Once Again! For July, I gave myself a simple, do-over theme. Carnivals and Fairs! It's always easy getting my senior groups to recall some kind of memory, involving a Ferris wheel or carousel. The Big Fairs We also talked about the bigger fairs, that involved other countries. All my groups loved hearing the famous song from the movie, about the 1904 World's Fair. "Meet me in St. Louie, Louie... Meet me at the fair!" I was surprised how many knew the words. Wheel Trivia A photo of the 1904 Great Observation Wheel, was a big hit. It was hard for any of us to imagine a ride that could carry 2,060 people in 36 different wooden cars. The giant wheel was actually designed by George Washington Ferris for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. After being used at the St. Louis fair, there were no buyers for the Big Wheel. It took 100 pounds of dynamite to destroy the wheel... which sadly became scrap metal. More Trivia Fair Memories We had a new visitor to the morning group. She was enthused about our theme and then shared some of her own stories. When we talked about the New York World's Fair, Evelyn said she never attended. However, she was IN the Japanese World's Fair Expo! What a surprise! She said she had been in an exhibit on the Philippines, since that's where she was from. She said it was pretty fun getting to answer people's questions about her country. Evelyn had one more memory to share. "I lost my daughter at the Vancouver Expo!" Her smile told us there was a happy ending. "She was really only gone for about 5 minutes." Evelyn laughed, recalling how quickly the Canadian police jumped in to help. When they found her 5 year old daughter, she was crying... "But not as much as me!"
What I Learned: I love surprise guests, especially when they have a surprising story or two! I learned that it's okay to repeat a theme now and then, because there's always a new story out there!
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Why Weddings? I've never done a wedding theme, but it's something most folks can relate to. It was also a good theme for June... plus, I was selfishly inspired, by the marriages of my kids in recent months. I thought I could have fun making use of all the props and photos I've accumulated. Royal Wedding The recent Royal Wedding gave me a way to pull in a little current news, with all the memory sharing, that I expected. With a wedding theme, I knew I would need to be a little cautious. Most of my seniors are women and all my regulars have been married. I knew we could have some fun sharing some wedding memories, but I figured Harry and Meghan could help me out. Keep from letting things too sentimental. Even good memories can conjure up sad emotions, when you're missing a spouse. It would be fun to put a little focus on a storybook wedding! Quilt-Free Quilt Group On Tuesday morning, I left the usual quilt at home and spread a white cloth on the table. (If only I owned a wedding ring pattern quilt, I would have used it) Then I let the white tablecloth set the mood. When I scattered a few books, hands began to reach and pages began to turn. First it was quiet, while images were being absorbed. Then the sharing started. Two chuckled over an amusing, retro wedding veil. Another two women pointed and sighed over an elegant lace gown. I saw one woman shake her head and smile over an extravagant wedding celebration. "I got married by a judge!" She announced with a chuckle. Weddings of The Past All the folks I gathered with, were old enough to remember the weddings of Princess Grace and Jackie Kennedy. No one in my morning or afternoon groups claimed to have had such a ritzy dress or decadent wedding, but we all loved comparing the styles. Invitations I tossed some invites and cards around the table. There wasn't one person who knew what a "Save the Date" card meant. Most were surprised at how casual invitations have become. All were pretty surprised to find out it took one dollar to mail the heaviest of the invitations. Cakes I hid the very tacky bride and groom "cake topper" inside the mystery bag. We passed the bag, taking turns feeling the plastic couple, through the fabric. No one guessed what it was, but all laughed when the dated decoration was revealed. In my memory care group, I asked, "What goes on the top of a wedding cake?" Ramona's face lit up! "Butter cream frosting!" Ramona knew more about cakes than most of us. She had been a cake decorator, in her younger years. We talked about how wedding cakes have changed over time. Most hadn't heard of a "groom's cake". We all wondered if that tradition would stand the test of time. Young and Old When I was a kid, most little girls dreamed about being a bride. Not always so, today. It was fun having some youthful guests with different perspectives, in my morning gathering. Neither of the young girls had any desire to try on my old yellowed veil. Who could blame them. It looked about as crazy as the one I wore on Halloween, nearly 55 years ago. Ready for the Aisle I was glad to have a reason to pull out the old bridal veil. It hasn't been of much use since 1979. A few were game to grab the veil and flowers and ham it up for the camera. Margie started singing, Here comes the bride! I quickly shared a recording of Wagner's, Bridal Chorus. The familiar music inspired some