1

SHERWOOD OAKS NEWSLETTER 100 Norman Drive, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066

www.sherwood-oaks.com

March 2021 “For the residents, by the residents” Vol. 22, No. 3

“I’ve been hibernating now for a

full year …

… is it time to come out yet?”

Credit: Creative Commons

2

Gentle Readers: It’s hard to believe that we’ve been virtually hibernating for just about a year. It hasn’t been much fun, has it? We’ve been sitting so much in front of our computers or tablets, connecting with friends and family via Zoom, wearing masks whenever we’re outside, missing – among other things ‒ meals together, meetings, lectures, group gatherings, plays and concerts in person – you name it, we haven’t done it.

But you know what? Very few of us here have personally encountered the virus or – aside from gaining weight (sigh) – shown any major symptoms. In fact, per-haps our sense of humor has even improved! See below (and elsewhere) for your own test of that statement (courtesy of www.bizwaremagic.com):

• So let me get this straight: There’s no cure for a virus that can be KILLED by sanitizer and hand soap?

• Day 42 of Social Distancing: Struck up a conversation with a spider today. Seems nice. He’s a web designer.

• Whoever decided a liquor store is more essential than a hair salon is obviously a bald-headed alcoholic.

• I think I’m finally being grounded for everything I didn’t get caught for when I was a teenager.

• The spread of COVID-19 is based on two factors: (1) How dense the population is; and (2) How dense the population is.

Let’s do our best to remember to laugh whenever the opportunity to do so arises!

Rosemary Coffey and Ruth Becker

REMINDER!

Please take a look at photos of residents at the time of their young adult years on p. 7, and see how many you recognize before you confirm your guesses with the identification box on p. 11. Do share your photos from your middle adult years with family and friends for the next issue!

THE ACORN

Editors

Ruth Becker ruthbbfoof@gmail.com

Rosemary Coffey rosemarycoffey@aol.com

Staff Rabe Marsh, Photographer

Jan Wendt, Profile Coordinator

Production Editor Tabby Alford

Ex Officio Annette McPeek

Submissions for the April issue must be sent to the Editors no later than

March 15, 2021.

MARCH CALENDAR

International Women’s Day Mar. 8

National Girl Scout Day Mar. 12

Daylight Savings Time begins Mar. 14

Ides of March Mar. 15

St. Patrick’s Day Mar. 17

Spring Equinox Mar. 20

Passover Begins Mar. 27

Respect Your Cat Day Mar. 28

3

CHUCK AND ESTA WEISS - #719

By Jan Wendt - #158

2020 was a difficult year for so many, full of disappointments galore. Consider this end-of-the-year letdown for Chuck and Esta Weiss: after selling their home in Valencia and carefully researching con-tinuing care communities, they selected Sherwood Oaks and scheduled the move for early December. Chuck, however, had a nasty fall just prior to the move, necessitating his introduction to our Skilled Nursing unit a lot sooner than he might have liked. Esta completed the move into their Lakeside Apartment without him.

Fortunately, she had the able help of a daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons who live locally, so she is now ensconced in their unit with a nice view of the lake. But she is still eagerly awaiting the day when Chuck can join her. The couple, natives of Beaver Falls and school sweethearts, have celebrated their 60th anniversary.

Once Chuck graduated from Geneva College, with a pause in the middle for a two-year stint in the Marine Corps, the Weisses headed for Detroit, where Chuck had a 30-year career in engineering and Esta completed nursing school at Sinai Hospital. During her child-rearing years and beyond, she enjoyed a diverse nur-sing career in the ER, the OR, and a rheumatology service, as well as in administration.

Upon retirement, the Weisses looked forward to a long stay in California, but instead came back to this area to help their daughter, a chemist, raise her son and daughter. It was clear from Esta’s smile and obvious pride that these “kids” have turned into happy and productive young adults. The Weiss family also includes a granddaughter in Phoenix and a grandson in Gibsonia, along with a son in California and another daughter in Las Vegas.

During Chuck’s career, the pair traveled extensively in Europe. From their home in Cologne, Germany, they took weekend trips “all over” the continent.

