Time only seems to matter when it is running out. Peter Strup

Today I met a remarkable woman when I met Brenda through my outreach program at Sharon Brooke. She has exuberance and Joy for her time here in the present even when if anyone has the right to complain about her discomfort it is this dear woman. We sat in the sunshine in the corner of the large activity room and played with watercolors, different brush strokes, and watercolor pencils. We shared cups of coffee and dipped our brushed into the coffee instead of our water dishes and laughed out loud that "this would not kill us". Brenda shared stories from Cleveland and her childhood, how she came to be with her husband of seventeen years and how much she misses him every day. We have laid out our lesson plans and we will never run out of mediums we want to try as we sit in the sunshine. Nurses and staff came over to cheer her on and the other residents were very curious to see what we were doing and maybe giggling about? After about 90 minutes I could see the fatigue in her eyes and promised her I would be back soon as I wheeled her back to her room. There I met her only family member...a yellow lab/greyhound mix named Pennyboy who had to" shake rattle and roll" as he checked me out. After settling Brenda in for a much needed rest Pennyboy walked me out to the exit door as if he was my escort and then trotted off to be with Brenda. I was apprehensive when I first considered this intimate experience but after much thought I said YES to Life. I look forward to our time together and I know she is teaching me much more than I am teaching her. Thank You for your trust and your friendship!
I then gathered poster board to make my collaboration with Miss Maya and her school fund raiser early tomorrow morning at Cherry Valley...another outreach to save the Arts. We should have fun but now I have to find a cowboy hat and bandanna ...who knew? Tomorrow night she has her school program which she has a line in the performance. Weathervane Playhouse look out for Miss Maya! Some of the most influential learning is now written down on paper but in a child's heart's memory.
The stimulus packages is all over the local news and I am so hopeful to have some economic relief come to my beloved Newark; this is a community of wonderful artists who are struggling to stay afloat. Make the most of your time... it is really the only gift we can give one another. I cooked a whole chicken tonight that only costs $3.04 and now I am going to make a deep dish noodle supper for later in the week. Ken ate like a King! Imagine and live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Tomorrow I will share my next global collaboration in collage!!! Stay tuned!