to sing along. Then a few demonstrated the step-together-march... using fingers, across the table! It got pretty silly. No Veil for Mr. R Mr. R was our only man in the group and he was quite a good sport. He graciously went along with our theme and was even willing to pose for a photo... but not as a groom! He laughed and made it clear he was not interested in playing the groom role again. "I did that already!" He shook his head remembering the hard work... which had more to do with raising 10 kids, than being a husband. War Bride I hoped Mr. R could help us out, with the definition of War Bride. I've always been a little confused and I thought our WWII vet could help us out. But our conversation took another route when someone thought a War Bride was something like today's term of Bridezilla. Luckily the only horrible bride stories that were shared, came from TV and movies. Weddings Around the World It was a coloring book that opened up a discussion about wedding traditions around the world. There were curious illustrations of brooms being used in a German wedding and a lucky black cat in an Austrian wedding. I pointed out the image of the Thai couple, connected by flower garlands. I had to admit, I still didn't understand what was behind all that happened during my son's Buddhist wedding ceremony in Thailand. Thailand But I was able to share lots of photos and tell about the things I did know.. The warmth of my daughter-n-law's family and friends... the dreamlike sounds of monks chanting and bells ringing... the delicious smells and flavors of the celebration food... the colors and scents of tropical, flower displays and so many, many smiling faces! Hindu Wedding I shared a few more photos about an Indian Hindu wedding that I attended in April. We talked about the beautiful clothing and energetic dancing. I'm pretty sure there were only protestants and Catholics in my two groups today, so I expected some to steer us towards a discussion of church weddings. But there were too many questions about the bright fabrics and decorations and foods and music. The focus seemed far away from the Norman Rockwell style, little-white-church-wedding-image, that many could related to. Flowers A bouquet of fake flowers, inspired a little brainstorming about how flowers are used in weddings around the world... bouquets, boutonnieres, table and cake decorations... We wondered if there's ever been a wedding without any flowers at all? Our youngest in the morning group (with her aunt) told us about being a flower girl and scattering petals. I laughed about how I'd always dreamed of being a flower girl... but never had the chance. We talked about the ups and downs of playing a role in the bridal party. Planning a Wedding Today There are almost too many options when planning weddings, today. Most didn't remember having much choice about where to have the ceremony or even the reception. No one knew much about writing vows or even choosing music for the bride and groom's first dance. "I think it was easier, when there were fewer choices..." When we talked about choosing a song for the bride and groom's first dance, there was a pause. No one seemed to remember specific music from their own weddings. Then Ramona, our cake decorator smiled with her suggestion. "I Love You Truly!" I had to smile, picturing either of my kids dancing to that sweet tune from the twenties. Changes Over Time We compared a few photos from different time periods. We agreed that there seem to be more smiling photos from today's weddings. Some thought it was the formality that made people more serious at weddings in the past. Many of us thought that weddings have become more playful and party-like, because the bride and groom are doing more of the planning in today's wedding. A few of us admitted that our mothers, had done most of the planning. Questions In my afternoon group we took turns pondering a few questions, that got us off on some interesting tangents. We discussed, people who marry multiple times... weddings that are halted due to an objection... why couples elope and what would be the best place to get married if you could choose anywhere. (my daughter's answer at age 5 was Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Place!) We didn't discuss same sex weddings, shotgun weddings, mail order brides or annulments. But we could have. These groups surprise me sometimes. What Did I Learn? We had fun with our wedding theme, but I think I was too cautious with my approach. I jumped around from Royal to Hindu weddings, from cake to veils from wedding songs to wedding movies. I was so afraid of getting personal that I didn't allow time for memories to surface and stories to be shared. I was concerned about those who have lost beloved spouses and some who might have dealt with ugly divorces. We jumped around so lightly, that I ended up missing out on the best stories... about sweet proposals or funny wedding fiascos. If only my mom had been at the table with us, I might have been braver. 10 years ago, she was a part of my first Senior Quilt Group. She would have been perfectly fine, sharing wedding stories and ignoring her divorce memories. Most of us have the ability to remember the good things, especially as we age. I should have taken the risk and asked more questions and listened more.
