Photos submitted by Lisa Bloomquist.

October 27, 2020

You can say that again

AEOA Bus Ride

Well we don’t have to wonder any longer when we can do something simple like go for a bus ride. Thanks to AEOA in Virginia, MN, who donated their time and bus we were able to partake in the fall splendor.

According to the Perk

According to the Perk it was National Fluffernutter Day was Friday, Oct 9. We made Fluffernutters for Happy Hour.  I gave one lucky resident the marshmallow crème spatula to lick and she said, “This is sticky” as she proceeded to touch everything around her. You can say that again as I wipe off the iPad, her ear buds, her table, her hands, and her chair.

Do you know that the recipe used today to make Fluff is the same one developed 99 years ago?

Fluffernutter cookie recipe

1- 7 oz jar marshmallow crème

1 cup peanut butter

1 egg

Whip the egg and the peanut butter together. Add the marshmallow crème and mix. Do not mix all of the marshmallow crème in. You want to leave some white crème showing.

Place on parchment paper or a silpat. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

This recipe it says makes 18 cookies. I say, “Sure if you are the size of a bumble bee”

We also made Hummingbird cake for National Hummingbird Day.  Marce Wood, one of our fabulous Activity Assistants was a real trooper adlibbing the recipe to make the texture right. When she finally got done she told me. “I have an idea. Let’s never make this cake again.” I told her, “Why? Now we know what needs to be better.” I think it was good as did the residents and staff. That’s what counts.

Hummingbird Cake recipe

2 cups mashed ripe bananas       1

1 ½ cups oil

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

3 cups all- purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt, baking soda and ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped nuts

In a large bowl, beat the bananas, oil, eggs, pineapple and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon; gradually beat into banana mixture until blended. Stir in walnuts if desired.

Pour into 3 9” greased and floured round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Pineapple Frosting

½ cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

6 cups powdered sugar

½ cup pineapple juice

2 teaspoons cream

For frosting, in a large bowl beat the butter, lemon zest and salt until fluffy. Add powdered sugar alternately with pineapple juice. Beat in cream. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired sprinkle with chopped nuts.

We learned on National Grouch Day which was Sunday, October 4th. It’s the perfect day for all grouches to come together. A grouch’s mission in life is to make everyone’s life miserable including their own. Only then will he be happy, yet he isn’t. Don’t be a grouch.

National do something nice day was Monday, October 5th. Sweet Marce handed all the resident little hearts that said kindness on them. The residents were asked to give them to people who did something nice for them that day. It was so touching to see who we received the hearts from.

Resident Spotlight

Our spotlight this month is Robert “Bob” Haring.

Bob was born in Marquette, Michigan in 1922. He grew up near Escanaba, MI on a farm. He had 4 brothers and said,” Sisters weren’t allowed”.   They raised Jersey cows, had their own garden and had an apple orchard. He talked about eating apples and sometimes throwing them at each other. My interest peeked when he said they also had 100 Leghorn chickens. He said something fun he used to do as a child was play in the creek between farm chores. Robert was knowns as Bob or Big Bob, because he happened to be a little bit bigger than another Bob. He reminisced about walking 3 miles one way on a gravel road to school each day. In the summer they didn’t have money for shoes so they went barefoot. Even though they had a farm he said they had almost nothing to eat. They were able to make their own flour and sugar, but it was tough. Food was hard to come by.

At first they didn’t have electricity, but eventually they got it. He remembers them trying to bring the electricity in the house around all the rocks and boards in the walls, getting a radio when he was about 12 and getting to listen to it a little bit in between chores. They did school work by kerosene lamps and used lanterns in the barn to do chores. He said, “It’s amazing the barn didn’t burn down.”

Bob went off to war and to Bethel Bible College. Bob said at first the girls at Bethel outranked the guys. There were 3-4 girls to every guy. Then the war was over and there were 5 guys to every girl. Bob figured he had better make something of himself to attract a girl or he was never going to get one. Bob met his wife Audrey, who came from Sweden with her parents at Bethel University. They got married in Escanaba, MI on June 12, 1947. They were married almost 67 years when his beloved Audrey passed away. They have 5 children- Linda, Juanita, Carson, Melodee, and Dawn. I guess girls were allowed. He has 20 grandchildren, 20 greatgrandchildren and maybe 3 great great grandchildren.

Bob and Audrey served in the ministry around 40 years. They enjoyed traveling and have traveled all over central and western USA. Bob’s bike was a Kawasaki, the same style as the guys from the TV show CHiPs rode. One of Bob’s favorite places he went via motorcycle was to Yellowstone National Park. Bob also enjoyed painting and preaching. Still on Bob’s bucket list is to travel to Florida on a motorcycle. When asked what words of advice Bob has for young people he simply said, “Study the Bible as though your life depended on it because it does!”

What’s happening

There’s a new guy in town. Oscar Piedmont 2.0. Oscar is a 5 month old short hair ginger polydactyl kitten. He has visited once and will start visiting more frequently.

Every resident who wanted to vote got the chance to do so.

We won’t be having Trick or Treaters at the Care Center this year, but we are making ghosts out of Tootsie Roll Lollipop’s and sending them over to the Grand Marais schools in time for Halloween.

Joyce Hagen and Iris Shepard were our Daily Perk Puzzle drawing winners. They both received a stash of chocolate for their endeavors.

Residents who celebrated October birthdays are David Groth, Rose Hasegawa, James Tveekrem, Deb R, and Janet Ryden.

Indoor visits are still happening. You can make arrangements to visit a North Shore Living resident by calling 218-387-3040 ex: 0 Up to 5 people may visit at a time.

FaceTime and Skype visits are happening. You can make arrangements for them by calling the Activity Department at 218-387-3518.

Life is still happening.

At this time, we continue to limit visitors inside North Shore Living to all but essential healthcare personnel, compassionate care visitors, and designated essential caregivers.  This policy is based on the current guidance from the CDC, CMS and MDH.  We will refine and update our policy as more information becomes available and as guidelines change.  If you have questions regarding our visitation policy, please contact Amy James at 218-387-3282; Robert McGregor at 218-387-3799 or Kimber Wraalstad at 218-387-3260, or you may call the Ombudsman for Long-Term Care at 651-431-2555 or 1-800-657-3591.

We would like to send a huge thank you to AEOA for the use of the bus and to Pat Scully for his excellent service so we could once again experience the great outdoors.

To our families, friends, and volunteers we miss you and hope you are doing well.

Be the reason someone smiles today

You can say that again.