Although she found Budapest “fascina-ting,” Esta says her favorite place is probably Normandy. The French there display American flags in their windows, so intense is their gratitude for American heroism during World War II. Moreover, she found the high cliffs beautiful and imposing, marveling at the challenge faced by the American soldiers who took the beach and made their way up those cliffs.

Another memorable trip was with grand-children, starting in Amsterdam to see Anne Frank’s home, then boarding a cruise ship to Bruges. Esta wanted the youngsters to have an appreciation for what Anne, as a teenager, had endured.

Chuck and Esta, who have owned and shown antique automobiles for years, are longtime members of the North Hills Antique Car Club. Esta looks forward to exploring the activities available here at Sherwood Oaks, but makes it clear that her greatest priority is getting her hus-band home and providing him with whatever care he might need. Lucky Chuck, to have a partner so devoted and with years of nursing experience!

Photos by Mike Mills

4

BOB BATYKEFER

By Terry Neely - #351 & Denton Bond - #736

Bob Batykefer, a Meridian resident, is a ten-year veteran Security Guard here at Sherwood Oaks! Bob is valued, respect-ed, and appreciated here because he treats us “as he wants his family to be treated.” Bob said that we have indeed “become family” to him. Through this pandemic, he spends more time with us than with his own parents.

Doing what may seem like “small tasks,” Bob appreciates that he may be the only person some folks see at their residence. This Security Guard de-scribes his inter-actions with residents to be “a rewarding experience” for him personally.

Bob has four offspring, with his son and two daughters living in the area. The three daughters work as a nurse, an IT expert, and an FBI employee. His son is a manager at the Ferguson Warehouse. Bob also has the joy of six grandchildren

in his life. Four are nearby, and two are in Washington, DC.

Bob has a variety of experiences that have helped prepare him for life working at Sherwood Oaks. Early on, he had a business selling parts for antique cars and a job as manager at a recreation park. He has also worked in a mill, driven a cement truck, and attended a diesel engine technology school. So driving the “Big Bus” is an extra-special treat for this man!

His training includes learning AED (Automated External Defibrillator), CPR, 235 secure firearm instruction (no carry here), and handcuff secure release. He also has a commercial driver’s license for the Big Bus.

His hobby, for many years, has been rebuilding his 1964 Chevelle. It is “all original.” An additional joy is provided by his two Boston Terriers, who are a part of the family.

We are blessed to have Bob Batykefer here at Sherwood Oaks!

THE ARMCHAIR GARDENER

By Rae Zuberbuhler - #604

My winter garden now is most complete.

It consists of piles of clippings at my feet,

Along with seed catalogs for dreaming,

And garden journals stacked for scheming spring bed plans.

Who says winter weather isn’t fair? When else could I garden

from an armchair?

5

THE COLETTA MCKENRY LIBRARY ACCESSIONS

FICTION, INCLUDING LARGE TYPE AND DVDs

NONFICTION, INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES

The Abstainer McGuire, Ian c. 2020 F MCG

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Twain, Mark c. 1994 F TWA L.T. p.b. All Adults Here Straub, Emma c. 2020 F STR

Cardiff, by the Sea Oates, Joyce Carol c. 2020 F OAT

Christmas Cupcake Murder Fluke, Joanne c. 2020 F FLU

Daylight Baldacci, David c. 2020 F BAL

Deacon King Kong McBride, James c. 2020 F MCB

Fair Warning Connelly, Michael c. 2020 F CON

Here We Are Swift, Graham c. 2020 F SWI

Homegoing Gyasi, Yaa c. 2016 F GYA

Hunters in the Dark Osborne, Lawrence c. 2015 F OSB

In the Lion's Den Bradford, Barbara T. c. 2020 F BRA

Just Like You Hornby, Nick c. 2020 F HOR

The Kingdom Nesbo, Jo c. 2020 F NES

The Lake Wobegon Virus Keillor, Garrison c. 2020 F KEI

A Light in the Wilderness Kirkpatrick, Jane c. 2014 F KIR L.T.

