28500 Bradley Road • Sun City, CA 92586 Phone (951) 679-2391 • Fax: (951) 679-8002

Gardens' News

December 2019

Happy December Birthday, Residents!To all of our residents who were born in

December, this is your month! We will becelebrating these birthdays on Wednesday,December 18th. A special birthday table will beset up for you, and one outside guest is free.

Mary Houghtaling...12/01Rose Novison......12/02Tillie Salinas.........12/13Evelyn Charest......12/17Ralph Elwing.........12/22Lola Powell...........12/22Chris Kingsolver....12/25Samuel Tardy........12/28

Staff Directory Lic. #336403516Ted HoltExecutive DirectorAlicia PadillaBusiness Office DirectorBarbara MirelesSupport Services DirectorRobin TristaoFood Service DirectorEdoardo EstradaMarketing Director / Resident RelationsEsmeralda CervantesMarketing AssistantMichele LynchResidential Activity DirectorDaryl StoutMaintenance DirectorRobin GruwellAL/MC Activity DirectorVenessa RussoAssisted Living Director

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Wish ListAs a nonprofit community,

we rely on donations forselected projects. The followingare examples of the manyprojects we have on our “wishlist:”

1. Atrium Renovation2. Interior and Exterior

Seating that contains shade3. Resident computer station

with Internet, Video Feed, andprinters

4. Furniture for the clubhouselobbies

5. DVD movies for the theaterIf you feel compelled to make

a generous donation, pleasecontact our AdministrativeDirector. Thank you in advancefor your support.

Welcome to SunCity Gardens!

Jim HillKatherine MartinezNathalie DerryCMDR Jim & Peggy VarnerHugh HammantJeanne DoverHenry AlanisCarmelo LoranMary Lou JensenRosemarie ElriteJoan Seeley

Sun City GardensAnnual Oktoberfest!

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Mr. New Year’s EveWhen the clock strikes

midnight on New Year’s Eve,countless revelers will burst intoa chorus of “Auld Lang Syne.”The Scottish folk song hasbecome a tradition thankslargely to one man, bandleaderGuy Lombardo, nicknamed“Mr. New Year’s Eve.”

Born in Ontario, Lombardo,his three brothers and severalfriends formed the RoyalCanadians in 1924. Five yearslater, the band performed a live

radio broadcast from New YorkCity’s Roosevelt Hotel onDec. 31. They bid farewell to theold year by playing “Auld LangSyne,” which the Lombardosknew from their childhood andoften used as a show finale.

The group’s annual radioshow continued until 1956,when it made the switch to TV.Viewers tuned in each holiday towatch Lombardo and his RoyalCanadians, which grew into a16-piece orchestra, play popularand classic tunes.

Lombardo led his last showin 1976. But his legacy lives onas his rendition of “Auld LangSyne” is the first song playedafter the ball drops inTimes Square.

Unwrapping theTamale Tradition

In many Latino homes, atreasured seasonal tradition ismaking tamales.

The tamale was developedthousands of years ago byMesoamerican people. A corn-based dough called masa isspread on a cornhusk or bananaleaf and topped with meat and avariety of other ingredients. Thehusk or leaf is then rolled up tocontain the fillings. Later, thebundles are steamed andunwrapped before eating.

Because making tamales fromscratch is both time- and labor-intensive, the ritual of hosting atamalada, a tamale-makingparty, was born. Family

members gather and spend theday preparing and assemblingdozens, even hundreds, oftamales for upcomingholiday dinners.

While tamaladas produce atasty outcome, many value thesocial aspects even more.Talking, laughing, reminiscingand passing on this culinarytradition to new generations hasbecome a cherished custom.

Wit & Wisdom“He who marvels at the

beauty of the world in summerwill find equal cause forwonder and admiration

in winter.”—John Burroughs

“Always be on the lookout forthe presence of wonder.”

—E.B. White

“Life has loveliness to sell, allbeautiful and splendid things,blue waves whitened on a cliff,

soaring fire that sways and sings,and children’s faces looking up,

holding wonder like a cup.”—Sara Teasdale

“It is a wholesome andnecessary thing for us to turnagain to the Earth and in the

contemplation of her beautiesto know the sense of

wonder and humility.”—Rachel Carson

“There are no great limits togrowth because there are nolimits of human intelligence,imagination, and wonder.”

