We visited Mom on Friday afternoon; she is doing well at her "home" - GreenHouse Cottages. The staff members like her because she is chatty. Also, she is now under Hospice care and the extra sets of eyes on her are much appreciated.

Ellen brought in two vases with flowers to brighten up the cottage and she set them out on the dining area table.

That night was dinner with Tom and Ellen - great to “catch up” on family activities and to discuss current events.

Saturday Colleen joined Jay, Tom, and Ellen for lunch and this was followed by a second visit with Mom; and this time the missing Bingo set was recovered and it was "game on." In addition to Mom there were four more Elders (residents) who joined in. Ellen had brought snacks and soda for prizes and somehow everyone won something.

Sunday was the Birthday Celebration. Ellen had bought a vase and some cattails that she decorated with wooden Easter eggs. Between Colleen and Ellen there was chicken salad, croissants, cookies, apple pie , and drinks. This day we were joined by Carri and Nora, and Jay got to play some games with Nora that she seemed to like. (Katie had to work that day so she sent in her birthday greetings and best wishes.) A few of the Elders came over to the table and they were welcomed into the festivities. Mom opened her birthday cards, said thanks for her gifts of flowers from Colleen and Carrie, and loved the large picture album that Ellen had made using over 100 pictures taken by the photographer at Nanny's 100th birthday. She got to receive birthday best wishes from Robert's and Karen's families via FaceTime. There was one other birthday gift - purchased by Ellen: an Ancestry DNA kit that will be mailed in the next day or so . . . stand by for results!

By 6 PM were were all partied out so we said goodbye to Mom and the other Elders, and to the GreenHouse staff. We returned to the Mitchell home for snacks and more memory sharing. Then it was off to bed to be ready to catch a plane the next morning.

Except for missing Katie (Understandably absent), cannot imagine how the weekend could have been better.