A Lover's Discourse Guo, Xiaolu c. 2020 F GUO

Magic Lessons Hoffman, Alice c. 2020 F HOF

Monogamy Miller, Sue c. 2020 F MIL

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie Benedict, Marie c. 2021 F BEN

The Noel Letters Evans, Richard Paul c. 2020 F EVA

Nothing to See Here Wilson, Kevin c. 2019 F WIL

The Rules of Magic Hoffman, Alice c. 2017 F HOF

Sea Wife Gaige, Amity c. 2020 F GAI

The Silence DeLillo, Don c. 2020 F DEL

Sisters Johnson, Daisy c. 2020 F JOH

The Standardization of Demoralization Procedures Hofmann, Jennifer c. 2020 F HOF

Three Women Disappear Patterson, James c. 2020 F PAT

The Thursday Murder Club Osman, Richard c. 2020 F OSM

To Tell You the Truth Macmillan, Gilly c. 2020 F MAC

Uncommon Type: Some Stories Hanks, Tom c. 2018 F HAN p.b.

The Vanishing Half Bennett, Brit c. 2020 F BEN

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop Flagg, Fannie c. 2020 F FLA

Carnegie Krass, Peter c. 2002 BIO CAR

Catching the Wind: Edward Kennedy and the Liberal Hour Gabler, Neal c. 2020 BIO KEN

The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women—and Women to Medicine

Nimura, Janice P. c. 2021 BIO BLA

A Promised Land Obama, Barack c. 2020 BIO OBA

Bland Fanatics: Liberals, Race, and Empire Mishra, Pankaj c. 2020 320.51 MIS

6

A TWELVE-YEAR HISTORY

By Carole Timblin - #111

It was 2002, and my mother, Vivian C. Reed, wanted to live close to us, but not with us. She was in Palm Beach, Florida, and we were in North Pittsburgh! She had several friends from Shannopin Country Club living at Sherwood Oaks, so she wanted to visit this community. My husband Terry and I called to arrange for a tour. After talking to the marketing person, we were shown around by a pair of current residents. There was so much to do that we thought, “Let’s think about living here someday, too!” Mother was suitably impressed and ready to sign on the dotted line.

In June of 2003, we moved her into Unit #141. A young 90-year-old in November of that year, she lived independently for five or six years. Ultimately, she spent her final year in Oak Grove. We saw firsthand the dedication of the staff at all levels of

residency. I especially remember Joyce, a 15-year S.O. employee in Oak Grove ‒ that length of time in itself says a lot about that place. And then there was Fen, a truly caring nurse.

While living in #141, in addition to playing bridge, painting, and participating in Bible Study, Mother and her friend, Bill Dennis, started and named the “Yellow Jackets,” a group of independent living residents who still help folks in Personal Care attend concerts, lectures, and other activities of interest occurring in the auditorium.

Terry and I did explore other retirement communities, but we knew all along that Sherwood Oaks would be our No. 1 choice. In November 2020, we finally moved into Unit #111, where we have been very happy. Everyone has been friendly and welcoming. We look forward to the reopening of the dining room and the resumption of all the various activities that used to be available to the residents.

Finish the Fight: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote

Chambers, Veronica c. 2020 324.623 CHA

How Conversation Works: 6 Lessons for Better Communication

Curzan, Anne c. 2012 302.3 CUR DVD

Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story McClay, Wilfred M. c. 2019 973 MCC

The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation's Largest Home

Kiernan, Denise c. 2017 975.688 KIE

Murder Most Puzzling:20 Mysterious Cases to Solve Von Reiswitz, Stephanie

c. 2020 793.73 VON Oversize

97 Favorite Foods Every Senior Should Eat FC&A Medical Publishing

c. 2020 613.2 FC&A

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality Fox, Michael J. c. 2020 791.430 FOX

The Pictorial History of Sherlock Holmes Pointer, Michael c. 1991 809 POI Oversize

Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation Muesse, Mark c. 2011 158.1 MUE DVD

The Secret Power of Middle Children: How Middleborns Can Harness Their Unexpected and Remarkable Abilities

Salmon, Catherine c. 2011 155.924 SAL

The Smallest Lights in the Universe Seager, Sara c. 2020 523.409 SEA

7

1

2

4

5

3

6

7

Here we are in our early adult years … how many of us do you recognize?

