So, we are settling nicely into a spring birthday routine. Believe it or not, we celebrated another friend this week: Xavier! There are 16 members in the Arc of Abilities, and 8, or one-half, of them have birthdays in March, April, and May! There are dedicated friends of the AoA whose birthdays we celebrate, too, and a lot of them are in spring. (In fact, we have two birthday celebrations next week!)
In other news from this week, we made beautiful art with Christina, worked at PSP, had a wonderful visit with the therapy dogs who brought a special visitor, and welomed another special guest on Friday. We missed Sam and Kate all week, Sam was battling pink eye and a stubborn sinus infection, and Kate was traveling with her family. We look forward to both of them returning on Tuesday. Here's a look at our splendid week!
Tuesday
We were recently given donations of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies, Little Debbie Fudge Rounds, and strawberry pie filling. It was kind of random, so we came up with a way to combine them into a "test" dessert, that we might use in the future when we cook for guests! We used the Little Debbie oatmeal pies and fudge rounds (separately) to make crusts for simple cheesecakes. Adia crumbled them and lined the cake pans, like we would do with a graham cracker crust.
We added a cream cheese filling and topped it with the strawberry pie filling. After chilling for a couple of hours, we enjoyed "Little Debbie Strawberry Cheesecake" with our lunch. We thought it tasted good, but the crust was a little thick. We decided we might try this again (for guests!), but would try to make the crust thinner. It was a fun "experiment," and no one who tasted it had any complaints! Thanks Gdad for the Little Debbie donations, and Sweet T's family for the pie filling! A match made in AoA heaven!
We were excited to get a FaceTime call from our artist friend, Jeff this morning! He's been busy in his studio in Lanexa creating new art and he showed us some of it, like decorative skulls made from paper mache, a cute painting of roosters and another of a tiger, and mini-paintings of mermaids. Jeff said he was going to send one of the mini-paintings to friends of his family who live in Massachusetts, and who recently lost a loved one. That's a thoughtful token of love, Jeff, and we bet your friends will cherish it! He also said he is looking forward to coming back to the center to work with us, so he and Lisa are going to work out a date! Yay!!
In other news this morning, our sunflower seeds have sprouted, and they got smiles out of Sweet T and Michelle! These were the seeds we planted in ice cream cones filled with soil that we got from our master gardener friends. Tomorrow, we'll transplant the cones into the ground outside our window, and hopefully grow beautiful sunflowers over the next few weeks.
The last thing we did before lunch was create thank you notes for some recent experiences we've enjoyed. We worked in groups, and made cards of all shapes and sizes!
After an early lunch, we hooked up with Christina at The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg for a celebration of National Love a Tree Day! Trees provide a lot of joy in our lives, and Christina loved showing us pieces that featured trees. In this painting by Edward Hicks, on a canvas made from tulip poplar wood, we see Niagra Falls in the background but trees in the foreground, surrounded by many animals who may use the trees for shelter or food! Christina took a picture of it, and told us to be on the lookout for this same picture somewhere else in the museums. Turns out, this was a painting of a picture Hicks had seen on a map!
Christina also showed us pottery objects and silk textile pieces that featured trees as we went on our walk through the galleries. When we got here, she pointed out this chair, which was made from wood, so while technically not a tree...well, it kind of is! She told us that this chair was made in the 1770s for the original Williamsburg Masonic Lodge, and is still used by the Masons in Williamsburg today. They sometimes borrow this chair to use in special ceremonies, and then return it to the museums, of course!
The last object we saw was this map of North America and the "cartouche" (a part of a map that can explain features on the map) includes a print of Niagra Falls and the trees that we saw in the Edward Hicks painting. Hicks liked this part of the map print so much, he painted it!
In the Education Room, Christina told us to trust her and follow the directions to end up with a beautiful work of art! We got very quiet, and did as she directed. It wasn't too hard, but we weren't sure where she was going with it. We had to draw 3 circles, 4 triangles, and 6 rectangles...of any size and anywhere above the line we had already drawn across the paper near the bottom.