Next time! What Theme for May? On May first I headed to my morning Quilt Connection gathering for seniors. I carried with me, everything from a toy tractor to a potato. I could have done a May Day theme or an early Cinco de Mayo, but lately, the weather has made me crave gardens and farms. Books I arrived and tossed books on the table for the early arrivals. As I unloaded all the other goodies, I smiled and mostly listened. Without prompting, folks started in, talking about the theme. Farm Connections Almost everyone in the group had some association with farms. They looked at the photos of tractors and the intriguing farm related artwork of Grant Wood and started sharing stories. A few recognized Wood's famous, "American Gothic" portrait. We could have talked for an hour, about the odd story behind the curious portrait. But this group had too many stories of their own to share, about tractors and crops... Crops and Veggies I scattered a few fresh veggies and even a little cotton and wheat on the table. Hands began to reach and then voices began sharing memories. Right away, there were stories about picking cotton and other crops. I've heard some of these stories before, but I never tire. Some in my group grew up on farms and others worked on them. All have an appreciation for the hard work. "Cotton is the hardest to pick..." "Picking apples was easier than most crops. The truck followed along and we'd just put the apples in the truck bed..." "I loved picking green beans. Sometimes I'd pop a few open and eat them raw!" "Mama had so many recipes for corn..." Toys The vintage toy tractor was a hit. The tiny milk bottles inspired stories of cow-miking. I held up the tiny wheel barrow and shared my own memory, of my brother giving me wild wheelbarrow rides. Robert talked about using a wheelbarrow to clean out the horse stall. We all laughed about that smelly chore. In my afternoon group, we spread the quilt on an outside table, beside the garden. I didn't need to pick up the toy wheelbarrow to prompt memories, because there was a real gardener working nearby. We asked him to roll his wheelbarrow over to us. We examined the real thing and listed all the things wheelbarrows can carry. We also asked him to give us rides! He just laughed. From Corn to Cotton Picking Machines The props and photos prompted stories and advice from both groups. "Oh, you know the corn is fresh, when the husk still feels moist! " "I rode on the cotton picker with my daddy..." "Always stagger your planting rows, a week apart, until the first frost..." The sight of cotton brought about a musical reaction in one of my seniors in the afternoon group. She smiled and began to sing, "Jump down, turn around, pick a bail of cotton..." I laughed and sang along. I was excited to tell them I had a recording of that song. Debbie, who assists me with the memory care group smiled and said "She's been singing that song all week!" I was excited to hook up the speaker and play the old recording, featuring legendary blues singer, Leadbelly. The singer was once housed in a Sugar Land prison, located directly between where my morning and afternoon groups meet. I had the group listen hard to hear the lyrics about picking cotton. What a surprise to hear Leadbelly's lyrics, mentioning Sugar Land, Texas! A Healthy Theme I left both groups in good spirits. Talking about farms and gardens just feels healthy. I felt like I got a few of the benefits, without all the hard work! What Did I Learn? The dynamics in both groups are very unique. They come from different worlds with different experiences and abilities. My morning group is closer to my age. My afternoon group is older and most deal with Alzheimers. But, whatever the background, all seemed to share a special joy in handling the veggies. Some breathed in the earthy smell of the dusty potato, some seemed to delight in the cool corn silk. Other hands just fiddled with the beans, as if tempted to take a bite. For all there were memories, connected to the vegetables. For some it brought back hard, but satisfying farm and garden work. For others, cooking and recipes came to mind. For all, the flavors of fresh veggies was a fun topic. I'm not sure this topic would have the same impact in 20 years. I wonder. Theme on an Upside Down Quilt At home, I gathered books and supplies for a ridiculously broad theme... Art & Artists. Then I grabbed the quilt, with a plan to turn the colorful, patchwork side, down on the table. My morning group loves quilts. I wondered if they would protest. Stitches When I unloaded the props, my morning group had no problems guessing the theme. Then I asked, "Why do you think