Tuesday, Oct. 2

Up at 7:30, but skipped my exercises, so Hubbie and I could get ready to attend an open house and ribbon cutting for the new hospital tower at 10 a.m.

We arrived around 9:30, and by then a whole lot of people were already gathered, mainly hospital staff and volunteers. The volunteers provided refreshments of coffee, and a choice of donuts, or large cookies, or muffins. Hubbie chose a cookie, and I had a chocolate muffin, with peanut butter chips.

There was limited seating, but since the staff and volunteers were standing, there were plenty of chairs for guests. There were several speakers, including a state congressman, but thankfully, they kept their comments short, and got right on to the ribbon cutting.

After the ceremony, groups of twelve were taken on tours of the facility. We were shown two empty patient rooms on the fourth floor, which are very family friendly. Nurses stations are now divided into six sections in a circle, with one nurse per section. This reduces the noise level, so that patients can get more rest. As was noted in the speeches, the thrust in this new section is to make patients as comfortable as possible, thus reducing stress, and helping the patient heal sooner.

On the third floor, we saw the Meditation Garden. Featured here is a stone labyrinth, fashioned in a maze design, for walking meditation. There are teak wood benches around the garden, and raised containers of low-water, low-maintenance plants, as well as small trees. At night, an ornate lamp emits warm light.

On the first floor is the porch with white rocking chairs, and a spacious cafeteria. Here, the focal point is a suspended sculpture in the center of the glass-topped tower. The sculpture, called "Reflections of Hope and Healing," uses hundreds of shaped elements made of thin guage polished stainless steel sheet metal "wings," that reflect the light. The sculpture is 40 feet long, and each independent section spins 360 degrees to catch the light.

After the tour, Hubbie and I ran errands...to the library to choose four more movies on DVD; to the newspaper office to leave this week's word search puzzle contest; and to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions.

Back home, I accompanied Mother to our house, where we had a lunch of leftovers. Afterward, Hubbie ran a couple of more errands, and I took Mother on an outing to a pumpkin patch at a church down the road from our house. It was a beautiful afternoon for an outing, and Mother thoroughly enjoyed it. I bought five small mini pumpkins, mainly to contribute to the church's fundraiser for youth groups.

At home, Mother headed to the couch for a nap, and I did this and that until around 3 p.m., when I began supper preparations by washing sweet potatoes, peeling and slicing apples, browning pork chops, etc. Put the potatoes in the oven at 3:30.

Mother finished her nap just before 4 p.m., and helped finish supper preparations.
While supper cooked, we watched Monday night's episode of "Dancing With the Stars."

The pork chops, baked with apples and onions, and brushed with honey and mustard, were very good, served with the yummy baked sweet potatoes, and sides of peas and butter beans, and Sis's homemade bread.

Later, at 6:30, we went down to the nearby college to attend an illusionist program. This is the first of four programs for which I purchased season tickets. Naturally, the illusionist was amazing, performing psychic-like tricks with the audience, though he insists that he is not a psychic, or magician. He has performed all over the world, and on many TV shows, and he's pretty amazing.

Back home around 9 p.m., I accompanied Mother to her house, and then Hubbie and I watched TV for a while before heading to bed.