United Presbyterian Home News

Volunteer Tonnie Crile drove a full busload to hear the Alaskan String Band, part of the Community Concert series. The band consists of the Zahasky family. The parents have three children and a daughter-in-law, all very talented. They play an impressive collection of acoustic stringed instruments and harmonize on music favorites. During the summer the family plays on cruise ships and during the winter they tour the lower states.

Cottager?s met on Monday evening for their monthly social and potluck dinner. Hosts for the evening were Kathy Knutson, Pat Jenkins, Connie Bauer and Jim and Jackie Bower.

Eleven members of the book club laughed a lot as they discussed The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. The novel was about a man with Asperger?s who was looking for a wife. The group gave it mixed reviews. Next month?s book will be The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose by Susan Wittig Albert. It is a mystery set in a small town in the south in the 1930s. The Darling Dahlias are a ladies? garden club. The book club?s next meeting will be the last Wednesday in February at 10 a.m.

Chef Cory Evans held a soup contest on Wednesday afternoon. The contest was open to residents and employees with categories of Chili, Broth and Cream Soups. Approximately a dozen entries made for wonderful taste testing by anyone wishing to be a judge. The winning chili was actually a Taco Soup made by Duayne Seberg with a first place winner of vegetarian chili prepared by Gwen Ying. Dorothy White made the winning ham and bean broth Soup with runner up Vegetable beef and barley prepared by Pat Jenkins. Betty Beenblossom took top honors for her creamy sauerkraut Soup and there was a tie for first place between Jackie Bower?s cheese, broccoli and ham soup and Dorothy Koehler?s cheesy broccoli Soup. The contest was deemed a success by everyone involved and a good winter activity.

Day care kids were busy baking in the Health Center again this week. Noah Kleese helped Manny Rios, Bella Lujan, Ben Kronlage and Fletcher Brower bake peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies which they hand delivered to residents.

Carol Flickinger celebrated her birthday in the Town Center with friends, neighbors and family present. Carol provided cupcakes to share with the coffee drinkers.

Classics Et Cetera for Jan. 28, included the overture to ?Amelia Goes to the Ball? by Gian Carlo Menotti; Third Movement of Wind Quintet No. 1 by Giuseppe Cambini; 2nd Movement of Piano Trio in B-flat (?Archduke?) by Ludwig van Beethoven; ?Bluebird of Happiness,? performed by Jan Peerce; 4th segment of ?Pineapple Poll,? music of Sir Arthur Sullivan, arranged by Sir Charles Mackerras; ?Coronation March? for Wilhelm I of Prussia, by Giacomo Meyerbeer

Sandor Harmati (1892-1936), born in Budapest of Jewish parents, immigrated to the United States in 1912 and played violin in several major chamber groups, among many other accomplishments. He is best remembered, however, as the composer of ?Bluebird of Happiness? in 1934 for his friend, opera tenor Jan Peerce, who made three recordings of it: in 1936, 1945 and 1958. The 1945 version became an international hit, becoming second only to Enrico Caruso?s ?Over There? during World War I, among records made by opera and concert singers.