20 March

Mansion Notebook: Kindle Fire, Wall Art, Art Show In April

by Jon Katz
Mansion Notebook:

Lots of Mansion news.

Connie’s ll-year-old Apple computer broke down and can’t be fixed, and i wrote about this and suggested that people not try to fix this problem, it would be too expensive and complicated. Of course, Kristen ignored me and shipped Connie a new Kindle Fire pad, which plays the games she loves to help her sleep at night.

It does a bunch of other things as well. When Connie saw it, she cried, she can  hardly believe people care about her this much. She said she didn’t want any help with this, but I can see how grateful she is.

The Kindle Fire is perfect for her, easy to use, lightweight, portable,  and easy to see. “Hi, Connie,’ wrote Kristen, “I hope you can use this to play games, please enjoy it, it would make me very happy to give you back that ability and the fun you had playing them! I hope someone can help you set it up.”

It is set up, Kristen, and it does make her happy, she is playing games  on it already. Made me happy to see it, also, thanks for your generosity and for not listening to me.

-The Mansion is organizing an April Art Show. The residents will be visited by local artists during the month of April – Maria is going to show them how to make drawings from her free-form sewing techniques, Rachel Barlow and other regional artists are also coming by to teach drawing and painting and watercolor and talk about their work.

Maria and I and a yet to be named artist will judge the art work and pick some winners, their art will be shown at the Mansion.

Some of you have already sent some art supplies, thanks.

I have a list of the additional things some of the residents will need for the show – Canvas Board, 11 x 14, watercolor paper, card stock (heavy paper), acrylic paints and stamp pads are needed. I can get the canvas board, the other items are inexpensive and easily available, and if you can help the address is “The Mansion Art Show, c/o Julie Smith, 11 S. Union Street, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.” Thanks.

They are excited.

-The bare wall art project is moving along. We’ve identified about eight rooms with bare walls, we’ve put art and photographs up on four of them already. I’ll put up a couple of photos. Today we put up art work in Peggie’s room and Joan’s room.

-Herman’s family is grateful for your love and support. He died on Saturday.  I am giving the beautiful tin goat sculpture that was sent anonymously to me to give to Herman to Mandi Mulready of the Mansion staff. She was so good to Herman in his last days, it turns out her grandparents had goats and she grew up with them. Herman raised goats and loved them.

-Today, they received the Deluxe Scrabble game they hoped to have in the Activity Room.

-I discovered today that Madeline, a Mansion resident who was raised in a Bronx orphanage, who traveled the world as a military wife and who is 94 years old, loves crossword puzzles. I saw a pile of them in her room, and she says she loves doing them, she often works on the New York Times Puzzle.. I got hold of several to give her (one has large type), she says she can handle all but the toughest ones. Something to keep in mind, you can write her c/o The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

-The van you so generously helped to purchase is due to arrive at the Mansion tomorrow afternoon, I hope to go over and take a photo to show what you did, and thank you. I am thinking ahead to Easter, it is not far a way and an important day in the lives of the Mansion residents, a day that speaks of family and faith.

Please feel no pressure to do this work or sent letters and gifts, many of you have asked to be notified about what people need, but I am mindful of your limits,you have done so much, and there are not many wealthy people reading the blog I don’t think. But there are a lot of angels.

And it is difficult to even describe the importance of the work you are doing.

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