November 2025

 Dear Family and Friends,

This month’s letter will also include happenings at the end of October and the beginning of December.  I hope it won’t be too long.

  

I have already mentioned that I have been attending a seniors group twice a week at a place called Nu Hope.  It consists of both male and female folks mainly in their 70’s & early 80’s, I’d say, and in fairly good physical condition.  Some are brought by bus from various locations.  For Halloween, I was amazed to see almost all of them come in costumes of every kind and to be so free with their emotions.  When some background music was played, many of them began singing and dancing to it, and the rest of us clapped to the rhythm.  It was such fun!

Because Dan & Cathy didn’t return from being with her family in  Oklahoma until Wednesday Nov. 5th, I wasn’t able to get my hair done, go to church, or attend the senior group at Nu Hope.  But I didn’t mind it, because they, like True, had left me some prepared lasagna to heat up for dinner on those days.  And actually I do enjoy being completely by myself occasionally.

On that next Friday, while having my hair and scalp scrubbed hard because of missing out on last week’s treatment, and then sharing with Lisa my Thanksgiving Day puzzle as she began putting up my hair on rollers, all of a sudden the lights went out!  Wow!  No electricity!  Using her cellphone, Lisa found the outage to be city wide with restoration time estimated at 5 to 6 hours.  She'd finished rolling up my hair, but there was no way to dry it and finish the job.  So she sent me home!  She said she would come by my house later that evening, after the hair had a chance to air-dry, in order to complete her hairdressing job.  I was really grateful to her for doing that.  The very next Friday, I was unable to have my hair done because of a family emergency for Lisa.  Her son had been badly hurt on his motorcycle.  She said she would be in the shop on Sunday and could do my hair at 1:00.  I hesitated, not thinking it proper for the Sabbath Day.  Dan said it was up to me, and suggested that perhaps if there was no exchange of money involved, it might seem more acceptable.  Lisa was agreeable to waiting until the next Friday for payment, so I did go ahead with it.  Dan has a motorcycle that he's ridden for years with no serious problem, but he is more careful than some of the younger riders.

Because that Friday wasn't busy at the hairdresser’s, Dan offered to take me for a ride on the golf cart through the nearby state park.  I was anxious to see what it was like, so I hopped up!  Although it’s certainly not as simple and easy to do as getting into a car.  I could not use my trusty car-handle, nor much else for that matter, on that wide open cart.  But I was glad for the opportunity, and managed to get seated.  The weather was perfect; bright and sunny with a slight breeze.  Dan said it was six and a half miles round trip from his house, and that he would often walk it.  It was further if he branched off the main road onto one of its many trails.  I thought of True and how she likes hiking trails.  Dan explained that the park had basically been left in its natural state, except for the road and the camping and picnic areas, so you are able to see and feel as though you were in a sort of jungle.  There were trees of all sizes and shapes with long Spanish moss hanging from every branch, plus heavy undergrowth and swampy areas that surrounded us as we drove along that made it seem that way.  It is a natural habitat for many types of animals.  I was hoping to see an alligator or some other native animal, but no such luck, only a couple of little squirrels.  Dan said he once saw a bear, so we know that bigger animals do exist there.  In my mind, I could almost see Tarzan swinging from tree to tree and hear him calling out to someone or something.  It was great to be so close to nature.  An astounding experience!  The cart moved so slowly, it was almost like walking.  Of course, its slowness might have been due to a low battery, because they were several years old and needed replacement.  Dan didn't know how far it could go that day..  Though we did get a bit anxious, wondering if it might konk out entirely and leave us stranded somewhere along the way.  Luckily, it never did, and lasted long enough to get us back home safely.  But later I was not as fortunate.  

As you may know, I do not have a cell phone, but do have a land-line with 5 extensions placed around the house for easy access.  Even so, if my wheelchair wheels are locked or facing the wrong way, I may have trouble reaching any phone in time.  And then to find it’s just a telemarketer makes it very upsetting.  Without caller ID to distinguish between good and bad, I hurry to answer each call.  However on this particular day, I decided to play it smart and carry a phone with me.  The top I was wearing had a pocket on both sides.  The right side had a Kleenex there so I put the phone into the left pocket.  My ‘system’ worked just fine for a while. Then when Mother Nature called me into the bathroom, I lifted the seat cover but saw many tiny little black dot things on the tile floor in front of it.  So from my wheelchair, I leaned over with a moistened fingertip of my right hand. I began to fling them into the empty bowl.  As I stretched my left arm across the open bowl to get hold of a rod for better support, it pulled on my pocket, and, you guessed it, out went the phone, right into the water!  Immediately I grabbed it out, shook and dried it as best I could, but, unfortunately, the damage was already done.  Nothing else to do but throw that one into the trash.  Thankfully, it still leaves me with four others to take better care of.  Yes, we all make mistakes.  But hopefully none of them turn out to be really bad ones.

During November I tried sharing my Thanksgiving puzzle at every celebration I attended at church and my local group of seniors at Nu Hope.  But I was overwhelmed by the number of people who showed up at a dinner put on by the Nu Hope Organization at the City Center.  They are kinda like Goodwill and run a big thrift shop to help support the needs of the elderly.  I'd never have had enough copies of the puzzle for all of them.  There must have been two hundred or more.  But it was certainly a festive occasion, with lots of good food, live music, and dancing by the many who dared to get up and ‘shake a leg.’  I was fascinated by a couple who were actually waltzing to the ‘be bop’ music being played.  What fun that was!

