This week's blog is all about our great week, but it ends with a tribute to Nan's husband, Lisa's father, Lexi's grandfather, and our friend, Gdad. He has been sick for a while, and his journey is nearing its end. Lisa took the perogative (as blog author 😉) to include a tribute to him after finishing the Thursday section of the blog and taking Friday off. She hopes you enjoy reading it. 💗
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We had a blast celebrating Dollar Day (which was August 8) along with Thrift Shop Day (August 17) this week when we set up our own store! We found out that the proverb "One man's trash is another man's treasure!" is true! We also enjoyed a fascinating lesson about the Battle of the Ironclads at Mariners' Museum, thoroughly delighted in visiting with our therapy dog friends, and worked efficiently and proudly at Eaton this week! It was a good one...
Tuesday
We visited with Wisteria at The Mariners' Museum today to learn about the Civil War's Battle of the Ironclads. The museum is home to the USS Monitor Center, where they are conserving the unique rotating turret from the Monitor, as well as many artifacts that have been salvaged since the sunken ship was found off the coast of Cape Hatteras in 1973.
We learned that the Monitor, which was part of the Union's Navy, and the Virginia, which was part of the Confederate's Navy, were the first ships with ironclad "technology" in our country's history. Iron and metal had been used in other countries, including the "turtle ship" seen here, built by Koreans as early as the 1400s. We also learned that the Virginia was formerly known as the USS Merrimack and belonged to the Union. When they scuttled it, the Confederate Navy managed to salvage it and turned it into an ironclad. That led to the Union Navy's decision to build the Monitor. There is a lot of interesting history here that we can't possibly summarize in the blog, so make a visit to The Mariners' Museum and immerse yourself into the fascinating facts and displays found in the USS Monitor Center!
At this exhibit the part of a wooden ship on the left is how the Merrimack looked when it belonged to the Union and was a wooden ship. On the right is a representation of how the Confederate Navy kept the hull wooden, but reconstructed the top of the ship to be covered with a 4 inch layer of iron before renaming it Virginia.
There is an excellent film called Ironclad Glory: The Battle of Hampton Roads, which explains how the USS Monitor faced the CSS Virginia in May of 1862. The Monitor is shown on the left, and the large gun turret on top was unique in that it rotated, which gave the sailors on the smaller Monitor an advantage in aiming, even though it also made them disoriented due to its constant motion. Despite the advantage the Monitor had with the rotating turret, the battle ended in a draw.
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Wisteria showed us a model of the Monitor, and told us we would also visit the full-scale replica of it that is outside of the museum. She explained how the rotating turret worked, and pointed out that except for the 16 sailors who were inside to man the two Dahlgren guns (cannons), everyone else would be in the hull area, which was below water at all times.
Part of the exhibit includes recreated quarters for officers and crew. We were shocked by how small the beds were, but fascinated to learn that the Monitor had four flushing toilets, which was a very new invention at the time! In fact, Wisteria said if a sailor wasn't concentrating, and "flushed" incorrectly (kind of backward), he would get a very unwelcome surprise! 😧😂
This is inside the model of the recovered turret. We learned that the remains of two sailors were found inside during the recovery when the turret from raised from the Atlantic near Cape Hatteras in 2002. The turret, two Dahlgren guns (huge cannon-like weapons) from inside, and its steam propulsion engine were recovered and brought to the museum for conservation, but the rest of the ship was left on the ocean floor where it is now a marine life sanctuary.
Just outside the doors of the Monitor Center is a full-scale replica of the Monitor that was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School. The turret is about 9 feet tall. Wisteria pointed out how hot and muggy it was today, and told us to imagine being either inside the turret or down below on a day like this...with no windows and of course, no air-conditioning!
At this drawing of the Monitor's layout, Wisteria gave us more interesting facts such as the captain could send orders by using a "speaking tube," which ran most of the length of the ship. With a bull-horn like device, he could be at the bow in his lookout box, and speak into the tube, hopefully sending his commands down the ship. Wisteria said that the speaking tube's technology wasn't great, so the captain also had runners to disperse information!
We took a peek at the Batten Conservation Complex where the world's largest marine archaeological metals conservation project is taking place. Inside this large tank is the Monitor's turret, which is being treated electrochemically to remove rust and salts. The engine, guns, and many other artifacts that were found on the Monitor are also being treated. Wisteria said "one day" the hope is to be able to have the actual items on display, but this type of conservation takes years.
Visitors can view the "dry area" of the conservation lab and observe conservators working on the preservation of other artifacts. There were several conservators at work today, and Wisteria said she doesn't quite understand all the processes they use, but they have to be very careful when handling artifacts, and again, the process of preparing them for display can take a very long time! The entire USS Monitor Center is a very interesting place to visit, and we highly recommend it! Remember, admission to the museum is only $1!
On our way out, Wisteria pointed out this painting that depicts a scene from the 1862 battle between the Monitor and Virginia. When she told us the name of the artist, Liz was surprised: Tony Bennett! As we knew, the famous singer passed away recently. Liz did not know he was a painter, too. He visited the museum in 2004 and donated this artwork.