—Ronald Reagan

“The larger the island ofknowledge, the longer the

shoreline of wonder.”—Huston Smith

“The dignity of the artist lies inhis duty of keeping awake

the sense of wonder inthe world.”

—G.K. Chesterton

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DeskFrom the

of...

Ted Holt, Administrator

So Many Staffto Celebrate

We had a very successfulHalloween Party with DJ JC andplenty of Trick-or-Treaters. OurDietary staff prepared deliciousfood and desserts. MicheleLynch and Robin Gruwell, ourActivity Directors, coordinatedthe event.

Our Employee of the Monthis Aaron Mendoza. Hissupervisor Robin Tristao saidAaron is an outstanding serverin the food service department.His kind, caring manner is feltby all our residents at Sun CityGardens. He is a great teamplayer and a wonderful person.

We have so many staff tothank for constantly raising thebar for customer service for ourresidents and families.

Ted J. HoltAdministrator

2019 Halloween Festivities!

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Remember Me?Looking back at Dorothy

Lamour’s road to stardom willtake many fans on a trip downmemory lane.

• She was born Dec. 10,1914, in New Orleans.

• A brunette beauty, Lamourwas crowned Miss NewOrleans in 1931.

• She began her career as abig band singer,performing on radio showswith greats such as HerbieKay and Rudy Vallee.

• Her first major acting rolewas in the 1936 hit“The Jungle Princess.” Itwas one of several island-themed films in which sheplayed the exotic heroineand wore a sarong, whichbecame her trademark.

• Among her 60 films,Lamour is bestremembered for co-starringwith Bob Hope and BingCrosby in the popular“Road to” series ofcomedies, beginning in1940 with “Road toSingapore.”

• During World War II, shetoured the country and sold$300 million in U.S. warbonds, earning her thenickname the “bondbombshell.”

• Lamour sang in many ofher movies, and severalsongs became classics,including “The Moon ofManakoora,” “I RememberYou” and “Personality.”

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Merry and BrightLight up your home with this

festive faux candle.

Materials:• Scissors• Empty paper towel tube• White, yellow, orange and

red construction paper• Glue stick• Black marker• Faux greenery

Directions:Cut the paper towel tube in

half. Each half makes onecandle.

Trim a piece of white paper tocompletely cover the outside ofthe tube. Glue the paper tothe tube.

Next, cut a circle, about5 inches in diameter, from theremaining white paper. Cut aslightly smaller yellow circle,then a smaller orange circle,then a smaller red circle. Createthe glow of candlelight by gluingthe yellow circle to the whitecircle, then the orange circle,and lastly, the red circle. For thecandle’s flame, cut out a smallyellow teardrop shape, and glueit to the red circle. With themarker, draw the candle’s wickin the center of the flame.

Stand the white tube on end.At the top, cut a half-inch slit onboth sides of the tube. Slide theglued stack of circles into theslits. Wrap some faux greeneryaround the bottom of the papercandle and display it on a tableor shelf.

Congratulations toNibbles, The Pet of

the Month!Nibbles is Sun City Gardens’

Pet of the Month! Nibbles’mommy, Louise Fahey, told usthat Nibbles is about 6 1/2 yearsold. She is a Jack Russell Terrierand Rat Terrier mix, and is lovedby the residents and staff at SunCity Gardens as much as Louiseloves her. She is always eager tostop by the receptionists’ desk tosnack on a much anticipatedtreat!

Congratulations, Nibbles-you deserve it!

Peppermint, PleaseIn candy, coffee and

cosmetics, peppermint is thescent of the season.

Peppermint is a perennialherb. The plant growsthroughout North America, Asiaand Europe. The U.S. producesabout 70% of the globalpeppermint crop.

The herb has been used incooking and herbal medicine for

thousands of years. The Romansbelieved peppermint couldboost intelligence and curethe hiccups.

Research shows the scent ofpeppermint helps stimulatebrain waves, improveconcentration and reducefatigue.

Peppermint oil can soothedry skin and is a commoningredient in lotions andlip balms.

Drinking peppermint tea is apopular remedy for relievingheadaches and cold/flusymptoms.

