The Christmas Season at Granville

Part of the fun of living at Kendal is participating in the celebrations of the holidays that enliven our annual calendar. We have Valentine's Day, when hearts proliferate on campus. We have the Fourth of July, with its cookout and barbecue, and with flags and bunting springing up everywhere. We have Halloween, bringing its annual infusion of small but fearful monsters - actually the children of staff members and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of residents - to share an evening meal with adult friends, to get one more chance at tricking-or-treating, and to enjoy an evening jounce on a horse-drawn hay wagon. And on any Saturday in the fall the scarlet and gray colors of Ohio State are suddenly on display - on banners, apparel, doors, and candies - to remind us that the Buckeyes are playing football that afternoon.

But the fullest season of celebration is Christmas - and in part because it encompasses several weeks. The first sign that something noel-ish is afoot comes soon after Thanksgiving, when decorations begin to appear, not only at the doorways of the residences but also, thanks to the work and planning of resident decorating committees, in various community gathering places. At the heart of all these decking activities is the annual greening of the lobby. Meanwhile, across the campus various trees, both outside and inside, slowly and magically begin to spring to light.

At the same time musical events begin to fill the calendar. The local high school choir comes to share its gifts with us. Various smaller ensembles perform on weekday evenings. Children provide musical entertainment. Buses transport residents to concerts on the Denison campus. Finally, as Christmas Day draws near, we have a community carol sing, which includes the additional and happy opportunity for us to hear the solo voice of a very talented member of our health service staff.

Seasonal parties, small and large, begin to appear on residents' schedules. Among them, the most joyous is the annual staff appreciation event, which brings residents and employees together and allows the residents to let it be known to those who keep the operations of Kendal running so smoothly just how grateful we all are for their friendly and invaluable efforts.

Christmas Eve brings one of the happiest developments, with the sudden appearance of gifts of candy and cakes on the doorsteps of many residents - all anonymously provided, of course. We can only conclude that Santa Claus has put Kendal on his itinerary.

Christmas Day itself finds the Kendal dining experience transformed. It goes without saying that the staff provides splendid holiday fare - ham and bass and beef were laid on this year, with pastries to delight almost any tongue. But the assemblage of diners is different. On the one hand, many regulars are not present, for they are off spending the day with friends and family. And on the other hand, many unfamiliar faces, some quite young and rambunctious, have arrived to celebrate the holiday with a parent or grandparent whom they love.

Not everyone at Kendal holds to the belief system that gives Christmas the special meaning that church-goers ascribe to it. That's why we make a point of celebrating Hannukah, recognizing Kwanzaa, and acknowledging that some of our friends are simply not into religion at all. But the season manages to catch just about everyone up in its warm spiritedness, and it becomes, for believers and unbelievers alike, a moment to celebrate community, friendship, and fellow-feeling.

Life at Kendal as Exemplified by the Woodworking Shop

This is a picture of our Display Cabinet made by the men in our Woodworking Shop.The story behind it tells a great deal about life at Kendal at Granville.

The story begins during the early days of our history when Founders Meetings were being held. Even as the community was being built these meetings were held with those persons who were signed up to live here. Those who could attended regular meetings in order to get to know one another and to plan for their lives at Kendal.

Among the topics discussed at these gatherings were ideas regarding what they would like to see incorporated into the plans for life at Kendal. One of the notions that grew from an idea to a dream to a vision to a reality was the notion of a woodworking shop. Interested members got together to discuss what form this shop might take. As things moved forward space was set aside in the lower level of the community building for a shop. In keeping with Kendal values and principles the setting up and running of this shop was left in the hands of the residents as they moved in.

As a selfgoverning group within a few weeks of their arrival the first residents established a Residents Council and from that came the Kendal at Granville Residents Association (KAGRA). A variety of committees came into being rather quickly to meet the varied interests of our membership. Some of the first ones to emerge were the Woodworking Committee, the Fiber Arts Group, and the Pool Committee.