Next, we had to use black Sharpies to draw over the pencil outlines of our shapes. Xavier took his time on this step. At this point, Christina told us the shapes were treetops, and we needed to draw trunks on them, too!
The last step was to color our trees, and Christina brought out all the colors of the rainbow for us to use, and then some! "Go for it," she told us! They turned out so beautifully!!
Christina celebrated Love a Tree Day by LOVING our trees so much, she took individual pictures of every one of us with our masterpieces! Didn't Dev B do a great job filling in his sky and grass so his picture almost looks like a photograph?!
Didn't all of us do a great job?! There we so many smiles today, and we were super proud of our work! Thank you, Christina! This was educational, fun, successful for all, and very relaxing! We loved it!
Wednesday
We had to get our library group off to an early start this morning because after they shelved, we needed them to check out some books about pandas! Our therapy dog friends were coming today, and bringing a special guest from China who was going to tell us about her experiences with pandas!
Here we are, all atttentive, even the pups! Casey's mom, Carol, introduced us to her friend, Lisa, who is from Shanghai in China, but is in the US right now studying for a masters degree at the University of Minnesota in Duluth. Lisa is very fond of pandas, and knows a lot about them, which she shared with us. We asked a lot of great quesstions, and really enjoyed the short video clips she showed us!
Before sharing her panda knowledge, Lisa told us a lot about her country and its culture. We were amazed to learn that Shanghai has a population of about 27 million! It was also interesting to learn that China has beautiful mountain ranges and large lakes, just like we do. Lisa said China only has one coastline, at the Pacific Ocean, and seemed a little jealous that we have the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans!
Lisa told us that pandas are no longer endangered. That is good news! We also learned that they don't get much nutrition from all the bamboo they eat, but pandas in captivity enjoy more nutritious foods like carrots and apples. It was a great presentation and we're excited to say that the pups were as attentive as we were! Of course, we gave them ear scratches and belly rubs while they listened!
Thank you, Carol S., for introducing us to your Chinese friend, Lisa, and for bringing her to share about her country's culture, and her love of pandas with us! We enjoyed it immensely!
Thank you, Lisa, for your interesting and engaging presentation about pandas and China. You had us at "panda," but gave us so much more! It was a pleasure meeting you!! We wish you the best in your studies!
Armed with books about pandas, plus other favorites, we broke into our reading groups for the next part of today's visit with the therapy dogs. Kent and Leo read and chatted with Patrick, Sweet T, Alexis, Drew, and Erik. Alexis read from the panda book, and Kent clarified some of the interesting facts. It was a great topic today!
Caroline delighted us by bringing Pip and Indy today! They are great listeners, by the way. Here, Dev B was helping Laura with her book about the planets, while Liz, Caroline, and Abraham listened to a fact about Mercury.
Carol and Casey read with Xavier, Adia, Michelle, and Kevin. Michelle was sharing words from the glossary in a book about pandas. Adia was petting Casey, who is also a good listener! We love our monthly time with the therapy dogs!!
Next, we celebrated National Pack Rat Day by parting with a few things! We split into groups and tidied up several bins, shelves, and cabinets. It's surprising how much "stuff" our guys decided we didn't need anymore!
This group tackled the game and sporting goods shelf. Several things were chosen to be donated, and the rest of it was neatly arranged on the shelves. Thanks to all of our guys for their dedication to cleaning up and cleaning out!
Kate surprised us with a FaceTime call from Las Vegas! She's having a blast seeing fun shows, including Katy Perry in concert, and hanging with her family. We miss her, but hope she is making some great memories with her family!
We've got high hopes for the sunflower sprouts we transplanted into the ground outside our window today. It was the first time we ever planted ice cream cones...which held the soil in which we planted the seeds last week!
We crossed the road to plant a few of the sprouts at the edge of the wooded area. We'd love to see some big sunflowers grow over there, but the soil in this area was mostly clay, so we are concerned that it's not the best for growing pretty sunflowers.