See p. 11 for the answers when you’re

ready!

8

8

PANDEMIC LIFE IN PERSONAL CARE

By Jean Kabbert - #371

Perhaps some of the residents in inde-pendent living have been wondering how friends in Personal Care are coping with the pandemic! Well, here’s a description of what’s been going on.

Now that the renovation of our kitchen, along with new designs and old repairs, has been completed, life is improving daily. Beginning a new day by seeing a fellow resident and friend makes up for the lonely evening hours.

We go to breakfast, where we are greeted by cheerful servers and a great chef, who prepares omelets and pancakes to order. We arrive masked, but place our masks in a bag near our plates, which are six feet apart from anyone else eating at the same scheduled time. My time is 7:30-8:30 a.m.

One may order lunch at this time as well. The process moves smoothly in this way, and I come back at 11:30, since I am on the first shift. This is another opportunity to see friends safely. Dinner is served in our rooms by 5 p.m.

Certain activities are offered during the day in one-half of the dining area for those who wish to participate. We now call that space “The Day Room.” Roberta Breninghouse and her staff in the Rec-reational Therapy Dept. conduct activities and then disinfect and wipe down the chairs when we’re done to keep us safe.

Sometimes BINGO is scheduled, or chair exercises with accompanying music, or maybe word games designed to challenge us. Roberta will show up with her piano, her accordion, or her guitar and play for us. Films such as African Cats take us on virtual tours, while other recent offerings have included The Life of Hoagy

Carmichael and Afternoon Tea with Paul Hollywood. The large TV makes it possible for us to watch Steeler games together in the Day Room, as we look forward to next year’s schedule. As night nears, we return to our rooms, where we look forward to our early dinner, alone once again.

Whenever a staff member tests positive for COVID-19, we return to a lockdown mode. Scheduled visits with families are canceled, usually for 15 days. Eventually, our “normal” days resume. We do look forward to the time when “normal” means “pre-pandemic”!

EASTER HUNT

By Joni Pun - #304, for The Craft Group

Did you enjoy the search game we put out for you in November / December of last year, where you had to find 30 gnomes? Well, we’ve come up with a new activity that involves locating some Easter bunnies, butterflies, and flowers, all of which are done in plaster of Paris and painted. As with the previous game, they will be hidden in the Independent Living walkways in front of units numbered from 100 to 360. (Nothing is hidden in front of the 600s or 700s.) They may be harder to find, as they measure 3½ inches at most, and we hope to get even craftier at hiding them.

More details and the precise number to be found will be given out sometime in the latter part of March on the 900 channel and on the bulletin board in the mailroom. Prizes will be given! For this and all subsequent searches, the winner of the previous search may not win the first spot again, although he or she may take second prize and be eligible to win the following search ‒ just not two in a row! Good luck!

9

SHERWOOD NEIGHBORS ― KEEPING US CONNECTED

By Jan Wendt - #158

Sherwood Neighbors, formed in late 2020 to combat the loneliness caused by COVID-19 restrictions, continues its mission with a couple of new projects.

The group initiated a “neighbor calling neighbor” outreach, using that good old technology device, the telephone. With a designated caller in each courtyard, residents receive a “check-in” call every week or two, for an opportunity to catch up on events and see how others are faring.

The Neighbors has plans to continue occasional projects of greeting to those in Skilled Nursing, Personal Care, and Oak Grove, such as sending valentines and initiating a small seed-planting event. These opportunities provide a way for Independent Living residents to let their friends in the units know that they are thought of and missed.

Sherwood Neighbors is also exploring the possibility of a resident Zoom account, which would allow groups of neighbors to chat visually and could also be used for small committee meetings. The rollout of the account would include training for those interested in, but not familiar with, how to use Zoom. It is envisioned that such an account might also have a range of possible uses after the COVID pandemic is past.