The projects of the Woodworking Committee typically illustrate how members of this community work together for the welfare of each other and the community as a whole. For example among other projects they have created a much needed display area for magazines in the library, made a beautifully crafted wooden suggestion box for use in the dining room, as well as repaired chairs and done other minor repair jobs for individuals. I understand that some of the repairs have been as challenging and intricate as building new items. Their charges include the cost of materials and a set fee for the time. The fee for time goes into the KAGRA treasury where it is earmarked for the use of the Shop Committee in maintaining and improving the shop. No one personally receives any money for work done in the shop.

The Display Cabinet came into being at the request of the Gallery Committee. The Gallery Committee is one of our newer committees established to take over the responsibility of maintaining art exhibits in the hall designated as our Gallery. Almost from the time it was established this Committee felt the need for a place where three dimensional items could be displayed safely. The need was presented to the Woodworking group who produced this beautiful cabinet. One man designed it with the help of another and then they built it together from cherry wood which another man in their group donated for the job.

The items on display are loaned by members of our community who very generously have offered to share some of their treasures with everyone. The current display fits the season and is made up of diverse Nativity sets. Already the Gallery Committee has a long list of items which residents have graciously offered to share. This further exemplifies the willingness of our residents to work together and share with one another.

Virtually Competitive

Last year when visiting our children, I was introduced to the Wii game from Nintendo. For those not up on tech games, this is the game where players wave controllers around, the game box follows them somehow and the results show up on the TV screen. It is a bit of mystery to me how it works but it does. Using this system, you can see the bowling ball you “threw” go down the alley and strike - or not- the pins. One can play tennis, baseball, golf and many other games. Some are very very hard.

But bowling isn’t too hard and it has become popular with old folks. We obtained a Wii set from Kendal last March and have been steadily engaged since. Every Friday afternoon we set up the “machine” in one of the activity rooms and everyone is welcome. We usually get 6 to 10 players a week. There is a faithful core of 6 or 7 and others come in on occasion to try their luck- or skill.

It may seem silly for a bunch of octogenarians to be playing like this. But it is fun. We are not very competitive but tend toward supporting each other. After all that is what we do all the time at Kendal. One 93 year old brought his grandkids to watch. They said they could NOT believe Grandpa was doing this. One upper 80-’s woman said after a strike, “You know, it really feels good.”

One actually can bowl sitting down, on even in a wheel chair but so far no one wants to. The game brings out the old competitive juices. When someone gets 7 strikes in a row or scores 250 or so, we put it in the newsletter. After all the bridge players publish their scores. Our game isn’t aerobic, but it does at least get some joints moving.

Now as to the other games. Several are talking about trying golf. The problem with golf is it takes as long as a real game, so they will have to find their own time. We tried baseball and tennis but the degree of difficulty goes way up. But Bowling seems just right.

The Story of Tower Tales

Retirement communities are hotbeds of talent, and one of the gifts that many residents of Kendal at Granville display is the ability to write. It was that realization that served as the starting point for Tower Tales.

Several years ago a group of residents decided that Kendal at Granville, though still but three years old, had come of age, and that it was time for residents to create a journal through which Kendal authors could share their writings with their friends and neighbors and perhaps with the wider world. Getting started was easy: a group of six residents volunteered to constitute an initial editorial board, the Residents Council approved an application for start-up funding, a competition for a choosing a title for the publication was launched, and manuscripts were solicited. Right on schedule, the first issue of Tower Tales appeared, and the residents of Kendal at Granville had a literary journal of their own.

Since the inaugural issue in late 2009, two more have appeared and the fourth is on schedule to be published in February or March of 2011. The semi-annual pace suits the community fine. Meanwhile, the number of contributors has grown to well over twenty, and solicitations for submissions now generate enough manuscripts to necessitate holding some pieces over for later issues. The experiment has proven successful.

That Kendal at Granville should be home to a cluster of authors, whether newbies or veterans, is not a surprise. Like any retirement community, our residents collectively embody a variety of rich and diverse career trajectories -- lawyers, builders, doctors, housewives, civil servants, teachers, clergy, nurses, managers, librarians, salespeople, artists, architects, writers, accountants, innkeepers, members of the military, entrepreneurs, professors; and the list goes on. These careers and the interactions that they afforded have provided the grist from which creative minds can generate imaginative depictions of life. Even if some of the writers have never before thought of themselves as authors!

