Seniors

Picking raspberries again this morning, we had a crew from the assisted living facility in Chester 'helping'.  It was a field trip, more or less, for some of the more mobile residents, and probably the highlight of my day. The two residents whom I had actually met before and remembered were Elvin and Dr. B.

Elvin did not pick many berries, but had a ball driving everybody else around the field on a golf cart.  He doesn't walk well anymore, so this gave him a way to be helpful.  As a retired farmer, I think driving the cart probably makes him reminisce about days gone by.  A lot of farming is spending time in vehicles, after all.

Dr. B is a retired doctor who lived and worked for many years in the area.  My mother in law told me today that I'm an official Hi-Line girl now that I have my own Dr. B story.  He really enjoyed picking berries- he had a huge a smile on his face the whole time he was there.  He was really getting into it, too, moreso than the other seniors. He did not want to leave!  When it was time to go, the staff were calling to him to finish up, and by now he had gotten himself in the middle of a row of raspberry bushes-- amongst the canes, surrounded.  The staff lady asked him how he got stuck in there and he replied, "Well... one step at a time!"  I was the nearest to him, so I offered him a hand getting un-stuck from the bramble-- he was afraid he'd trip and fall on me!  What a delightful man!

I had introduced myself to the daughter of one of the seniors and she knew my name, once I said it.  Being the new girl in town, everyone knows who I am, but I don't know anyone else, though I meet more and more people each day. I said my name and she immediately asked me, "How is your dog doing after his snakebite?"  Just another example of how news travels through a small community. I had never met her prior to today, but she knew enough about me to ask about my dog!  Turns out she is friends with our landlord, whom we had told about Harvey's bite right away.  All the same, it was really nice of her to ask about my dog.

Speaking of Harvey, he is doing really well.  The vaccine has helped him recover quicker than normal. He just has a little more swelling on his neck to go down, but overall, he is back to his normal, energetic self! :)