I put the quilt bottom-side up, today?" Most figured it was just to show off the hand stitching. Blank Canvas That was a pretty good answer, but actually the colorful art clashed with the fabric designs. Then I explained that later, the white, quilted side would become our blank canvas! Props The table props always get the group talking. Most in my morning group do artwork weekly with the Senior Engagement program. They were eager to talk about their own painting. Artists at the Table In my morning group, we talked just a little about famous artists. Mostly we talked about each of us being artists. These 3 have shared their watercolors, oil painting and quilting with me in the past. Do we need a canvas? I asked what you can paint on, besides paper or canvas. Some mentioned ceramics and walls... furniture and even window glass. We talked about graffiti and I asked if they thought that was art. Most thought not, but I told them about how graffiti has changed over the years. And the art of tattoos has changed, too. I wasn't very convincing with that idea. Kids and Art We talked about kids creating art and how less inhibited they can be, compared to adults. We discussed how children view art differently, as well. I told them about my friend who is a museum docent and her stories of how children react to art. Norman Rockwell I'm not really sure how many in my morning group have been to an art museum. (I should have asked) But they are all very familiar with the work of Norman Rockwell. I have to thank Norman for joining almost every quilt gathering I've had with my Senior Groups. For almost every theme, there is a nostalgic Rockwell painting that fits right in. His art stirs up memories for so many of us! For our theme today, it was fun to find a few of his paintings, that focussed on artists! Jackson Pollack I had one more Rockwell image, of a gentleman viewing a Pollack painting in a museum. We wondered what the man was thinking. I also showed the photo of Pollack, splattering his paint. Again, I was not good at convincing my group that this was art. Painting Without Paint My morning group is always game for some crazy fun, especially when it involves music. I had no problem getting them to understand the idea of "imagining paint". I played various pieces of music while they dabbed and swirled and "danced" their paintbrushes all over the white quilt ( blank canvas) to the rhythms and moods of the music. When the music ended we tried to imagine what our quilt canvas would look like, if we'd had paint on those brushes! A Jackson Pollack painting, maybe? Afternoon Surprises! In the afternoon with my Alzheimer's group, I found myself constantly surprised by the thoughts, stories and humor surrounding our table. There were 8 women gathered and each had their own style of enthusiasm. Sadie and Van Gogh Sadie couldn't get enough of one book, that featured Van Gogh's art. She was glued to one of his self portraits. "Just look at him in that hat! There's something so determined about him! Just what is he thinking?" She went on and on, showing the image to others. I thought maybe she hadn't noticed that Van Gogh's ear was bandaged. I wasn't going to say a thing, but finally she added a casual afterthought. "Yes... he cut off that ear, didn't he?" She clearly knew Van Gogh. Looking Through Books We played some games looking through art books, to see who could find certain images first. It was soon evident that these women needed no game to get them involved. They were content browsing and sharing with each other. Sadie teased, with her good humor. "You know, I think I look a lot like Mona Lisa!" Marie went off on a tangent, recalling her mother's painting skills. I talked about the elaborate paper dolls, my mother created for me. The Song! The mention of Mona Lisa made a few think about the famous song. I didn't come with a recording, but luckily the room had recently been equipped with something we were able to use. "Alexa, play Mona Lisa!" said Debbie, the activities assistant who had joined us. The magical little music maker suddenly took our gang back to the '50's. Almost everyone in the group knew the words. The whole group suddenly sang and swayed along, with the voice of Nat King Cole. "Collaborating with the Artist" This image of Norman Rockwell, painting a self portrait, inspired quite a debate. Vivian studied the image. "Look how tired his face is." Carol disagreed, "Oh, see how his eyebrow is lifted. I think he's just seriously studying what he's doing." Eileen thought it was just the smoke of his pipe that made his eyes look weary. I just smiled and listened. What a treat to hear the voices