Our Seasonal Tree
All decked out for Autumn

I am hoping you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and were able to spend some time with friends and family.  We had a lovely day here in Sunshine Village...the weather was nice and there was a nice big group of our snowbird friends attending the wonderful turkey and ham dinner at Sunrise Hall.  The table groaned with the bounty!  Lots of good cooks here and every household brought something to share.  We all were so grateful for not being hungry and some worked in church kitchens to help provide a nice meal for those not as fortunate as we are.

Up the highway a bit from us, in Leesburg, there is a homeless shelter that many volunteers are working on.  Work on the shelter has been done in stages. The south wing opened in 2010 and the north wing, which they are working on now, is expected to be finished soon.  It is a shelter for families and is called the Samaritan Inn. They have been blessed with gifts of money and volunteers from churches, civic groups, corporations and businesses.  Residents have to work on a case plan for their lives and are not charged a fee for their stay at the shelter.  They can save their money to get together their deposits for housing etc. The director said, "The whole idea is to give people a boost and a safe haven where they are cared for as they move on with their lives in a positive manner.  This is not a rest stop; this is a work station.  We just can't open the door and take reservations like a motel because everybody has to agree to work a case plan.  We want to help these folks move from dependence to independence and productivity.  Our goal is to have them ready to leave us with a job and a place to live." Since opening in June 2010, the Samaritan Inn has had 34 adults and 57 children.  Of those 60% have left with a job and a home. The shortest length of time someone stayed was 2 weeks and the longest resident has stayed for 18 months.  Each individual's needs are different. On the wish list for the Inn is funding for a ministry assistant and a Christian counselor.   What a wonderful concept !  Getting folks from dependence to independence.... a real 'leg up'  and onto the right path again.  Wish we could see more of this type of help.

Now is the time to be getting out the Christmas decorations.  Folks around here really go all out with the lights! We don't put up too many but every year we do get our BIG star out and hoist it up to the roof peak.  It is visible as soon as one comes into Sunshine Village.  We have had it for several years here.  We are closer to the entrance than we used to be and it still shows up high in the air.  Today I helped with some decorations for Sunshine Hall.  Dennis and some of the guys have built a stable and a manger for the nearly life-size holy family.  Someone found some hay, probably from the farm up the street, and now all the lights are arranged and tonight we will see how it looks.

We are planning our annual Cake Auction and a Quilt raffle to help finance "Christmas For Our Kids". Our way of helping to make a nice Christmas party for some local kids not so fortunate as most.  Every year it is a labor of love and we sure enjoy watching them at their party.

I am hoping our sign language class will soon start up again.  I have been practicing a bit and had a nice conversation or two with my friends Cy and Frank already.  The pool is open most days and is a great gathering place when the days are warm enough.  We have really cool mornings but usually it gets up into the 70's by noontime.  The pool is covered every night with the heater left on so the water stays really nice at about 83-85 degrees.

Her Highness ... Miss Lizzie

I think she likes it here!

Now Lizzie is making me think a nap might be in order.  Or at least an hour to curl up with a book.  Even the sun has gone in for a nap at 2 PM  and my work is all done.  Hubby still at work so I may just succumb to my yawning.  

A quote worth thinking about!

"We would worry less if we praised more.

Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent

            and dissatisfaction."              Henry A. Ironside