happenings centre avenue health & rehab facility
TRANSCRIPT
Elaine’s Column: Stories from Her LifeLUNCH WITH A MONKEYSaturday morning and the sky was falling. Cats and dogs fell from above. Wet. Really wet. Toads weren’t drowning but they were looking for their life jackets. We were trying to be good tourists. � at wasn’t easy in 1980 England. Open at 9, closed for lunch hour, bolted shut at 4. Saturdays limited and nothing on Sunday. Homework led us to a country estate. A small tasteful sign pointed the way. Missed it and had to turn around. No big boastful sign. Just eight letters on a white arrow. Without the glowing article and artistic photos in the tourist magazine we would not have been tempted. Longleat House was built in the sixteenth century by Sir John � ynn. In 1949 it became the � rst stately home in Britain to be opened to the public. It is 9,000 acres and includes an Elizabethan country house, landscaped parklands, a safari park with over 500 animals and � ve hedge mazes.
� e road unwound like a spool of grey ribbon. Mist held distant views hostage. Lots of drippy foliage greeted us. One sharp turn and there it was in the distance. A tiny white dollhouse. � en we saw the pickup in the garden. � e house wasn’t tiny! � e road followed the edge of a valley. Views erupted with each turn. � e house � nally became real as we pulled up to the bottom step. “� e park is closed.” A digni� ed shout out the door informed us. We want to see the house. � rough the rain drops we heard, “wait there and I’ll come get you.” A giant umbrella ran out the door to collect me then Gary into the house. Margaret’s regal attitude dripped on the � oor as we signed the guest book from Indy USA.
A scru� y looking man stood in the corner. A bright cap perched on frizzy hair that was trying to escape. A knitted multicolored sweater in a haphazard design used up dozens of yarn scraps, ill-� tting mustard corduroy pants and American Indian style moccasins completed the out� t. He looked clean but mismatched. Designers were not lining up to photograph his look for Gentleman’s Quarterly.
Centre Avenue Health & Rehab Facility | April 2021 1
815 Centre AvenueFort Collins, CO970-494-2140
ADMINISTRATORBlake Sims
DIRECTOR OF NURSING
Jessica Knight
OFFICE MANAGER Nikki Brosh
ACTIVITY DIRECTORShelby Bulfer
SOCIAL SERVICES DIRECTOR
Michelle Burleson
ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR
Meloney West
BUSINESS OFFICE COORDINATOR
Lacey Gordiyenko
REGISTERED DIETICIAN Tina Jones
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Robin Kelly
RESIDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENTElaine Turner
OMBUDSMANShilo Christiansen
(970) [email protected]
HappeningsHappeningsHappeningsHappeningsHappeningsHappeningsCentre Avenue Health & Rehab FacilityHappeningsHappeningsCentre Avenue Health & Rehab FacilityHappeningsCentre Avenue Health & Rehab Facility
APRIL 2021
4 Centre Avenue Health & Rehab Facility | April 2021
Upcoming Events & Reminders
Thursday April 1st:April Fool’s Day & Opening Day Creative Arts: Baseball Caps
Friday April 2nd: Good Friday
Sunday April 4th: Easter Sunday Candy Making 9:15 AM Sunday Service with Peter 10:30 AM
Thursday April 8th: Scenic Drive Day
Monday April 12th:Resident Council 10:30 AM
Wednesday April 21st: Dine In: Chic-Fil-A
Thursday April 22nd: Earth Day: Gardening 2:00 PM
Education Series of the month:History
Outdoor wheelchair walks
“Call me Alec,” he said as he tells Margaret he is taking us on the house tour. To the library where the red velvet rope was removed. � e oldest book was displayed on a music stand type holder. It was an early Bible that was hand printed by monks. Turn 3 or 4 pages and look at the writing and full colored drawings. What? Touch an old
book with bare hands? What about dirt and oil on our hands? Turn, he says. We did.
“Where’s the secret door Gary?” With a wiggle of the � nger Margaret removed the red velvet ribbons and Alec and I sat on the forbidden furniture while Gary looked. “It’s between these cases . . . I can see light shining through the crack.” A twist on the head of a little cream colored statue and the bookcase swung inward. Alec led us into the narrow servant staircase. A short climb later we were in the dining room � lled with a huge table and 18 ornate chairs. Eating here would have been confusing. Each place setting contained 7 glasses and cups, 10 plates and 17 pieces of gold utensils including 3 tongs to hold your sugar cube, tea bag, and snails. A special fork is used to eat snails. Plates and cups were cream and brown with each plate displaying a di� erent view of Longleat Estate. A dishwashing nightmare.