of these women sharing their thoughts about one painting. We had a few other debates over pieces of art. "We all see things differently" I said at one point. Then Eileen, who is soft spoken and thoughtful, smiled. "It's like every person collaborates with the artist. We each have our own ideas and we do our own work to interpret what the artist created." I can't remember her exact words, but they were better than that. I sighed and tried to repeat back, so I wouldn't forget. Oh how I love these folks. Painting our Canvas I worried that my paint-less brushes might not go over with these folks. They are a bright and high functioning bunch, but sometimes I need to be more concrete with my Alzheimer's group. First I asked, "Do you think artists, hum or sing when they paint?" "I doubt it." laughed Eileen. "They probably just smoke a pipe or a cigarette, while they paint." Then we wondered if music played, while an artist worked, would it influence the art. No one seemed sure. I told them I had no paint but I would play music and they would "paint" the "white canvas" with imaginary paint.. to the music. I was prepared for, "Why?" but the group happily jumped in. Suddenly our quiet little room was filled with light and playful Irish music. The sweet painters went to town, with brushes leaping and dancing jigs all over the cloth. I switched music a couple times, but the favorite was Skater's Waltz. Before long, the painters were humming and swaying as their brushes gracefully moved over the cloth... Except for Carol's brush. She kept her brush lifted and her eyes closed, as she conducted with a smile! Way-Back Land As I packed up my stuff, Carol spoke. "When are we going to go to Way Back Land again?" I grinned at her term and she wasn't really sure where she'd come up with that. But Eileen knew what she meant. "I know. I love it when we talk about all kinds of things... and then we start remembering all sorts of stories." What Did I Learn?
I learned that even when the theme is not necessarily a nostalgic one, (like art) my friends, even those with Alzheimer's, end up recalling the past. It's so refreshing to know that folks, with memory loss issues can experience the same joy we all experience, when we're reminded of something good. Added thought...Odd as it sounds, my afternoon group reminded me of a blank canvas. It's a treat to have so many come to the table, unburdened... living in the moment. It's always unpredictable how the group will react and where we will go. I help with props and music and some ideas, but it is their chemistry and the experiences from their pasts, that all come together to paint a wonderful picture! A Cowboy at Our Quilt When my first group saw my western themed props they reminded me that we had a real cowboy in our group! Mr. G had recently been interviewed for a local paper about his experiences working at George Ranch years ago. "It was my first job." He told me. "I worked there for years...until I was disabled." He laughed when he saw the Remington image. "Whooee! I looked just like that!" He laughed. "I had some falls!" I asked him what was the worst accident and he said the one that hurt his leg and still bothers him today. Around the Fire We let some old western tunes get us in the spirit. Some peaceful recordings of "Home on the Range" and "Red River Valley" had a few swaying and singing along. We tried to name as many famous cowboys as we could. A few reminded us about the famous women, too. Annie Oakley and Dale Evans... Comfortable in Hats My afternoon group had a few who grew up on or near ranches. They were the ones who reached for the hats and seemed so content wearing them while we shared around the table. There were memories of all the chores related to horses and the smells and the favorite ponies! We brainstormed all the uses for hats and every detail of a cowboy boot. Native Americans We kept the discussion broad and talked about the Native Americans who lived out west. We listened to some of the music and made a little of our own. Janey told us about the Seminole Indians who lived near her family in Florida. "They invited us to some of their celebrations and it was wonderful!" She described the food that was cooked outside and the dance. "They'd ride into town on horses, just to go to the store." Rodeo A few were excited about a group trip planned for the Houston Rodeo in a few days. I can't imagine anything more fun than taking either of these groups to the rodeo. The logistics might be a bit tricky, but the enthusiasm was pretty delightful. I wouldn't mind enjoying a little popcorn and watching a little horse excitement, with any of these folks!
