Great News for Some

 Our Oakwood Daily Press told us that we are beginning to test having visitors come to Oakwood. Now, before anyone gets excited about that, listen to what it means. We will be using the new parlor that has a tiny patio before the side door that is near the dining room. The visitor will sit outside the window and the sister will be inside the parlor. There is an intercom system to facilitate communication. There will be a sound box outside and one in the parlor. A heat lamp, borrowed from the school, will be placed outside to keep the visitor warm and there will be a small space heater in the parlor. Not sure how all this will work out, but one of our sisters from San Francisco did come and try it and we had a picture of the one sister in a wheelchair trying to speak to the other with the intercom. Fortunately we do not have really cold weather during most days. I wonder if we could give the Busy Persons' Retreat through the window? I think it is easier to set up a zoom, but if anyone wants to visit through the window, I am all for it.

Our staff is being creative and the breakfast is being served for a whole hour so we sit one at a table and come and go faster than before as we seem to be served quickly and when one leaves, the table is washed and reset immediately. I think that the two shifts for our dinner (11:00 and 11:55), have made all happy since two tables are not pushed together with a clear plexiglass between us so we can talk to each other although we are about ten feet away from each other. Supper has continued to arrive in our rooms around 4:30 but soon we will also be going to supper in shifts. It helps not to be in our rooms so much and it is good to see my sisters or at least a few of them.

I am not sharing anything spiritual today, but I am keeping up the practice of gratitude and will do so until Thanksgiving. (I mean the actually writing as I need always to keep this practice). I do think it is such a good habit for families to have each one around the dinner table share what she or he was most grateful for during the day. It would be a great way to prepare for Thanksgiving this year!