Most great houses have rooms set aside in case the Queen decided to drop by. Longleat had a bedroom and a sitting room for royal use only. Silk wallpaper from China � lled the walls with cream, pink and lime green cherry blossom trees. Everything in the room matched the paper. A beautiful brush, comb and hair receiver sat on the dressing table. A lovely tree with gold accents gleamed from the back of the brush. � e room was very feminine. Fit for a queen!
Back in the dining room: Gary found the secret door. Behind a table because the legs don’t touch the � oor. Alec laughed. Gary was the � rst one ever to � nd the short legs. With a quarter turn of a paper weight on the table the wall opened. Alec stepped through the door and we followed him to another set of stairs. On the top � oor servant quarters we entered a Plain Jane world. No fancy � oors or light � xtures. Lighting was bare bulbs hung on a wire. No life size paintings of military men on horses. Just bare wood.
Down a few halls and a door opened to a toy store! Filled with cars, trains, trucks and games of every description. Alec challenged Gary to a game of Skittles. Most are on a 12 inch square playing board with 10 pins with a string on a stick. Cheap construction is a must. Not this one. It was over 6 foot tall with telescoping mahogany legs, a playing � eld 24 inches square and a metal striker ball on a moveable wire. A trough with a crank-driven conveyor belt reset the pins. I looked around or sat on a giant rocking horse in front of a bay window. � e horse was half the size of the owner’s childhood pony and had real horse hair mane and tail. Margaret sat outside.
Almost noon and Alec says he needs to go to a meeting. “Call the kitchen and see if they can feed my friends, on me of course.” Down through the belly of the house we arrived in the old kitchen with a huge � replace with a rotisserie big enough to hold an ox. Above the � re box huge copper platters rested on the wall, ox size of course. Coming out into the dining room we surprised the sta� . We had the meal that was prepared for the sta� : lamb stew served in a bread bowl. An 8 inch hollowed out whole wheat loaf had a little curly knot to provide a polite way to open the bowl. Of course we were polite. � is was England!
As we ate we discussed Alec. Wasn’t it nice to have the head tour guide or housekeeper show us around? He seemed to know everything. � e sounds of a helicopter? It must be someone important coming in.
A� er our meal we heard screaming o� in the distance. A lady in a tan safari out� t came in. “We’re trying to get a baby monkey used to people. If we succeed he will go into the Baby Animal Petting Pen. Could you please help us?” Two cups of Cheeto shaped monkey food appeared. � e lady vanished.
A few minutes later the screaming got louder. A baby Spider Monkey in diapers was stuck like glue to his trainer. It had a pink face and a very long tail wrapped around his trainer’s arm. We talked quietly to the poor little frightened animal. “I promise I have never bitten a monkey” did not do a thing to calm his fears. We o� ered food. � at poor little animal could grab, eat and scream at the same time. � e trainer was pleased. � e monkey took food and ate it. He was making progress.
A golf cart appeared and took us back to our rental car at the base of the front steps. Margaret brought out the keys. � e sky had cleared and cars started to � ll the parking lot.
Years later a British magazine ran an article on Longleaf. Reading and enjoying the beautiful photos, I turned the page. � ere is was. I threw the magazine at Gary. “Oh my gosh,” he says. “� at’s our buddy Alec!” Alexander � ynn, Seventh Marquis of Bath. He died 5 April 2020. � at helicopter we heard took him to the House of Lords meeting in London. A house tour given by the Lord of the manor and lunch with a monkey. � is one is going to be hard to beat!