The Quilt Stayed Home Sadly, I wasn't able to take the quilt to Thailand, when our family traveled recently. What fun that would have been to have gathered around the quilt with some new friends in another country. It's been a while since the quilt has traveled. But I was able to bring lots back from Thailand, to share with my regular Quilt Group folks! Thai Dance In my morning group, we used some traditional Thai music to inspire a little dancing. So much of traditional Thai dance is focused on beautiful hand movements. Doing "hand dancing" was the perfect thing for my senior groups, since many aren't mobile as they used to be. We studied some videos and laughed at our own lack of hand flexibility! But I heard one happy discovery. "Hey, I think this is good for my arthritis!' Foot Massage I thought this might be an odd subject for my senior groups, but they all seemed to love it. We talked about the healing qualities of Thai foot massage and again, I heard a comment... "That would be good for my arthritis!" I laughed with the group about some humorous foot massage experiences our family had in the numerous shops we encountered. I showed them the funny tool they used on pressure points. "Can you use that on my back?" One asked. We also talked about feet in Thailand... not wearing shoes in the home... rules about not pointing feet towards anyone honorable, especially a Buddhist monk. A lot of foot talk! Other Books I encouraged some of the folks to look at the books together. It was fun to hear the discussions they had over the photographs. I loved it when a new gentleman in the group, pointed to a map of Thailand and showed us where he had lived in the 1950's. Then 2 dear friends read a children's book aloud together. The book was written as a lullaby and although they didn't sing, their words sounded musical! Joyce checked out a colorful guide book and Margie exercised her muscles by lifting the heaviest book of them all. Everyone was intrigued with the hefty book of photographs, taken by hundreds of photographers in all parts of Thailand. All photographs in the book were shot on the very same day. Odd Fruits I wish I could have brought back all the unusual fruits we tried on our stay. Of course I couldn't, but at least we have numerous Asian grocery stores in the Houston area. We didn't cut into the pink dragon fruit, but our friend who had lived in Thailand showed the others how to pop open the round, longan fruits. A few were brave enough to taste. The King and I Most of the seniors remembered the famous movie based on the book, Anna and the Kind of Siam. But none knew that the movie was banned in Thailand, because of the way the king is portrayed in the film. It is against the law to disrespect the king in Thailand.
"Getting to Know You" was the perfect beginning. The faces around our table lit up. "I Whistle a Happy Tune" got many in the group singing and whistling. And then I took a risk and played "Hello Young Lovers". The music and lyrics are extremely moving. Why would I dare play a song about a woman recalling her late husband? The recording in the link below is lovely, with the dramatic finale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQfQfNGciJE I knew that most of the residents sitting around the table were probably young and in love, when the movie was popular in 1956. I worried that the nostalgic song would trigger longing, for late spouses. But we just held hands around the table and swayed and attempted to sing along. It was sweet to look away from the table and see those far across the room watching and smiling. And by the very end when Anna's voice rose louder, we all lifted our hands up, like some sort of revival and we belted it out along with her. It felt like our Thailand theme had gone straight to Broadway! One More Stop The next day I took my quilt and theme to the Women's Shelter, to spend time with the kids. I looked pretty clownish in my Thai elephant ensemble, but I figured the kids would prefer a Thailand theme that focused more on elephants. I even made up an elephant song and dance. I got to the shelter and there was not one child in the building, on that afternoon. ( a first in my 14 years) It's an odd thing to be geared up and let down. I was ready! Then, I reminded myself about what that really means. The children I expected to see have moved on from their temporary home. This is a very good thing and I celebrated that as I drove home... in my elephant pants!