Wednesday
This day began with Adia baking up some tasty oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies for us to have as we prepared to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of our partnership with the therapy dogs! We are planning a celebration luncheon for our handler friends in September, because there are renovations taking place near the kitchen area right now. So, only cookies and lemonade today.
Carol and Xavier greeted Darby and her handler, Carol.
We also greeted Pip and Indy with Caroline, and Gunther with Ava. Only 3 of our handler friends could join us today (summer plans!), but that was OK. The pups had plenty of love for us all!
Today is National Tell a Joke Day, so we gathered joke books from the JRES Library to share in our breakout reading sessions. This group with Caroline, Pip, and Indy took turns sharing food jokes, animal jokes, knock-knock jokes and more!
Most of our readers know how much Drew loves a good joke. In this group with Ava and Gunther, he and his friends laughed long and loud, and we're pretty sure the whole school could hear them! Somehow, Gunther rested quietly through the laughter!
Darby was also chill while his group shared jokes with Carol. She told us that Darby is a very laid back dog. That's what makes her a great therapy dog!
Caroline pulled up a You Tube video that played sounds like a door bell ringing, baby laughing, and someone whistling. We got a kick out of watching Pip and Indy react to the noises, and wondering what was going on with that little "thing" (phone) on the floor!
After reading time, we enjoyed refreshments with our friends and played a game where we tried to guess the name of dog breeds using emjoi symbols. After that, we shared more dog jokes, such as What is a dog's favorite movie? Jurrasic Bark! Haha! So much fun with our therapy dog friends!
The gym finally reopened today after having the floors redone. The basketball hoops were still lifted up toward the ceiling, but some of the guys tested how well the balls would bounce on the shiny floors! Drew was going after his, so we apologize for his bluriness!
We wrapped up our Tell A Joke Day activities with a new Bingo game called "Science Joke Bingo." It was fun and a little educational, too. "What is a tornado's favorite game?" Why, Twister of course....Sam demonstrates!
Thursday
Our celebration of National Thrift Shop Day was a big success! We brought in some "stuff" from home that we no longer wanted, put price tags on it, and sold it to our friends. Erik and Kate set up their section of the store very neatly at their table!
We used the buddy system and got our shopping on! There were so many cool things to choose from. Many of our friends brought items to sell that they specifically thought certain other friends would like. Here, Drew proudly shows off a pair of llama-themed socks while Alexis excitedly stocked up on horse things and a celebratory birthday serving plate!
Patrick and Sam enjoyed comparing their finds. Patrick loved a W&M towel and Sam was excited about a DVD!
Cashier Carol was ready to collect the cash owed by Tessa and Adia for their finds. Both of them are great a counting money! Carol did a great job making change, too!
Lisa was also a cashier. When Patrick brought an item without a price tag attached, she sold it to him for a nickel! Sweet T was observing this deal, and maybe getting an idea!! 😀 We all agreed that this was a fun way to celebrate Thrift Store Day, and we're already talking about doing it again next year!
We were also having a belated celebration of National Dollar Day, which was August 8, because we couldn't let it pass without giving a shout out to our favorite Dollar...Adia! Yep, Dollar is her last name, and we think she's worth at least a million, but Lisa and Carol could only come up with two between them!
Our day of celebrations continued when our friend Sandra brought us a lunch of Colombian pork, rice, and fried yuca, also known as cassava! We were celebrating our joyous friendship with her...but we were also celebrating her amazing cooking! But first, as Laura would say, "Dance!"
Still dancing! Sandra gave DJ Liz directions on which energetic songs to play, and we were rocking!
It didn't matter to us that the songs were in Spanish...music is music and rhythm is rhythm and fun is fun in any language!
We danced up an appetite! We knew what to expect with the pork and rice dish, but the fried yuca was new to us. It looked like French fries, and kind of smelled like them too, so we were intrigued. Sandra told us that yuca, or cassava, is a root vegetable that is a staple in many Colombian meals. It is easy to grow and easy to prepare, and it tastes good, too!
The fried yuca was delicious, and as always, we loved the seasoned pork and rice. We love Sandra for her sweet disposition and for always bringing energy and laughter to our day. Her cooking is definitely a bonus! 😋😋😋
Sandra is very creative and enjoys crafting. The last time she visited she brought us each an oyster shell she had painted in bright colors. Today, she brought these candy "pyramids" that she designed, printed, and assembled herself. Inside were pieces of Colombian candy that tastes like coffee, something Colombia is famous for!
Sandra is also interested in teaching others how to be creative, so she is starting to make You Tube videos with tips for making fun projects. We watched her video about how she made an adorable t-shirt for Kate that featured a Barbie applique on the front, but was personalized for Kate. Wow...Sandra has video making skills, too!
Here we see Kate modeling the pretty shirt Sandra made for her. It's just lovely! Kate introduced us to Sandra a couple of years ago, but they have been friends forever. Thanks for sharing Sandra with us, Kate. We love that she calls us her "Angels." We enjoyed learning about Sandra's love of crafting and seeing some of her work up close. She's going to branch out and start an online business. We know she'll be successful! Thanks for everything today, Sandra. We had a blast and as always, cannot wait to see you again! (And you don't have to feed us everytime you visit! You spoil us!)