If you’d like to join Sherwood Neighbors in any of these endeavors, your help would be welcomed. Call Jan Wendt (8158), Wally Christy (8237), Ann Ferguson (8269), Barbara Scruggs (8317), or Betty Eichler (8355).

LIBRARY LOWDOWN

By Barbara Christy - #237

Escape from Covid boredom! Try one of our 22 Great Courses, found in the paperback

room of the library. Each course features a well-known and well-reviewed expert pro-viding hour-long lectures complete with visuals. These courses, which vary from 12 to 48 lectures on CDs, cover topics from Africa, Alexander the Great, and American Ideals through Hitler’s Empire, the Holy Land, and the High Middle Ages, ending with World Wars I and II.

There’s something for everyone. Not only that, but you can also feel virtuous about how you are spending your time! Come to the library and check it out.

HEADS UP!

By Talley Ferguson (courtesy of Ann) - #269

Now here’s some information you really need! It turns out that my fellow dogs and I don’t like being patted on the top of our heads. The exception is your own dog, of course, because it knows and trusts you.

When humans see an adorable canine, it is their instinct to pat it on the head, the easiest point for them to reach. It turns out that many dogs don’t like this, because coming at us over our head feels threatening. How about coming from the side or letting us come to you, so you can reach under our chin to scratch and then work up to the neck?

Shelties especially can be hand-shy and people-shy. My mom expects me to have 200 best friends here at Sherwood Oaks. For now, I’m just checking on each person who approaches me. She doesn’t want me to be hand-shy, which means no patting my head or ears.

Shelties typically have a reserved person-ality. Mom wants to keep my friendships growing, but only in the Center. On the sidewalk, I’m learning to mind my own business while Mom is teaching me many more lessons about everything under the sun!

10

WHAT’S NEW WITH SORA? (SO Residents Association)

By Jean Henderson, Secretary - #611

NOTE: Complete minutes are always available for review on the SORA mailroom bulletin board, on the SO APP, and in the SORA Library binder.

Summary of reports and actions for the Feb 2, 2021, board meeting:

ELECTIONS: Beth Brown was elected Operating Treasurer to replace Jim Bouwcamp, who resigned. Gary Bran-denberger was elected a director to replace Bob Hines, who resigned; Bob was recognized for his faithful service to the board.

TREASURERS: Memorial/Special Projects Fund balance is $116,511.87. Employee Appreciation Fund balance is $16,544.85. The SORA bank balance is $61,186.03

LIAISON REPORTS:

Dining Services. Two soups are being offered in the winter months. Menus and comment cards are available on SOAPP.

Technology Task Force. Jason Lyle gave an update on the new channel 901, which is awaiting equipment. He is addressing the ‘hum’ on channel 900.

ADMINISTRATION: Annette McPeek reported the Butler Co positivity rate is now 8.7%. The main dining room can open when it is under 5%. COVID-19 vaccinations are also underway. Masks should be worn and social distancing practiced even after immunization.

OTHER BUSINESS:

The president appointed Mary Lou Fox as chair and Al Brahm to the Nominating Committee. Three at-large members will

be chosen. The president appointed the following task force chairs for feasibility studies: Auditorium and Stage Improve-ments – Barbara Dixon and Dennis Lynch; Wi-Fi Update – Jason Lyle; Extension of Fence Line Trail Bridge – Frank Finley; Channel 901 Coordination Team – Wally Christy. Stan Foster will investigate the use of a table in the Center Lobby for displaying items from committees and activities on a rotating basis.

The next SORA Board meeting was set for Tuesday, March 2, 2021. The quar-terly residents’ meeting on March 9, 2021, will not be held in person. Written reports will be distributed.

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS!

By Jean Henderson - #611

Among the hundreds of residents here at Sherwood Oaks are couples who've been married for a very long time indeed! Recently, we celebrated the Lawrences' 60th. Furthermore, at the end of January, Bob and Lois Hines celebrated their 71

st.