Hats On! I had a bulky load when I gathered my supplies for the groups today. But it was easy. I just packed up my ridiculous collection of hats... And Books There wasn't a person in the morning or afternoon who didn't want to try on a couple hats. We wore hats. Read about hats. Sang about hats and discussed a little hat history. Go Dogs Go! It's surprising how many kids' book feature hats. This is one of my favorites. Book Inspiration This book about the "cap-stacking salesman" inspired a little hat stacking. Everyone placed a bet about how many hats I could balance. I cheated, using a lot of berets and flat hats and managed a stack of 24... before they tumbled all over the place! Favorites I thought I could have guessed which hats different people would opt to wear. But I was so wrong. It seems like personalities changed with each hat change. If only I'd brought along mirrors. Hat Fashion A few got caught up in the books about hat fashion and history. We talked about the days of church hats and fedoras... hat pins and hat boxes. We talked about famous people, known for wearing hats, like John Wayne and Abe Lincoln. Hat Memories As we spoke, I saw a secretive smile appear. Frances spoke softy. "My older brother always wore a hat." I could tell she was picturing her brother as her smile grew bigger. "He was so particular about it. It was a cowboy hat and he treated it with such care." Her expression made me have to ask. "Was he handsome?" Frances almost giggled, "Yes!" I drove home that day, thinking of all my friends wearing hats in younger days. I could see Ramona in the cotton fields wearing the bonnet her father insisted the daughters wear... to shield from sun, but also to hide them from the boys. I pictured Betty in her church hat, with the little veil. And I pictured Frances, looking up to the handsome, hat-wearing brother that she adored!
I love hats. Prompted by Facebook Post
But when I entered the Shelter's Play Care with my big bag, the kids were more interested in my bag than going outside. They helped unfold the quilt on the floor and begged to see what I'd brought. They took turns making my wooden man dance on the board. They called him Mr. Piccolo and cheered him on. Scarves I lucked out with an incredibly sweet bunch of kids who didn't need to have their energy tamed outside. They loved it when I pulled out the silk scarves and cranked up the music. Usually I'm much more "teacher-like" with plans and rules, but these enthused kiddos needed little guidance. They were eager to perform for me, whipping and jumping and spinning with the scarves to fast music... floating and swirling with the slower sounds. Hidden Kids Before packing up to head out, we had one more bit of fun with the scarves. The kids put their feet together in the center of the quilt. They covered their feet first... well at least most feet got covered. Then I used extra scarves and cover the kids completely. They pretended they were all asleep until the music started and woke their feet, then their knees, then their hands... Suddenly they were all awake and on their feet, dancing with as many scarves as they could hold. Scarf Mountain By the time I needed to pack up, my perfect little bunch made it easy. "Let's make a mountain." One little girl said. They piled one scarf on top of another. A different little girl twirled the blue and purple scarf into a ball and laid it on top. "Here's a cherry on the top!" She giggled. Then the group began folding the quilt, (with scarves inside) corner to corner, until they handed me a fat folded Triangle-Quilt.