We spent the rest of the day with Choice Time and learning about taking care of our feet in recognition of National I Love My Feet Day! 👣 Lisa had to leave early, so we didn't get anymore pictures, but our day was just stellar! Tomorrow is an Eaton Day, and it will be wonderful too, but we won't be including it in this week's blog.
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We're going to wrap up the weekly portion of the blog at this point and give Lisa a little time off. Her father, and our friend, Gdad, is nearing the end of a brave battle with leukemia. 😢 Gdad loved the Arc of Abilities very, very much. He was one of our biggest fans, and always loved reading the blog, especially when he was in it! We'll always remember the bbq lunches he made for us, and the many stories Alexis and Nan couldn't wait to tell us about him. Lisa, Nan, and Alexis are grateful for everyone's love, prayers, and support over the past 10 months. Thank you for being the amazing AoA family that we have become. Everyone cares, everyone loves, and it makes the tough times not so tough. 💗
Hi, Everyone. Lisa, the daughter, here. 😊 Please allow me to share the story of our time with my beloved dad, and his bbq, over the years...
In October of 2016, when the AoA was only 7 months into existence, we had our first bbq with Gdad. The occasion was an Open House for our families. Look how young we were! Lots of these faces are not in our program anymore, but back then, they made a great group and Gdad was so fond of them all!
We enjoyed bbq sandwiches in October of 2017 for Lexi's 27th birthday. BBQ was Gdad's thing, and Lexi was very proud whenever he brought it for us! 😋
In October of 2019 we were studying a state a week, and it was time for Gdad's home state of North Carolina. He lived in Virginia for over 60 years, but never considered himself anything but a North Carolinian! He was thrilled to come and treat us to NC style bbq for our lunch that day. He catered many events for family and friends over the years. His apron read "Pig On Wheels," which was his self-assigned nickname. NC style is generally with vinegar-based sauce, but he would also provide the sweeter red sauce for "outliers," who included many of the friends in our group! 😍
This time Gdad also gave us a chopping demonstration! Pardon the pun, but he was a big ham when it came to showing off his bbq tricks!
That day was also my birthday, and even though I have been eating his bbq my whole life, it was really, really good on this day! 💖
We didn't see Gdad during the height of the Covid years, but he was back again in June of 2022 to deliver bbq for what he decided was "BBQ for SAM DAY!" Sam is one of Gdad's biggest bbq fans, and he always expressed sincere appreciation to Gdad whenever he brought us some. Gdad was really thoughtful and personal this way, and it made Sam and all of us happy to see him do something special for our buddy, Sam.
This picture was taken on the same day as Sam's BBQ day, and it features 12 of our current 17 AoA members. This was just a couple of months before Gdad became sick with leukemia, and the last time we had his bbq. However, over the years he made sure I learned how to cook it, and I plan to keep the bbq going for us. I even have Gdad's special chopping tool and well-used dishpan, his container of choice for the chopping! 🐖💞
Gdad had many good days during his illness, and we were very surprised when he showed up unannounced at the AFCC on one of them. He decided to jump in his red Jeep (which he had swapped his red Chevy truck for) and pay us a visit during our Mardi Gras celebration with Moose Patti this past February. Gdad and Moose Patti go back a ways, as she is a family friend of his and Nan's. He ate some of Patti's delicious gumbo and then a slice of King Cake. It was a wonderful surprise.
Thanks for the memories, and the bbq, Gdad. You were a special friend to the AoA and we'll cherish the times we shared with you!
Thank you, AoA families, and all blog readers, for indulging my wish to honor my Dad's love of our program and our amazing members. He read the blog faithfully every Saturday, and right up until the past couple of weeks, could tell me something unique about any of our members I mentioned. They were his buddies! As this post goes online on August 18, he is still with us. Our family has gathered at his bedside and will love him through his transition. Thank you all for your love and support of Nan, Alexis, and me during this heartbreaking time.
We love you,
Lisa
Families: At this time, I do not plan to create a blog next week, but who knows how things will go? Here is an outline of our plans, so you can prepare for lunches and clothing choices!
Tuesday: AFCC in the morning; visit with Christina at the Art Museums of CW in the afternoon. Lunch on your own; microwave available. Wear Arc shirts. (Note: I expect to hear from A Logo for You regarding our recent t-shirt orders next week.)
Wednesday: Happy Birthday to Laura!! Subs from Jersey Mike's for lunch along with chips, fruit, and ice cream, courtesy of her family. Thank you, Palmers! We will also dance and play Jeopardy, one of Laura's favorite games! After lunch, we will welcome Laura Beach back for our official Laughter Yoga session! Dress to laugh and stretch a little! (It's not traditional "yoga.")
Thursday: We are celebrating our hardworking custodians, Heike, Sevarina, and James with a spaghetti luncheon. We'll do something else, too.......
Friday: PSP Work Day so please wear Pet Supplies Plus shirts. Yoga in the afternoon. Lunch on your own; microwave available.
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