Easter Sunday Menu Honey Glazed Ham, with
Pineapple Brow Sugar Glaze Or
Roasted Leg of Lamb, with Rosemary, Red Wine
Demi Glaze
Potato au gratinRoasted Asparagus & Carrots
Carrot Cake
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday1 April Fool’s Day &
Opening Day9:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Creative Arts:
Baseball Caps2:00 PM 1st Floor Creative Arts2:00 PM Manicures
2 Good Friday9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Music Group with Kimberly 1:30 PM Matinee Movie 2:00 PM 2nd Floor - Easter Baskets 6:00 PM 1st Floor Brain Games
3 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 2:00 PM Saturday Sweets3:00 PM 2nd Floor Brain Games
4 Easter Sunday9:00 AM Morning News 9:15 AM Candy Making 10:30 AM Easter Sunday Service
with Peter
5 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 10:15 AM Aromatherapy/Relaxation1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks2:00 PM 2nd Floor Book Cart3:00 PM Happy Hour
6 9:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 1:30 PM 1st Floor 1:1s 2:00 PM Bible Readings 3:00 PM Ice Cream Social with
Music by Gabby
7 World Health Day 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Real Talk with Catherine 1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks1:30 PM 1st Floor Creative Arts 2:00 PM Educational Series: History:
World Health Day
8 Scenic Drive Day9:00 AM Men’s Coffee9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 9:30 - 11:30 AM Scenic Drive10:30 AM Creative Arts12:30 - 2:00 PM Scenic Drive 2:30 - 4:00 PM Scenic Drive
9 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Music Group with Kimberly 1:30 PM Matinee Movie 2:00 PM 2nd Floor
Inspirational Readings 6:00 PM 1st Floor Brain Games
10 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 2:00 PM Saturday Sweets 3:00 PM 2nd Floor Brain Games
119:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 10:00 AM 1st Floor Sunday Service10:30 AM 2nd Floor Sunday Service 1:30 PM The Crown Series 2:00 PM 1st Book Cart
12 Resident Council9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 10:30 AM Resident Council 1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks2:00 PM 2nd Floor Book Cart3:00 PM Happy Hour
13 � omas Je� erson’s Birthday
9:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 1:30 PM 1st Floor 1:1s 2:00 PM Bible Readings 3:00 PM Ice Cream Social with
Music by Gabby
149:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Real Talk with Catherine 1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks2:00 PM Bowling 3:00 PM Educational Series: History
159:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Creative Arts 2:00 PM 1st Floor Creative Arts 2:00 PM Manicures
169:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Music Group with Kimberly 1:30 PM Matinee Movie 2:00 PM 2nd Floor
Inspirational Readings6:00 PM 1st Floor Brain Games
17 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 2:00 PM Saturday Sweets3:00 PM 2nd Floor Brain Games
18 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 10:00 AM 1st Floor Sunday Service10:30 AM 2nd Floor Sunday Service 1:30 PM The Crown Series 2:00 PM 1st Book Cart
199:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 10:15 AM Aromatherapy/Relaxation1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks2:00 PM 2nd Floor Book Cart3:00 PM Happy Hour
209:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 1:30 PM 1st Floor 1:1s 2:00 PM Bible Readings 3:00 PM Ice Cream Social with
Music by Gabby
21 Dine In: Chic-Fil-A9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Real Talk with Catherine 1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks2:00 PM Educational Series: History4:00 PM Dine In: Chic-Fil-A
22 Earth Day9:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Creative Arts 2:00 PM 1st Floor Creative Arts 2:00 PM Earth Day: Gardening
239:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Music Group with Kimberly 1:30 PM Matinee Movie 2:00 PM 2nd Floor
Inspirational Readings6:00 PM 1st Floor Brain Games
249:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 2:00 PM Saturday Sweets3:00 PM 2nd Floor Brain Games
25 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 10:00 AM 1st Floor Sunday Service10:30 AM 2nd Floor Sunday Service 1:30 PM The Crown Series 2:00 PM 1st Book Cart
269:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise 10:15 AM Aromatherapy/Relaxation1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks2:00 PM 2nd Floor Book Cart3:00 PM Happy Hour
279:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Bingo 1:30 PM 1st Floor 1:1s 2:00 PM Bible Readings 3:00 PM Ice Cream Social with
Music by Gabby
289:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Real Talk with Catherine 1:00 PM Outdoor Wheelchair Walks2:00 PM Educational Series: History
29 9:00 AM Men’s Coffee 9:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Creative Arts 2:00 PM 1st Floor Creative Arts 2:00 PM Manicures
309:00 AM Morning News 9:30 AM Morning Exercise10:30 AM Music Group with Kimberly 1:30 PM Matinee Movie 2:00 PM 2nd Floor
Inspirational Readings6:00 PM 1st Floor Brain Games
Centre Avenue Health & Rehab Facility
Contact the Activities Department at Ext. 531