Halcyon House News

Sunday?s church service was held by the Rev. David Watson of the First Assembly of God Church. The sermon title ?Planting Seed? was based on the scripture from Matthew 13: 1-9. Pianist was David Watson with special music by John Ramsey.

Monday night at the movies this week residents watched the movie ?Brooklyn.? This movie was about an Irish immigrant (Saoires Ronan) in 1950s New York who falls for a tough Italian plumber (Emory Cohen), but faces temptation from another man (Domhnall Gleeson) when she returns to her homeland for a visit.

The students from the Y-Kids Club after-school program painted and decorated terra cotta pots for the dining room tables. These colorful flower pots along with a beautiful pansy that was planted in each one was a delightful table decoration.

For the Topic of the Day, Lela Garten brought in some fancy green beans for everyone to taste. Lela also wore a fancy tie to go with her themes of a fanciful party.

For the baking class the residents made a banana cake by using a cake mix as the base ingredient. This delicious treat was shared at Movers and Thinkers and Topic of the Day.

Special singer Donna DeBose (a soprano singer) and pianist Margie Runaas both faculty at Iowa Wesleyan College, performed lovely operatic music. A love song sang all in German was one of the songs that was shared along with ?Amazing Grace.?

Halcyon Residents and volunteers enjoyed a wonderful breakfast Wednesday morning in honor of National Volunteer Week. They were entertained by Malory Madison, a young pianist who composes and plays original works. They also enjoyed the vocal and piano talents of Iowa Wesleyan College faculty, Donna DeBose (vocals) and Margie Runaas (piano). Each attendee received a nice pocket organizer and cookbook.

Karen McCreedy had lunch on Sunday at the Bistro with her brother and his wife, Douglas and Karen Altman of Ankeny. They were on their way home from wintering in Florida.

Guests of Margret Steinbeck this week were her children, Kristen Hess and her friend Tom Peefer of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Kortney Grabill of University Place, Washington.

Jean Marshall?s daughter and husband, John and Mary Sasseen from the Houston, Texas, area visited Jean and Mary?s brother John and wife Chris Marshall. Also visiting with Jean was Carl and Sue Hadley of Packwood. John Sasseen also visited his sister Janet Farrier and family.

Grace Egli?s son Richard of Washington joined her for dinner Sunday in the Timmins dining room.

It is always a great day when you have unexpected company especially when it is family you haven?t seen for more than a year. Sybil Thornton?s son Mike from Rico, Colorado, where he has been hiking and picture taking while staying at the Mineshaft Hotel enjoying the conversations, history and beautiful scenery of the area. Now Sybil and Mike are off visiting the sights of eastern Iowa.

On Monday, April 11, two of the late Larry Shalla?s daughters Laurie Shalla of Redondo Beach, California, and Beth Stuck of Des Moines had lunch with Reta Beemblossom and Carol Pilcher in the Bistro. The girls were here to help sister Pam clean out the residence. Reta and Carol so enjoyed meeting with the girls again and the lunch.

Betty Osincup?s daughter, Janet Hurley, flew from Miami, Florida to Iowa for several days of activities with the family. She stayed at the Zierkes? Homestead, home with her daughter and family. Sunday morning Janet met Betty and granddaughter Regina Roselund at their North Liberty church, following with all going to Homestead for brunch and visiting at Zierkes?. Janet came home with Betty to Halcyon House in time for supper at the Timmins dining room and stayed overnight.

Reginia drove Janet to the Quad Cities airport for her flight home. It was a short but fun visit. Janet missed seeing her two Iowa sisters and nephew, Elyse and Ben Chapman and Donna and Bob Olson. The Chapmans were on a Mid-Prairie high school tour to New York. Bob and Donna Olson were in Austin, Texas, at the home of Donna?s son and family. Betty met them at a restaurant in Coralville for supper on Tuesday. The only daughter Betty did not get to be with was Reginia?s mother, Nancy Roselund of Canyon County, California.

Thursday, April 14, Carol Gingerich enjoyed a pizza party in the Avalon kitchenette with Katie Kiesey and Donna Weseman of Marion, Cathy Schroder of Keosauqua, and Gladys Ferguson. Some 2-day-old baby chicks even joined in the fun.