To wrap up a busy day, we celebrated Pack Rat Day Part 2, by learning about actual rats! After learning facts like rats groom themselves all the time, have teeth and jaws strong enough to bite through concrete, and are very smart animals, we passed an online quiz! We also talked about "rat idioms," so ask us what it means to "smell a rat," be in the "rat race," or "rat someone out," and we'll share our knowledge!
Thursday
The first order of business today was to welcome our latest birthday honoree, Xavier, with a dance warm up featuring some of his favorite songs!
Next, it was off to Pet Supplies Plus for one group, while the other group remained behind to prepare our celebration of Xavier's Birthday, Part 1! (We were also celebrating Pizza Party Day, one day early since it's tomorrow.) The Cooking Crew was busy, so we only have a couple of photos today!
We prepared decorations, and also spent some time outside on this fine morning, enjoying the fresh air. Back inside, Patrick, Drew, and Sweet T had pizza duty. They divided the pepperoni slices evenly among the pizzas, and then placed them carefully on top of the sauce!
Later, when lunch was ready and it was time to eat, we got the other members of the Cooking Crew together for a picture because they deserve credit for decorations, napkin rings, and set up! Thanks to Michelle, Annmarie, Liz, and Abraham!
While the Cooking Crew made pizzas and decorations, the Pet Supplies Plus Crew was busy working, AND taking pictures! Check these out!
Birthday Boy Xavier used his muscles to help Scott remove cans of dog food from the upper shelves!
Erik and Kevin were also helping Scott, who handed them bags of dog food, which they then placed on the correct lower shelves.
Adia cleaned a fish tank!
Store manager Sam usually works at the Chesapeake store, but pitches in when needed in Williamsburg. He lives in Suffolk, and has a 1 hour and 20 minute commute!
We want to let our readers know that you can get your pet all spiffy at Pet Supplies Plus!
Don't forget to sign up for your rewards!
If you need something but your schedule is tight, they've got you covered!
We do love our time spent at Pet Supplies Plus, but by lunchtime, it was time to focus on Xavier! Tomorrow is National Pizza Party Day, but we celebrated it today, along with Xavier's birthday, because pizza is one of his favorite things! We made his with a cauliflower crust, since he is gluten-free, and he loved it! Finally, it was time to sing and enjoy gluten-free cupcakes...which were divine! Thank you so much, Leah, for delivering them this morning. What a tasty treat! We loved them, and highly recommend Smallcakes if you're looking for delicious gluten-free cupcakes! 🧁🧁🧁
Xavier enjoys a good Bingo game, so we delivered with Birthday Bingo! When he won, he picked a puzzle out of the prize box. He loves puzzles!
We had so much fun singing and dancing to Xavier's favorite songs this morning, so we decided to end our day the same way! Pat and Dev B joined him for "All Star" from the movie Shrek. They are three of a kind who fit the lyrics shown on the screen: 🎜🎜 "Only shooting stars break the mold!" 🎜🎜
We hope all your wishes come true, Xavier! We had a lot of fun celebrating you today!! (And we can't wait for Part 2 next week!)
One more thing... During our Bingo game, Lisa turned toward the window and spotted a bird we have never seen before! Liz grabbed the camera and got this perfect picture through our window. Great shot, Liz! We did a bit of research and are happy to report that this is a Great Crested Flycatcher! We hope it will visit again!!
Friday
This morning we buzzed around getting ready for a visit from The Arc of Greater Williamsburg's Board President, Sue Hassan. We wanted to set up stations so she could observe several activities that we do. 🐝🐝🐝
Alexis and Liz were applying gaskets to Eaton parts. Patrick worked on coloring letters that will become part of a banner we need for next week. It will say, "FAREWELL JAMES." 😥 (We got the bittersweet news today that our cherished friend/coworker James, at Eaton, will be retiring on June 1st. Next Friday will be our last time working with him. More on James next week...)
Adia and Kevin were in a group that was using a recipe the master gardeners gave us for making Basil Butter. We harvested fresh basil from our Pizza Pot for this! It involved a lot of old-fashioned jar shaking, and it was a workout!
Xavier and Sweet T showed Sue how we sort things for Eaton. They were sorting 3 different types of parts today!
