would you guess that they're sisters?

Georgeann and Casey Krakowiecki

 Marilyn Kamp and Dan Kraft

Dan was our DJ and played dinner music on the piano.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This event was hosted by The Social Committee

 

 

 

MaryMay Suter and Linda Houlihan

Sharon Jackson

A good time was had by all !!!!!

Superbowl Party - February 12, 2023

  Linda Houlihan, MaryMay Suter, Danielle Bower, Sharon Jackson

Now, I'm going to see if inserting a video works.

 

The large screens to view the game, to the chili cook-off, to the squares game, to the football throw, to corn hole, to yummy food, it was a fun party. 

 

p.s.  I don't even know who was playing!  Football isn't one of my interests.  Don't hate me because I'm Football Impaired!

A Teaching Memory from the Year 2000

 How Old Is Mr. Hudson?

October 2, 2000 Rev. Dick Wills used this in his sermon at our church.

These are thoughts from the 3^rd grade bilingual students of Mary Barrows at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  Paul Hudson volunteers one day a week and tutors students one-on-one.  He has worked with Mary for over ten years as a faithful and well-loved volunteer who was recruited from Mary’s church.

The students were given the following prompt: 
"I think Mr. Hudson is ____ years old because . . ."

Dominic: I think Mr. Hudson is 50 years old because he has gray hair and black shoes.  He has clothes like 50 year olds do.    He has a lot of students to work with when he comes to the class.  Mrs. Barrows told him to leave at 1:30 so he can beat the traffic.

Jalcoby:   55 . . . because he wears the same coat like 55.  He wears the same clean shoes and I like him very, very much.

Jessica: 40 . . .  because he looks 40.  If he is not 40, I bet that he might be 41.  I wonder if he has a girlfriend and if he is nice to her every day.

Shareika: 79 . . . because he is a great man and a great helper.  He is very smart and he has a good mind.  I know he loves children.

Anesha: 95 . . . because he is very, very, very nice like my mother.  Also, because he has the most beautiful eyes that I have seen in my life.  And because he makes people have a good grade on their math test or their spelling test.

Aaron: 79 . . . because my dad said if you get older you get weaker and you will die and go to heaven like that movie All Dogs Go to Heaven.  When Mr. Hudson dies, he will have a home in heaven.

 Dear Mr. Hudson,

Words are not enough to convey my feelings for you and the special way that you have touched the lives of so many students as you volunteered in my classroom.   At the same time you have made such an impact on me by showing me that age, gender or race is not an issue in sharing love with people. 

You are a special gift in my life and I thank you for your faithfulness in coming every week.  Can you believe that we have worked together for over 10 years?  

Your expertise in cursive writing (amazing how you write so beautifully) and division has been a real contribution to "our” students’ progress.  Your gentle, yet dignified treatment of each child, is long remembered by the students you work with as well as everyone around you who sees your “love in action.”

Happy 93^rd birthday!  May you have a wonderful day and another good year.

                                                        With much love and respect,
                                                        Mary May Barrows

                                                        (as of 2020, MaryMay Suter)
                                                 
p.s. We are all waiting to learn your secrets to longevity!!!  Are you publishing your book any time soon?

Milk CAN CAN Beautify

Did you check the title on this post?  I "thunk" it up but when I came back to work on it, I speed read and didn't "get it".    Hopefully, you will....

My brother, Phil May made me an offer and I took him up on it.  He had some old milk cans from the dairy farm where we grew up. 

A lady in my building at VMRC (my new home) was recommended as one who might be able to help me put a sunflower on my milk can.  Judith Espinoza was an art teacher and she did a lovely job.  My little sunflower idea turned into a work of art. 

I turned this project into a "2-4-1".  I put writing on the back of the can and will change the bow to go with the season.  So, I can turn it around for a totally different look.

A few ladies were looking at it and I mentioned it was from my home farm.  One said,  "Oh, I thought you just bought it like that!"  Sooo... I hung a little sign on the wall behind it that said:

This milk can was used on
Mockingbird Hill Farm near Singers Glen, VA.   
(where MaryMay grew up).

