Senior/Community Centers in Coastal Cities

What gives a Senior Center or a combined Community and Senior Center particular appeal to the people who live in the community where these facilities operate? Is it programming? Is it design? What makes it a "Can't wait to get there!" sort of place?

Today a group of us, both volunteers & city staff members, visited either senior centers or combined senior/community centers in Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, and Fountain Valley. It was a fun day with a neat group of people and we learned a lot. The group has been checking out various senior centers as part of a planning process aimed at gathering information that will be helpful as we begin the process of working with professionals in renovating and expanding our current center where a lot of senior programming takes place. The centers we saw today were all uniquely different and fascinating in their own individual ways. How nice! Cities should build facilities that are designed to meet the interests and needs of their local populations. The combination facilities, i.e., community/senior centers, are different in that they bring all age groups to the facilities for activities that are designed with each unique group in mind. We currently see this sort of thing happening at the Hughes Center. There was a hum in the busy centers that told the observer that here was an exciting place to be with appropriate programming and appeal for multiple generations.

A Day With Princess Claire

Today Claire and Luke were both sniffling and feverish. So, Maria brought them to our house because it is one of her teaching days. There were no subs available - it's Friday, there is a conference, and Monday is a holiday. Her principal, who is one of the most fantastic people that I have every known, told her to go home, that he would take her class. So, she comes and takes Luke home with her, and Princess Claire stays to "play with RoRo." We have colored, and she has eaten, danced, eaten some more, and watched 3 movies. As she and I were coloring, she asked me to write a letter to my parents telling them that she didn't "want them to be sick or dead." (I'll bet you that they are smiling about that.) I followed her directions and she signed the "letter." The Benedryl did not slow her down a bit! Now she is by my side in what Butch and I call "our office," and we are playing "office." She brought in some paper, some gloves, a stack of books, a glass heart that she has had beside her all day, and a fancy magnifying glass. I asked if she wanted me to read one of the books to her, and she told me, "No, they're part of my work." So, here we are, working side by side. She just told me that, "Office people work very fast. That's what they do." From this neat Fisher Price game thingy she got for Christmas, she has learned how to make many letters, but she doesn't know what some of them are. Oh, yes, she's learning the basic ones at her preschool and she'll know them all by the end of this school year, but right now there are still letters to which names need to be attached. Claire is an absolute delight! Hope this cold passes quickly. The world needs loving, upbeat, sunny people like Claire out there dancing and spreading joy.

A Moment of Healing & Grace

Tonight President Obama gave all of us moments of healing and grace: the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them. May we all reflect on this tragedy and move forward with love.

The Benefits of a Good Computer Desk Chair

Beautiful, it isn't; but, very serviceable, it is! My desk chair and I spent a long day together catching up on preparing some documents for a couple of organizations and doing some last minute work on three parties for the Claremont Community Foundation's Party Parade 2011 - which, by the way, promises to be a super fun series of events & parties for all ages. Watch for your book in the mail! If you don't usually get one, contact the Foundation at the link I've included and get on the list. You'll be so glad you did!

Through the years I've looked into all types of chairs. No doubt many of you have tried out the one where you put your knees on a pad and rest on a "seat." I might break a leg and an arm getting out of the chair. Maybe my nose would even suffer in the header I would probably take.

There are some wonderfully looking armchair-like desk chairs that I think would lull me to sleep in an instant.


This one is "Beam me up, Scottie!" to the max!

Eating at Nordstrom's

For a real treat, go to the Cafe on the 2nd floor in Nordstrom's at Montclair (no, this picture isn't the one at Montclair, but you get the idea) and have one of their delicious salads (mixed berry chicken or cilantro lime chicken - two of my favorites) or sandwiches or full meal entrees. In fact, you will have to go more than once to taste several of their absolutely delectable offerings.

If dessert is an absolute must, they have marvelous HUGE cookies (the chocolate chip ones are delicious) and lemon bars and other tempting treats. The brewed coffee smells delicious! They have cleverly managed to cover most of THE top choices for salad or sandwich or full meal fare foodies. Don't miss dining there soon!

Christmas Collage

Here is a Christmas Collage of the Christmas Celebrations that concluded with our annual gift opening at our home on December 26. We began with our traditional breakfast of scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, Nell's amazingly delicious buttered and toasted bread (Nell's bread has been a part of our celebration for 24 years! Yay, Nell!), orange juice, milk, & coffee. Unbeatable! Then we open our gifts. It's a special and fantastic time for everyone.

Christmas Cards & Books by Robert Sabuda

If you have ever been awed and amazed by pop up art, the work of Robert Sabuda is not to be missed. His pop up children's books like Beauty & the Beast, Peter Pan, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and ABC Disney are glorious works of art. The intricacy of the paper engineering makes the scenes magically spring to life as you turn the pages. Children are enchanted and enthralled by the 3-D aspects of the books. Adults are in awe of the talent behind these almost magical scenes. Don't wait another day! Discover the wonder of his art for yourself.