Drew was also in the butter making group with Kevin and Adia. He shook for a while and then thought we should check the progress of our butter. Not ready, Drew! It's not "lumpy" yet! At this point, we invited others to help shake... (Meanwhile, these three arranged crackers on the tray!)
Liz pitched in, and soon we could see the "watery buttermilk" separating from the solidified butter. We were almost there!
Sue enjoyed seeing a couple of groups working on continuing education skills. Here, Nan was giving Annmarie and Laura clues about plants and animals. They had to listen carefully and figure out which card Nan was thinking of, and then place it on the correct answer board. Thank you for visiting, today, Sue! We hope you enjoyed seeing a few of the many tasks and activities we do at the Arc of Abilities. We really enjoyed chatting with you and can tell we are going to be great friends!
Our Basil Butter was amazing! We actually gave Sue a taste and sent her back to work with a sample for later. She said it was tasty, and Drew, Dev B, Adia, Michelle, and Annmarie totally agreed! Adia and Lisa added a touch of garlic, even though the recipe only called for basil, and we think it was a perfect add-in! Thanks, MGs, for this savory recipe! It was fun to make...we mean shake...and even more fun to enjoy as a rare mid-morning snack! 😋😋😋
Since today was National NASCAR Day, we read about it on the National Day Calendar and were happy to learn that the NASCAR Foundation raises money to help children receive healthcare. The organization is called "Speediatrics," which is a play on the word "Pediatrics." That's cool!
We also learned that there is a deaf driver named Kris Martin who aspires to be a NASCAR driver. He's currently a spokesperson for Kia and has a commercial on television. His deafness has not stopped him from dreaming and working hard to achieve his goals, but so far it has been something of a hindrance in NASCAR. He is also a personal trainer and motivational speaker! Click on the photo to see his Kia commercial.
Ahh...end of the week yoga! Today, we joined Jaime for her version of yoga based on the Disney film, Encanto!
So many good stretches! After Encanto, we had a segment with her on using deep breathing as a mental health strategy, and then a quiet "Peace Out" segment before calling it a day!
We'll enjoy a few days off, and be back to being busy and having fun next week! Here's our schedule:
Wednesday: This morning we will take turns in our small groups volunteering at GCOC. Please wear Arc shirts! It's also...wait for it...a birthday party day! 🥳🥳🥳 We will celebrate our Devin "Sweet T" with dancing, karaoke, and a Frosty Field Trip! After lunch, we'll take a drive to Wendy's, where he will be our guest of honor as we raise a Frosty toast to him! Thank you to his family for treating us today. We can't wait to see him light up Wendy's as he and his friends celebrate him with his favorite treat! Lunch on your own. JRES Cafeteria is available and is serving Chicken Sandwich or Hot Dog.
Thursday: Last week on Xavier's birthday, his mom, Leah, delivered cupcakes so we could mark his actual date. Due to scheduling conflicts, she and his stepdad, Steve, couldn't join us. Sooo, they will be here today to spend time creating art with us (Steve), teaching us a new dance (Leah), AND cooking gluten-free pancakes for our lunch! This is a tradition we have enjoyed with Leah and Steve a few times over the years, and we're excited to do it again today. Thank you, Leah and Steve! We know this will be a day of joy and fun!
Friday: Today will be a bittersweet day for us as we head to Eaton for a work day, but also to bid farewell to our sweet James, who is retiring on June 1. We will take a lot of colorful decorations and some very thoughtful cards, and Jorie is providing a pasta and salad luncheon in James' honor. It's going to be hard to say good-bye, but we will wish James well and make this a retirement bash to remember! We'll plan for yoga after we return to AFCC, if we have time, so wear Eaton shirts and comfy shorts or pants.
Lisa, Carol, Nan, and the AoA Gang
REMINDER!!
The Arc's Community Pickleball Challenge is coming up June 3-4! This is our 2nd Annual Event, and last year's was so much fun! Click the image for a link to more information. Registration has ended, but you can come as a spectator to see what this sport is all about! We hope to surpass last year's total of $20,000 raised, so we welcome your support. This FUNdraiser is a big DILL!
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