Her brother sanded off the rust and painted it.

The sunflower was painted by Judith Espinosa.  Look closely, it’s a work of art!

 
I do think that this can CAN and does beautify the alcove by our apartment.

 

Trip to Florida - Short Version and The Rest of the Story

 Short Version;We didn't leave for Florida at 4:00 a.m. this morning because of car trouble.

The Rest of the Story.... there are 3 factors in this story - car problems, late Christmas gifts, and a Celebration of Life

1.  When Gary took a load of gifts down to the car to start it and put on the heater Christmas morning, the battery was dead.  He had a battery booster in his truck and got the battery charged.  He had brought his suitcase into the apartment ready to go Monday morning.  So, we had planned to drop his truck off at his "office" and we'd be all set to go to Krista's.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the tailgate on the car would NOT go up so we put the gifts into the back seat.  When I got in to follow him, there was a terrible beeping noise every time I stopped that lasted 45 seconds.  When it got dark, the automatic dimmers didn't work - another electrical type problem.

He decided to put my car onto a charger while we were at Krista's.  We went to her house where we had a wonderful Christmas breakfast, opened gifts, and started a jigsaw puzzle.  We came back to the apartment so I could toss the broccoli ramen salad and we could go to have supper with family friends, Doris Whitmore, Natalie, Brian, Adam, and Sam Bass.  . 

This morning, Monday morning, we were greatly relieved that the Subaru dealer was open.  AAA had just put a new battery in about 6 months ago but we're hoping that a replacement with a better battery will cure all.

2.  We are going to a New Year's party in Florida around the theme Tropical Paradise.  Gary had no appropriate shirts so I ordered him 2 Hawaiian shirts for Christmas and he could wear one of them for the party.  (Yes, he's getting wild and crazy in his old age!) Well, the shirts didn't arrive and if we left for Florida and the shirts were forwarded they might not get there in time.

3.  Our dear friend, Galen Shank, died on December 23.  So, we figured if we had to wait to get the car fixed and wait for the shirts, we should wait one more day and go to Galen's funeral on Wednesday.  He was a VERY special friend who was loved by all.  I knew him from years ago because he used to rent Mother's farm.

We had Galen and Susie in to eat with us in our retirement community, VMRC a few weeks ago.  He was pretty good that evening except for weakness so we drove around to the next building to our restaurant to avoid walking.  It was an especially enjoyable evening - times were always special with Galen and Susie.  At that point he hadn't gotten that final news from UVA that his leukemia had worsened and his time was short.  He died on Christmas eve eve (the 23rd).

Obituary - https://www.mcmullenfh.com/obituary/galen-shank 

Beautiful tribute written by a neighbor on her blog:  https://paradisemtnmusings.com/2022/12/23/go-rest-high-on-that-mountain/ 

NEW PLAN

We will leave on Thursday morning at 4:00 a.m. with a car that runs properly, a memory of a special life well celebrated, and with tropical shirts in hand ready to bring in 2023.

Blog Posts about Blanche Devereaux

The Adventures of Blanche Devereaux Through the Years

If you have time to kill, time to spare, and nothing else to do, take a look!  This is not earth-shattering.....but sort of entertaining....

1.  To open each post, hover the cursor (mouse) on top of the title.
2.  Hold down the control key and keep holding it. 
3.  When you see a little hand, click and the page should open for you.

A Playmate for Pepper   May 1, 2010

Pepper and the Intruder   May 4, 2010

Babysitting Blanche   May 6, 2010

Blanche Was to Blame, After All   May 13, 2010

Blanche is Baffled  August 22, 2010

Cat Trees by Ed & Robert   October 17, 2010

Blanche the Bolter   June 23, 2012

Blanche’s Big Adventure   September 19, 2012

 

 Herding Cats
Hee, yah, Get along, Hee Yah...
Geez, I hate this job....

(Click to enlarge.)