United Presbyterian Home News

The weekend snowstorm brought an early winter to residents of southeast Iowa and the United Presbyterian Home as well. As the snow and ice linger, residents are smart to cancel activities that require them to go outside, thus halting the November cottagers potluck. Some residents had their dishes prepared so they ate well regardless of no potluck.

The model train display is up and running making its debut run over the weekend to the delight of kids young and old. The children have already visited a couple of times. Engineer Jim Bennett operates the train at various times in its location in the Stewart Lobby, which everyone is welcome to visit.

Residents met Saturday night in the Campbell Room to watch Driving Miss Daisy starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman. The story line follows an elderly widow trying to maintain her independence by hiring a chauffeur.

Audra Williams spent last week in Rockville, Maryland visiting her daughter, Mary Hall. Audra reports that she shared many wonderful family times with her daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Audra was able to join in Mary's birthday celebration and Mary cooked all of Audra's favorite foods in an attempt to fatten her up.

A committee of residents and board members worked their decorating magic and transformed the parlor and lobbies to look holiday festive. The tree and decorations in the parlor keep to the 1940s house style. Thanks to Sandy Dunlap, JoAnn Torpey, Jane Cuddeback, Jane's sister, Barb, Jane Fehr and Dorothy White for their creative style and hours of work. A full-size sleigh appeared on the parlor front porch compliments of Bert Lampkin. It is a beautiful vehicle with a black iron frame and red velvet upholstery perfect for photo opportunities. Bert tells us that it has been in the family for years and as a result in many family photos. It was a centerpiece at the winter wedding reception of Kelly and Kara Williams in which it is seen in the background of wedding pictures as well.

Members of the book club discussed Orphan Keeper by Camron Wright at their November meeting. It is a novel based on the true story of a young boy who was kidnapped in India and sold to an unsuspecting family in America. When he became an adult he searched for and found his birth family. They had never stopped trying to find him. The next meeting will be the last Wednesday in December. People will be reporting on Christmas books they have enjoyed.

Birthdays celebrated in the Town Center this week included Donna Proudfit and Jeane Fry.

Classics Et Cetera for Nov. 29, 2018, included the overture to 'The Prophet” by Giacomo Meyerbeer; 'Grande valtz brilliant,” Op. 18. by Frédéric Chopin; 'Swedish Rhapsody” by Hugo Alfvén; 'You Always Hurt the One You Love,” sung by The Mills Brothers; 2nd Movement of Piano Concerto No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff; 'Circus Echoes Galop” by Arthur W. Hughes

German composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864) found great success after moving to Paris from his hometown, Berlin. When he died, his nephew composed a funeral march which he showed to the fun-loving, Italian composer, Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868), then retired and living in Paris, who was famous for his wit. 'Very good,” Rossini told him, 'but, honestly, wouldn't it have been better if you had died and your poor uncle had composed the march?!” My source vouches for the truth of this incident.