Going to Montana for a marriage

Residents met in the Campbell room Saturday night to watch Bus Stop starring Marilyn Monroe and Don Murray. When a young cowboy meets the girl of his dreams and decides to make her his wife, he gets her to board a bus headed for Montana. When the road is blocked and their journey interrupted, the overnight stay at a diner changes both their lives.

Cottage residents report that it was good to break the winter cycle of 'canceled due to weather” routine, and meet for their monthly potluck Monday evening. They report of much laughter as they gathered once again to enjoy a special meal that included a buffet of delicious desserts. Jana Nieman and Jo Criss were introduced to the group as new cottage residents and welcomed by their neighbors.

Reed Orris celebrated his birthday in style Wednesday morning wearing a flashing green plaid hat and sporting a new T-shirt with the message 'still great at 88,” a gift from his daughter Linda Marie. Reid's daughters, Linda Marie and Cathy Pacha, joined Reid in the Town Center with trays of decorated cupcakes to share with the coffee crowd.

Five members of the book club met to discuss The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Coleen McCollough. Mary Atwood gave an interesting background of the author. McCullough has written a number of books including The Thornbirds. One member noted she wished the author had written a whole new book rather than basing it on Elizabeth and Darcy of Pride and Prejudice. Next month's book will be Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion. This is a non-fiction account of a Jesuit Priest who works with the gangs of Los Angeles to give them jobs and get rid of their tattoos.

Classics Et Cetera for February 28, 2019, included the overture to 'Caesar in Farmacusa” by Antonio Salieri; 'Beyond the Blue Horizon” performed by Jeanette MacDonald; 'Country Club,” ragtime two step by Scott Joplin, arranged for the Abaca String Band; Nocturne for Piano Trio by Franz Schubert; 'Gypsy Girl”- quadrille by Johann Strauss, Jr.; 'Dusty Trombone” by Henry Fillmore; Transcription for piano by Franz Liszt of the 2nd Movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5; 'The Vanquisher,” march by John Clifford Heed.

Scott Joplin (1868-1916) was the second of six children of Giles and Florence Joplin of Texarkana, Texas. Giles, a railroad laborer, left the family for another woman, leaving Florence to fend for herself and their children. She did so by cleaning homes, and she let Scott play the pianos in homes she cleaned. Starting at age 11, Scott received free music lessons for five years from Julius Weiss, a German-born Jewish-American music teacher. Weiss also helped Florence get her a used piano for Scott. Joplin never forgot Weiss' kindness and, after he became famous, sent him gifts of money when Weiss was old and in ill health, up until his death.