I'm hereby inviting couples who've been married 40 or more years to let me know their wedding date: day and year. I be-lieve we need to celebrate those anni-versaries as a community. Send your information to me via cubbyhole 611, or email me at jhhh221942 @aol.com. And if any of you have ideas for how we might help you celebrate, please be in touch!

Remember all those times when you

wished the weekend would last forever?

Well, wish granted! Happy now?

11

AN OFF-THE-CUFF SURVEY

By Ruth Becker - #340

“Beware the Ides of March,” as Shakes-peare warned Julius Caesar, and the IRS USED to warn us. Now I am not warning, but asking: How are you and your “New Year’s” resolutions faring? We shall be ready to "Welcome, Sweet Springtime," before you know it.

I suspect that the New Year, the pan-demic, and the combination of the two may have got you thinking about daily habits and hopes that might have needed a shot in the arm. If you are willing and able to tell us about what you are doing (and/or hoping to do) differently … e.g., more or less exercise, more or fewer des-serts, more or fewer crossword puzzles, more phone calls with friends, and WHY, please share an item on your list with THE ACORN, so that our combined lists can be published in the April issue. We will not print your name, but the editors will need to know who did something new or avoided something old ‒ in case there is some confusion and we need to check back with you. So please include your name and address and put your com-ments in THE ACORN mailbox by March 15. That gives you two full weeks to ponder, evaluate, and share!

KEY TO RESIDENTS’ YOUNG ADULT PHOTOS

FOCUS ON THE WORLD

From Nancy Paul - #167

An 11-year-old girl in Afghani-stan disguises herself as a boy in order to take on odd jobs to support her family when her father is jailed for having a college education. This inspiring tale demonstrates the power of stories to carry us through dark times. “A rare, animated film without a shred of senti-mentality but bucket-loads of heart and soul.” Metacritic

Showing on Channel 900

Thursday, March 18, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 19, 7:30 p.m.

Angelina Jolie, Executive Producer

Just wait a second – so what you’re telling me is that my chance of surviving all this is directly linked to the common sense of others?

1. Agnes Peebles 5. Diane Neely 2. Frank/Joanne Weiss 6. Janie Naylor

3. Jane/Deane Lavender 7. Julie Eden 4. Rosemary Coffey 8. Lee Wierman

12

TAI CHI FOR THE MIND AND BODY

By Sifu David Slaughter

We asked the instructor of the Tai Chi classes on Tuesday and Friday to share some thoughts on the benefits of his art:

Tai Chi is a slow-motion, low-impact set of movements that benefits the mind and the body. Some of the ways it does so include improved balance and flexibility, better focus and concentration, stress reduction, and overall well-being. The movements are done in a slow, relaxed, and coordinated manner that helps increase circulation to the brain and the internal organs. Tai Chi also helps regulate the nervous system, which sends signals to the brain. Each movement has a specific name and purpose and is done in combination with breathing and footwork.

Tai Chi involves moving the waist, hips, knees, and ankles, all of which are important for overall mobility. Indeed, as people get older, being able to maintain mobility is an important factor in deter-mining their independence.

The upper body movements, for instance, help participants maintain a range of motion and flexibility in the shoulders and neck. These areas are important to up-hold the ability to reach items in high places above the head, such as cabinets and shelves, without incident.

The repetitive performance of the move-ments not only helps the brain’s cognitive function, but also aids the sympathetic nervous system (part of the autonomic nervous system), which is important in stressful and volatile situations. An example would be when people trip be-fore they actually fall, when the sympa-thetic nervous system sends the body’s major organs and muscles a quick message and burst of energy to initiate a rapid response. As the individual trips, one hand or both hands reach out. One leg or both legs respond by coming up higher or

landing lightly. These responses are initiated through the sympathetic nervous system.

Another benefit of Tai Chi is social inter-action, which is also important for mental health. The group classes bring people together.

The movements require concentrating on the present moment. During this time, the participants’ minds are free from worry and over-thinking, which helps with reducing stress and lowering blood pressure.