About 1.2 billion candy canesare made every year in the U.S.,with 90% of them sold duringNovember and December.

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DOC TALK By: Dr. KamranQureshi, Medical Director, HopeHospice & Health Care

Combat Sleep ProblemsEveryone experiences an

occasional restless night. But forthose who toss and turnregularly, the inability to sleepcan be a source of intensefrustration and may even haveserious consequences. Difficultyfalling asleep and/or stayingasleep is more prevalent thanpeople may realize. In fact,insomnia for seniors is verycommon, affecting almost 50%of adults age 60+. This form ofsleep deprivation is oftendebilitating and can last fordays, months or even years.Normal sleep patterns aredisrupted, affecting bothsleeping and waking hours.Memory loss, irritability,depression and a variety of othersymptoms can result. Sleeprequirements and patternschange throughout the life cycle.Newborns and infants needabout 16 hours of sleep. Foradolescents, 9 hours of sleep isadequate. Adults and seniorsrequire 7-9 hours of sleep eachnight. (Continued)...

-Combat Sleep ProblemsContinued-

Here are some suggestions topromote healthy sleeping andimprove habits:

Begin:• A regular sleep/wake

schedule• Exercise early in the day or

no later than 4 hoursbefore bed

• A sleep environment that isdark, quiet, safe andcomfortable

• Activities that encouragerelaxation before bed, suchas a warm bath or shower

Avoid:• Caffeine, other stimulants

and alcohol no later than 3hours before bed

• Heavy meals, spicy foods,and excessive amounts ofliquid before bed

• Long naps• Activities that may cause

anxiety, such as work,reading or T.V.

Laugh Lines:Signed, Sealedand Delivered

What starts with a P, endswith an E, and has thousands ofletters in it? Post office!

The U.S. Postal Serviceprocesses about 16 billionletters, cards and packages fromThanksgiving to New Year’s Eve.

While you wait for the day’smail, see if these jokes deliversome laughs.

Did you hear the one aboutthe unstamped letter? Nevermind. You wouldn’t get it.

A teenager bought a stamp atthe post office and asked theclerk, “Should I stick it onmyself?” The clerk replied, “It’llget there faster if you stick it onthe envelope.”

How did the mail carrierknow the package was meantfor the Jell-O enthusiast? Thepackage was signed, congealedand delivered.

Why did the doctor call thepost office? He needed helpdelivering a baby.

A woman had a dream that apackage she was expecting neverarrived. You could say it was alogistical nightmare.

Max received a message aboutthe package of spices he hadordered: The thyme had come.

What’s a mail carrier’s favoriteherb? Parcel-y.

I got a letter that was justaddressed to “You nitwit.” Whatbothers me is that the post officeknew where to deliver it.

In the Toy Box

Every generation has its top-selling toys. Look back at some popular playthings of each decade.

Decade Toys

1940s Slinky, Little Golden Books, Magic 8 Ball

1950s Mr. Potato Head, Barbie, Play-Doh, Legos

1960s G.I. Joe, Etch A Sketch, Easy-Bake Oven

1970s “Stars Wars” action figures, Nerf balls, Atari

1980s Rubik’s Cube, Cabbage Patch Kids, Transformers

1990s Tickle Me Elmo, Beanie Babies, American Girl dolls

2000s Zhu Zhu Pets, Razor Scooter, Beyblades, Wii

2010s “Frozen” dolls, Hatchimals, “Stars Wars” BB-8 droid

1913: Created as a new game to entertain readers, the first crossword puzzle is published in the Sunday edition of the New York World newspaper.

1925: The world’s first motel opens in San Luis Obispo, Calif. It charged $1.50–$3 a day.

1947: A snowstorm hits the Northeast, burying New York City in more than 25 inches of snow in less than 24 hours.

1955: Rosa Parks is arrested after refusing to give up her seat on a public bus in Montgomery, Ala. Her actions helped spark the civil rights movement.

1979: The first Susan B. Anthony dollar coins are minted. This marked the first time a woman appeared on a circulating U.S. coin.

1987: Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers becomes the first NHL goalie to shoot and score a goal.

2006: Legendary blues musician B.B. King is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

2018: Tom Brady, quarterback of the New England Patriots, breaks the record for most touchdown passes in NFL history, with 580.

DECEMBER