A recipe for a merry Christmas and New Year.

Well Christmas 2013 has come and gone, once again. When you are 94, 90 and 72  years old we aren't complaining, we are grateful for the years we have had.

 We did our best to complete a full Christmas with all the ingredients. By that we mean a fine tree, coated with ornaments, bows and shiny things. We had garlands, reindeer and a pretty Christmas globe.

 We had visitors in a steady flow, bearing gifts of chocolate, slippers, lingerie and  much more. We had a turkey dinner with all the fixings and Christmas puddings of course. Family members came out to share a meal and make it all the merrier.The local chapter of the WI came out and put on a tea for past members living here at the Villa.www.peiwi.ca We asked them to make it an annual event. They will supply the cake and we supply the tea and tea cups. We love an excuse to use our china tea cups.

There was plenty of entertainment over the season. We started with the annual concert from the Winsloe Choir. It was a treat. Englewood School Choir  came and filled up the room with 35 children and sang their hearts out for us. www.edu.pe.ca/englewood/ And many other groups with guitar and fiddle came to cheer on the season.

We had a church service with an Anglican priest father Rev Canon Rich Weber. He is a member of the  Franciscans,www.franciscanfriarstor.com  now living in Borden, PEI. He celebrated communion and told the Christmas message of love, peace  and understanding. He is planning to come to us at the South Shore Villa once a month.

Of course we had a Christmas eve party with delicious hot apple cider, sweets and gifts from Santa. So all in all it was a wonderful Christmas and we look forward to the New Year party tomorrow.
We'll have to make some worthwhile  New Year's resolutions.

We'll get back to you soon. Happy times to all.

We are having our first computer session in a long time. We had a good discussion regarding the usefulness versus the dangers of computer use. Gerry thinks that there are major privacy concerns especially our personal financial information. Gerry said that children today aren't learning how to spell or do simple arithmetic or their times table. The kids are using calculators for simple math and many don't seem to open a book. Julia can recall thirty years ago when it wasn't clear how useful computers would become. Annie, Mary and Barbara felt they received excellent educations in their one room schools.They had oral spelling tests in class.We have to stop because the children are here from the school.

We are having a group birthday party every month. Elma Birt and Linda Kurylyk are celebrating this month. We will make a cake and have a ukulele troupe from Charlottetown come in to play for us. Last time round we had a miniature horse come and visit but it will be hard to top that experience.

Annie Leard has been knitting up a storm since she came here. She has lost count of how many pairs of socks and mittens she knit this past year. But she doesn't knit on Sundays. She has agreed to teach Julia how to turn the heel on a pair of socks. Knitting keep Annie busy. Marion says she  has to take the needles from Annie at bedtime. Orla says it's cheaper to buy them but hand knit last indefinitely if you don't put them in the dryer.

Annie's husband's family had mills all over the Island in the old days. Her home is in Westmoreland, a mile from Crapaud on the Leard Mill Road. When she lived there the saw  mill was still going. The original Leard  homestead  of Eldon's great grandparents was across the pond from their home. Seven brothers and two sisters lived there. The seven sons grew up to have  grist mills all round the Island,  up west and down east. The miller features in many fairy tales such as  Puss in Boots and  Rumpelstiltskin. The miller was an important person.

We had a sweet visit from a family of cats. The father, mother and three kittens. The kittens were just the sweetest little mewing darlings.

And now it's time to work on our newsletter. Winter is fast approaching and we are developing some activity ideas. If you are reading this please leave us a comment.

Julia Purcell
Activities

September already

 Hi all,

It's back to school time. We can remember when that was big deal says Orla. I was happy to go to school when I was young.  And then later as a Mother I was even more pleased that the children were out of the house.

We'd like Fall even more if winter didn't follow so closely afterwards, says Barbara. We haven't had much frost but a few of the trees are turning red. Imelda says it was 28 C in Toronto last week.
We decided that a computer could have it's uses. But we aren't sure about Facebook because of the loss of privacy concerns. I hope to change that. It is a great way to keep in touch.

We enjoyed the miniature horse Princess who came to see us last week. She was friendly and even showed off her jumping skills for us. Orla wanted to take the horse to bed with her. Annie Leard loves horses to this day. She would hitch up a horse and take it out for a ride when she was young but she says this was long time ago. Mary says she hitched up a lot of horses in her day too. That was the only way to get around whether is was to church or the store.  Gerard  developed a love for horses as  though he saw lots of them in the coal mines of Cape Breton. Marion's father kept a horse for running errands. She learned to control the horse and drive it back home after she dropped off her Dad at his work. Beryl had work horses on the farm. She would help Dad out and make deliveries to the next farm for example.School was from 9 to 3:30 pm and near by so there was lots of time to help around the farm in those days. If you are reading this post please leave us a comment.

Hold on tight to summer

We try to keep busy and add new activities. To that end we are starting a computer club. Members of the club will collect ideas and suggestions for the blog posts. Julia will keep on snapping photos and residents have no shortage of funny comments to make on life in general and life in a nursing home.
They are very aware of the changing season with lower temperatures at night. OH suggest it's time for undershirts and whiskey to keep her warm. Only a few residents in the 70 to 80 year range are keen on the computer. Today we have Bonnie Stordy, Barbara McQuarrie, Beryl Best and Orla Hatch.

Villa Computer Club

 

 

 

Next we will search for family and friends on Facebook and send out messages into the ether hoping for responses.

Also this week on Wednesday August 28 th we are hoping to have a miniature horse show. It's creating lots of buzz and horses big or small are of great interest to all residents. They lived with horses all their lives, used them as transportation and companionship. What is better in deep snow than a horse and wood  sleigh to pick you up at the local one room school and get you home safely?
And the horse would know that way home besides says BMQ.

More later.
Regards Julia Purcell
 Activities Director
South Shore Villa

Summer is here in the Island and we love it

Well summer is finally really here. It's hot and warm with ocaisional breezes. It's wonderful. Everyone up here is taking care to stay hydrated and dress for the hot weather.

Of course summer brings lots of family and friends home to the Island for a visits. Faustina Bradley had her great grandson Andrew visting from High River, Alberta along with his mother Jennifer Bradley and grandmother Margaret Bradley. Faustina's  grandson is at home in High River digging the family home out from the great flood of 2013.

Elma Birt enjoyed a visit with her son Al and daughter in law Teri Birt from Ontario. Here they are returning from purchasing a new walker for her.

Burt and Shirley Thompson have more than their share of visitors too. Here is Shirley with her brother and sister in law from Langley BC.

More later.
JMP

Winter is on the wane

Well things are just about complete with the grand addition. We've had workmen around everyday for weeks and weeks now, since June 30th, 2012.. The residents enjoyed watching the new wing take  shape over the last seven months. And the occupants of the beautiful new rooms  are happy too.

  The activity/dining areas have had a wall and closet removed plus new flooring, lighting and entrance doors  installed. Contemporary  window dressings and wall paper are coming too. Combined with  our million dollar view of the hills of Crapaud, the dining area is very attractive. The larger space will lend itself well to a sit- down tea at Mother's Day for example and our annual  Christmas Family Party.

On Wednesday February 27th, we will have a busy day. The Ukulele Orchestra will meet and rehearse in the morning and then Young at Heart Musical Theatre for Seniors performs in the afternoon, in our newly renovated activity room. And that is going to be wonderful as usual.

We've had a real Island winter this year with lots and lots of snow and cold wind. And the is just how winter is supposed to be. It's cozy indoors at  the Villa and with all the excitement of the build the winter had passed quickly. We look forward to another spring full of surprises.

Regards
 Julia   Activities Department