Another very festive occasion of a different nature was attending with Dan & Cathy the stage production of “ANNIE” as performed by local talent in Sebring’s magnificent downtown theater, which was overflowing with a very appreciative audience.  I was amazed at the performance of the entire cast, which included so many young children of 5 years and up from the orphanage.  All were able to follow precisely the many choreographed movements of body, feet and hands.  The acting was superb for both Annie and the rest of the supporting actors.  I’m sure there was also an excellent and well organized crew backstage who so efficiently took care of all the changes of costumes and scenery.  Yes it was a delightful experience and I am so glad Dan gave me the chance to enjoy it.  Although I may have annoyed him, by coming away from there singing,”Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I love you, Tomorrow. You’re only a day away!”              

Cathy is such a sweetheart, always baking, making or bringing something for others to enjoy.  She has been extremely generous to my local Nu Hope group by supplying them with banana bread, zucchini bread, and cookies.  Just before Thanksgiving, she helped the girls of her Young Women’s class at Church put together small turkey-adorned containers filled with M&M’s, which were then distributed to all my new-found friends at Nu Hope.  She was also responsible for supplying and cooking the two turkeys used earlier for the church dinner, as well as doing the same for her own family dinner on Thanksgiving Day.  

For that, we had the pleasure of having Dan’s middle son, Casey and his wife Dana, who flew into Tampa from Oklahoma on Wednesday.  They were met there by Dan’s youngest son, CJ, who now works as an airline pilot out of Tampa and lives there.  The next morning, all three of them drove to Sebring so they could sit with us to enjoy a very fine meal.  I hadn’t seen Dan’s two boys since my 90th birthday party!  They shared pictures and fun and laughter, and I shared a couple of puzzles.  And of course we played Tile Rummy, then finished the fun day by eating lucious pie and ice cream.  It was great being with them again after so many years.  Friday was spent at the golf course here, where they enjoyed challenging their dad.  Even Dana got in some good whacks at a ball.  Later, we joined them at the restaurant on the golf course.  Then, sorry to say, it was time for them to leave.  Such a short visit, but also so very delightful.  Now that CJ is located in Florida, I may get to see him a little more often.   

I wondered what my two girls back home in Oregon had done for Thanksgiving?  I had a nice conversation with Linda and found that she had fallen forward and hurt her nose and face rather badly.  Neither her nose nor teeth were broken, thank goodness.  But she will be bruised and sore for quite a while I’m sure.  I feel so sorry for my poor girl, who has had so much physical pain in her life.   But Linda’s not one to moan and groan about things. She continued to work during the holiday and managed to prepare and share a nice dinner with her daughter Naomi.  Meanwhile, True stayed with her son Clint and his family while his wife, Lindsey, recovered from an operation, and was in Wisconsin for Thanksgiving.  She enjoyed a meal with her special friend JS (Joshua) and his family.  She loved visiting with family and friends very much, but is glad to be back home and able to sleep in her own bed again. 

I also had a nice long talk with my sister Carol, who spent Thanksgiving with her son Kirt & his wife in Salem, Utah.  They called to wish me a happy birthday, as did my girls and a few others.  On the 1st of December Dan took me to Denny’s so I could take advantage of their offer of a free meal on your birthday.  I wanted to be sure to get the “grand-slam” breakfast I had enjoyed in former years, before the closure of the Denny’s in Grants Pass.  And I did.  Dan enjoyed one, too.  Even though it was only 9:30 AM and I was full, Cathy expected me to be ready to eat again at 11:30 for a Birthday Luncheon at Bob Evans that she'd so meticulously planned.  It was really a splendid affair - with twelve lovely ladies from church to greet me and help me get to know them better. Cathy is such a good organizer, down to the finest detail, so I wore a banner across my chest, the extra long table was decorated and letters spelling Happy Birthday were strung along one wall.  There were balloons as well.  I felt so honored as each lady presented me with a card and some even brought a gift.  It amazed me that they would do that for someone as yet unknown to them, and was very touching.  I also took advantage of this opportunity to introduce this group to my Birthday puzzle, which always accompanies each birthday card I send out.  I was glad when they all began working on the puzzle while waiting for their food order to be filled.  I’m sure they and others will enjoy the fun puzzle for December.  I was impressed by how easy it is to talk with those ladies.  They are all so kind and loving to me, a newcomer, that I do feel I’ll do just fine here.  Like I said, I was amazed by the gifts: two poinsettia plants and a white lily-type plant, a long colorful necklace with matching earrings that I will give to Cathy because they are for pierced ears.  Even one from the Mundells (who were here for Thanksgiving) - a sweet little Christmas tree with ever-changing, colorful sparkles on its branches that is so pretty to watch, especially at nighttime.  Oh, my!  Such a wonderful day and birthday!  Thanks to Dan and Cathy.

Well, that about sums it up for this month’s letter, except to say that I wish you have a fully satisfying and a joyful Christmas.  I’m going to miss seeing the tremendous display of Nativity scenes from all over the world made from all sorts of materials that will be displayed again this year at the stake center in Grants Pass.  And another thing that I have missed by being here is the beautiful tree-lined streets filled with brilliant fall colors.  I love Florida’s variety of trees, but very few  of them seem to be deciduous, so there is no change of the leaves in the fall here.  That’s too bad, but every state has its own different kind of beauty.

Anyway, enjoy the season and its festivities, but remember WHO it is all about.  Be sure that Santa doesn’t overshadow the Christ Child, the reason He was born and the mission He was to fulfill.  And now I express my Love and a Merry Christmas to all, until we meet again next year! 

Marie