For people with mobility issues, Tai Chi can be carried out while sitting in or standing near a chair. Overall, Tai Chi can increase one’s mental and physical health for many years.

There are several different styles of Tai Chi ― Yang, Wu, Sun, and Chen, just to name a few. The style taught at Sher-wood Oaks is the Yang short form, which consists of 24 postures. The Yang long form involves 108 postures. Residents should be sure to let me know when they’re ready for that one!

IN MEMORIAM

Memories are precious possessions that time can never destroy. For it is in happy

remembrance that the heart finds its greatest joy.

Mary Swatling January 31, 2021

Lieselotte Bloss February 6, 2021

Burl Davis February 16, 2021

Lila Cornell February 17, 2021

Adrienne O’Toole February 17, 2021

13

SORA COMMITTEE MONITORS

HEALTH MATTERS

By Jan Wendt, R.N. - #158

Did you know there is a SORA committee that watches over issues of our health and wellness? The Health Affairs Com-mittee, which meets quarterly, reviews with the Administration and Community Nursing Dept. issues of particular con-cern to seniors involving health policy and wellness in general.

In addition to keeping track of events such as resident falls, the group strives to stay updated on current trends in health issues involving seniors and to be proactive in identifying concerns that may affect Sherwood Oaks residents in coming months.

As you might imagine, COVID-19 and its implications for our community have been a focus over the past year. From assuring that staff had adequate testing and PPE, to protecting residents and staff from spreading the virus, Health Affairs has been closely watching events.

As we head into a summer when most here will have been vaccinated, the committee encourages us all to continue the crucial mitigation steps of distancing, masking, and hand washing

If you are interested in joining the Health Affairs Committee, or have concerns you would like it to address, please contact the chair, Wally Christy (8237).

• Silly you! You thought dogs were hard to train. Just look at all the humans who haven't learned to sit and stay.

• It may take a village to raise a child, but I swear it’s going to take a whole vineyard to homeschool one.

NEW MEXICO DESERT

By Mike Rose - #503

On top of a mountain in the New Mexico desert vaguely uncomfortable that I am alone amidst the beauty and the grandeur. How egotistical can I be! I am not alone. Living creatures abound who call this place home and who will be here when I am gone. Lizards scurry from rock to rock Searching for food and shelter. Insects take flight to escape the

lizards and live on. Eagles soar overhead searching for prey. Grasshoppers hop where there is no grass. Scrub pines no taller than a man hang precariously on the mountain’s edge fighting for sun and water. They have all adapted and

survived in this magnificent world and I look on with envy.

14

WORTH A LOOK:

BOOKS NEW TO OUR LIBRARY

By Barbara Christy - #237

Catching the Wind: Edward Kennedy and the Liberal Hour by Neal Gabler. Bio-graphy. Considered a “show horse and not a work horse” when he entered the Senate at age 30, Edward Kennedy became a promising legislator and a moving force in the Senate. He was part of the liberal caucus that successfully passed anti-poverty programs, along with the Civil Rights and the Voting Rights Acts. This biography movingly details the story of an underrated younger brother who overcame family tragedies and his own demons to make his own mark on the country. BIO KEN

The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pio-neering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women – and Women to Medicine by Janice P. Nimura. Biography. Born into a world where the role of women was severely restricted, Elizabeth Blackwell persevered with intelligence and intensity to become the first woman in America to receive an M.D. Her sister, the more brilliant physician, soon followed her. Together they founded the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Chil-dren. Despite differences of opinion, they worked together to expand the possi-bilities for women everywhere. BIO BLA

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox. Non-fiction. In this memoir, Fox reas-sessses his optimistic outlook from his previous two bestsellers, Lucky Man and Always Looking Up. His observations about illness, aging, and the support of family and friends, and his experience with emergency spinal cord surgery, lead

to understanding how he now approach-es mortality. Struggling with learning how to walk again, only to suffer a devastating fall, nearly causes him to abandon his trademark optimism. 791.430 FOX