Was it the magical weather that day? I have never had such a cooperative, happy bunch at the shelter. What Did I Learn? I've dealt with so many different kids at this shelter, for nearly 15 years. No matter how energetic or happy the kids seem, I'm always aware that there are worries behind all the smiles and playfulness. It was nice to learn today, that I can be with the children at the shelter and totally forget that their young lives may be complicated. Today we played and the children were... just children! Two Groups and Lots of Stories This week I carted my odd collection of phones and gathered with two groups. My morning gang had me in stitches. These folks know how to take my props and have fun! Party Lines We laughed about memories of "party lines" and being tied down, waiting for important phone calls. We browsed through old photos of phone booths and telephone poles, operators and phonebooks. Then the stories started coming! Play and Work The toy phones made us stop and think about kids using phones. A few could actually remember their first phone call. Alice was confused when she saw her first phone at age 9. She had moved to New York from Puerto Rico, where they had not owned a phone. Today she still has family in Puerto Rico and many are living without phones now, due to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Operators Many remembered the day when an operator was needed to put a call through. I loved Bertha's story about being an operator. She said they often had to deal with prank calls or worse. "Men used to make rude calls from phone booths." Bertha explained how they got many of these calls, since calling the operator didn't require a coin. They weren't allowed to hang up on these men, but she cleverly spoke to them in a way that made them want to hang up on her! She demonstrated her technique. "You must be pretty pitiful if you don't have a date tonight!" Phone Booth Our talk of phone booths lead to a touching memory for Betty. She recalled a boy in her 7th grade class who spent a lot of time in a phone booth Both his parents worked till late and he was uneasy being alone in his house after dark. She described the phone booth where he would bring a blanket and feel safe until they were off work.The way Betty spoke, I could tell she had worried about this young classmate. But she described where the booth was located and even today seemed to feel better knowing the area was in an active, safe part of town. Afternoon Group My afternoon group with Alzheimer's had a totally different reaction to the phone theme. Right off the bat I had an issue with a new resident who was angry about being placed at my table. "I just want to get the Hell out of here." She snapped. I begged her to just listen to one song with me. I played The Telephone Song by the Andrew Sisters and she suddenly softened and even smiled. Music did the trick for a while, but eventually she moved on from our group... which actually helped a bit. Making Calls The most fun in the afternoon group, was making pretend calls. I grabbed the black phone and said, "Try to guess who I'm calling."I pretended to be a child calling Santa with my list. I overdid and the group called out, "Santa Claus!" right away. Sweet Juanita even dialed the phone and pretended to chat a bit. I wish I had taken a video of Ramona when she made a call. I prompted her a bit and whispered, "Pretend you're calling your mother to tell her you're getting married." I wasn't sure if this was asking for too much. Sometimes Ramona is awfully quiet, with little expression. But she dialed the phone slowly and her face lit up as her voice went up a notch. "Hi Mom... this is Mona! You'll never guess what! You're going to have to get on the big bird and fly out here..." She paused with the skill of a trained actress. "... because guess what? I'm getting marrrrrried!" The whole table just applauded. What Did I Learn? Lug Less & Share More! In these past years I've had so much fun planning these themes and filling the minutes with props and plans. But this year, I've allowed myself to repeat themes more. I grab a file of photos and a box of already organized props and I go in without planning. It's so fun to know that I can do this without wearing myself out anymore. The little surprises and stories will come on their own and I love that!
Once Again I returned to one of my favorite themes and got all new surprises. My groups went off on fun tangents about, camera shyness and the word photogenic. We talked about photo albums and captured memories and those days before lives were documented with selfies and Facebook postings. Captured Memory There was one photo question that brought about the most thought. "Is there a photo you always wished that you had?" Some answered quickly and others had to think a while. It turns out there were many memories that we all wish had been captured in a photo. It was touching to hear the descriptions of moments or people or events that were described. Betty helped us imagine a picture of herself, standing in her grandparents' store, staring at the candy counter... waiting for Grandfather's voice... "Go ahead and pick something."
It was a wonderful reminder that we can bring snapshot images to our heads. We don't have to own pictures of everything. Even without photos, the images are still with us. |
The QuiltFor 20+ years children have called it the Magic Quilt. They've danced and pretended all over these colorful squares. I've dragged it to schools, shelters and studios where children have climbed on top to hear Magic Quilt Stories and to act them out. Archives
April 2022
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