Monday, October 20, 2008 ;
1:44 PM
"Maybe You'll Be In Here Soon"
Winds blew and dark clouds threatened as I pulled my car into the parking lot. Today's music was for the residents of a beautiful assisted living facility. The time was set for 1:00 pm; right after lunch but hopefully before nap time.
Three rows of comfortable chairs are lined up in semi-circles facing the keyboard. But the keyboard is so far away from them! And much too heavy to move. Well, I'll just have to make do and try to communicate across the void.
We sail into some old favorites: "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", "You Are My Sunshine", "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", "Down By the Old Mill Stream." I have to stop and tell them that my home town is Findlay, Ohio, the actual home of the Old Mill Stream. It's the Blanchard River, which has overflowed this last year and been in the news! They don't seem quite as excited as I am.
We do some favorite hymns. "Amazing Grace" always comes up first, then "How Great Thou Art." I play selections from ten different Broadway shows, letting them guess the show and the title. Right away I see where my music lovers are.
One distinguished gentlemen seems to know them all. I notice he's alone and wonder if he used to take his bride to see these shows. What must it be like to be left behind? There are always more women than men in these places, but I don't think Cupid is very active. As one woman said, "Been there, done that. Who wants to go back to cookin' and cleanin' up after someone?"
The hour goes quickly, and I thank these gracious folk for being such a good audience. Several ladies come up to thank me for coming. Then one lady says, "I wish you could play for us every day." I smile, and thank her. Then she holds my hand and gazes hopefully up at me. "Well, maybe you'll be in here soon and then you can play every day!"
I laugh half the way home. "Be in here soon." It sounds like she's in jail, hoping for company. And then I feel like crying. Maybe it does feel like jail to some of them. I guess we take personal freedom for granted, till we start to lose it. I think of their sweet smiles, their gracious appreciation for all who come to share with them. What dignity our seniors wrap around themselves like warm cloaks!
Do you know anyone "in there"? Go for a visit. You'll be the one receiving the blessing.
♫♫♪♫♪ from Marg
Marg Marshall, 1:44 PM
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Tuesday, October 14, 2008 ;
3:41 PM
"MAY I WALK WITH YOU?"
After years of playing piano for church, I'm branching out. I have started playing for Nursing Homes and Retirement Centers. It has taken some getting used to. And it is hard work, trying to communicate with people who are hard of hearing, sleeping, or off in la-la-land. But then there are others who are as sharp as can be, but maybe physically disabled. There they all are together, a jumble of people in various stages of disintegration. I quickly learn who to smile at, who is "with me". And how fun to see a face light up when they hear "their" song!
One lady asks for "Yellow Bird"--over and over again. Finally I laugh and tell her no more, she's already had it twice. The worse the memory, the less chance of coming up with a request. So I have learned the songs that get a response. World War I and II songs are really popular. "Don't sit under the Apple Tree with Anyone Else But Me." "Over There." "White Cliffs of Dover." And of course, hymns. Very, very few people won't try to sing along on the hymns. My preacher father told me once that there are no atheists in fox holes. I believe there are very few atheists in here either, with death perhaps just around the corner.
I finished one morning at ll:30. The aides started getting folk headed toward the dining room. It's always a bit like the Pied Piper: those who can walk hold onto their frail neighbors; a few can push a wheel chair and help in the slow procession. Then I heard one little lady say to another, "May I walk with you?" Her companion smiled and took her arm. "Of course you can walk with me. I don't know where I'm going, but you can come along!"
Can you imagine life in a fog? Never knowing where your room is, perhaps not even remembering why you live here. There are always signs at the doors warning you not to let someone escape when you leave. And of course the Alzheimer's units are always locked. People want to go home. They might not know where it is, but they know they have one, somewhere. Oh, the joy when they will finally get home, see their loved ones, and know exactly whom they are walking with!
Labels: Retirement Home Music
♫♫♪♫♪ from Marg
Marg Marshall, 3:41 PM
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Thursday, October 2, 2008 ;
12:51 PM
Years ago I found a little book in Kenya called "The Creative Homemaker". I didn't have TV at the time, so read anything I could get my hands on. This paperback by Mary LaGrand Bouma had a few of her family recipes at the back. The "Graham Gems" recipe for quick muffins became a Marshall favorite. She says "If you preheat your oven immediately, you can be serving these a half hour after getting the recipe out." That's true; the other great thing is you can add absolutely anything to them for variety. I have added different kinds of nuts, pared apples, apricots, pineapple bits, coconut, chocolate chips, bananas, poppy seeds and lemon flavoring...the sky is the limit!
Marg's Marvelous Muffins (a.k.a. Graham Gems)
2/3 c brown sugar
1 stick margarine (1/2 cup) (or butter)
1 egg
1 c sour milk (put 1 t. lemon juice in your milk to sour it)
1 small teaspoon baking soda
2 cups stone ground whole wheat (graham) flour
Grease or spray with Pam a 12-cup muffin tin. Blend sugar and margarine; stir in egg. Add other ingredients. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 - 400 for 15 minutes. Makes 12. Before spooning into muffin cups you can add 1 cup of any of the following: raisins, chopped nuts, chopped dates, chopped dried apricots, diced apple pieces, etc. Mostly I make them plain and eat them with butter and cheddar cheese for breakfast. (Mary L. Bouma's words)
This was copywritten in 1973, long before whole wheat anything came into vogue. Regular flour works too, but the whole wheat makes them healthier and chewier. I use 375 degrees instead of 400, and it took about 17-18 minutes last night. The toothpick should come out clean, and the muffin be pulling away from the pan. I lift and tip each muffin side-ways in the pan to let the steam come off the bottom (with my toothpick), then get them out and onto my rack to cool. Hypie says I make the best muffins in the world. It may not be true, but it keeps me baking! :)
Labels: Recipe
♫♫♪♫♪ from Marg
Marg Marshall, 12:51 PM
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