The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss and American Royalty in the Nation’s Largest Home by Denise Kier-nan. Non-fiction. For people who love to read about the Jazz Age, famous personalities, Gilded Age mansions, and the very wealthy who lived in them, this true American saga will be captivating. Newlywed Edith Stuyvesant Vanderbilt came from an esteemed New York family and was raised with wealth and privilege. But as mistress of an estate nearly three times the size of Washington, DC, and benefactress of the village and surround-ing rural area, she was challenged in unexpected ways. When her fortunes shifted, and changing times threatened her family, her home, and her commu-nity, it was up to Edith to save Biltmore ‒and secure the future of the region and her husband’s legacy. 975.688 KIE

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly. Fic-tion. Jack McEvoy stalks a serial killer who uses genetic material to select and stalk his victims. F CON

Three Women Disappear by James Pat-terson and Shan Serafin. Fiction. Mob accountant Anthony Costello is dead, and the three women who had access to him have disappeared. Detective Sean Walsh defies his boss to pursue the murder and uncovers lots of reasons for the women to hide. F PAT

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict. Fiction. As described in the PBS program on the life of Agatha Christie, her unaccounted-for disappear-ance for eleven days in 1926 unleashes

15

a nation-wide manhunt and raises un-comfortable questions about what role her unfaithful husband may have played in it. Unsolved to this day, the puzzle is retold, and possible explanations are explored. F BEN

Sisters by Daisy Johnson. Fiction. Sibling love, and envy, form the backdrop of this novel of two sisters named July and September. Moved by their mother to a mysterious old family house, the adolescent sisters begin to change in unsettling ways. F JOH

Sea Wife by Amity Gaige. Fiction. This family of four – husband, wife, and two children – decides to escape stultifying suburbia by buying a 42-foot sailboat, destination Panama. On a journey at first exciting, transformative, and joy-filled, the novice sailors encounter harrowing events that uncover personal and political conflicts. Told from two perspec-tives, this is an exuberant, witty, and suspenseful novel. F GAI

To Tell You the Truth by Gilly Macmillan. Fiction. Unreliable memories of her brother’s disappearance 30 years ago color mystery writer Lucy Harper’s attempts to deal with her husband’s present-day disappearance. Needy and jealous, he compares her success to his lack thereof. Her skills at storytelling, personal as well as professional, cause her to come under intense scrutiny. F MAC

Everywhere You Don’t Belong by Gabriel Bump. Fiction. Claude McKay Love is an average kid – except that he is a young black man growing up on the south side of Chicago (think Michelle Obama.) His grandmother, a civil rights activist, tries to steer him into good causes, but he just wants to fit in with his pals. When riots hit

his neighborhood, he decides to run away from the pressures of choosing, go to college, and create a new identity. F BUM

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Fic-tion. The Great Depression is the true pro-tagonist in this huge novel about a young woman from Texas unwillingly married to a man she hardly knows. As the abun-dance of post-WWI life morphs into the hardships of the Dustbowl, Elsa must confront difficult choices, as she fights to help her children survive and battles nature to save her land. Her resilience and strength exemplify the courage and sacrifice of a generation. F HAN

How Much of These Hills Is Gold by Z. Pam Zhang. Fiction. MA and BA are dead. As orphaned children of immi-grants, Lucy and Sam are in danger from the residents of their rough mining town. They set off to bury their father in keeping with his traditions, but, on the way, will have to deal with tiger paw-prints, sibling rivalry, family secrets, and buffalo bones. This adventure story explores questions of where and how these barely American children can fit into the new future opening before them. F ZHA

The Law of Innocence by Michael Con-nelly. Fiction. After celebrating a big win, defense attorney Mickey Haller is pulled over by police, who find the body of a former client in the trunk of his Lincoln. Haller is jailed, unable to pay the bail of $5 million dollars. He decides to defend himself. But, even if he can obtain a not-guilty verdict, Mickey understands that it won’t be enough to keep him safe. Who-ever framed him is still out there. In order to be truly exonerated, he must find out who really committed the murder and why. That is the law of innocence. F CON

16

“Well, maybe not quite yet … I’ll catch

a few more winks for now.”

Credit: wildrevelation.com