But if the sheer number of Kendal authors is not surprising, the variety of genres they have created is. Tower Tales has published poems and short stories, political commentary and a book review, reminiscences and humorous tales, musings and inspirational essays. The effort to find a suitable format has led to the inclusion of photographs in the more recent issues. The journal has established itself as an important element in the social and cultural life of Kendal. And it stands as a tribute to the imaginative spirit of the residents of the community.

Signs of the Times

As holidays approach, especially in the main building here at Kendal where I live in an apartment I know that something special is about to happen by the signs around me. There are a variety of signs other than those appearing on TV or in the newspaper that I have come to recognize as indications that a holiday is approaching. For example one of the things I pick up on is the increased use of the ping pong table in the activity room which is next to my apartment. This tells me that grandchildren are arriving with their parents who are visiting their parents. No matter how much young ones may love their grandparents there is only so much time they can spend sitting talking politely with their elders. Naturally they look for something more lively to do.



Fortunately we have an easily accessible ping pong table which helps to dispel some of that pent up energy. Another place that sees increased use is the pool area. It has the advantage of being a place where the whole family can play together for awhile. Then when those gifted with more years than others have had enough, they can lounge poolside while the youngsters entertain them with all sorts of inventive water games.



Another sign is the appearance of more younger looking faces in the dining room at meal times eating with people who usually eat alone. As we approach proud moms and dads introduce us to the sons and daughters and grandchildren they have been telling us about. Sometimes you don't see the young ones until you realize that the line at the hot entree counter has seemed to grind to a halt. Then you look ahead and discover the ready prepared food has not appealed to the young appetites. Instead they have requested hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries, etc. which are made to order. Thus the slowdown. There is one distinct advantage to having a grandchild with you at mealtime. They are most obliging about running back to get any item you may have forgotten to pick up.



Once in awhile a gifted adult child or grandchild will entertain whoever is nearby with either a short impomptu or even once in awhile a planned concert in the lobby. Those are special moments in our lives when we share with each other our blessings.



We know the holiday is over when there are no more children running ahead of parents and grandparents in the halls. No more residents walking down the hall obviously showing off our facilities to their visiting families. No more impromptu ping pong games. No more holdups in the food line. Just a quiet return to the activities which fill our lives between holidays.

Feeling Virtuous

I just got back from exercise class and feel tired and oh so virtuous! The first twenty minutes of the class is aerobics. For the last month or so our leader has introduced some new steps which are faster and harder. I cannot let my mind wander for one second or I am off course. I think this is as good for the brain as it is for the body. We also do some lifting and stretching exercises both standing and on the floor. We easily get down on the floor but getting up again is pretty funny. I really never did exercise much in the past, not like the younger generation, but now that I am retired and class is less than a block away, I have no excuse.

Diane, our leader, has a BA in Health and a Certification from the American Council of Exercise. Diane also directs a Water Wellness Class, a Stretch and Strength Class, and a Pilates Class. She tells me that "Pilates" was started by a man by that name who was helping to rehabilitate veterans using five different sets of exercises which than became known by that name. In January Diane will teach Tai Chi for arthritis prevention. I think that Tai Chi has a meditative component as well and I will find out when I take the class. I did read on Google that this exercise helps to improve coordination which older people certainly need in order to prevent falling. I will report back on this in January.

A Musical Adventure

Last Sunday evening a bus-full of Kendal residents attended an orchestral concert on the Denison University campus. The venue was Swasey Chapel, Denison's large and historic gathering site for major events. The performing group was the Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble of reliable amateurs and professionals who, under Timothy Weiss's direction, provide the county with grand musical evenings four or five times a year. But -- and there's no doubt about this point -- the source of our sense of high anticipation was the prospect of hearing a performance of Haydn's keyboard Concerto in D. Why (you might wonder) did this opportunity so excite us? Because the pianist was all of seven years old!

It is rare that one gets to attend the performances of child prodigies. The term itself is, I suppose, problematic. But our young man dazzled the packed chapel. His talent was so obvious, so enchanting, that it is properly called a "gift" -- that is, an ability that seems somehow to transcend what mere practice and dedication and even love of music can achieve. (This is spoken by someone who knows whereof he speaks, having labored long years at the piano with little to show for the effort or his parents' expenses.) When the performance on Sunday ended, the audience rose almost as one to fill the chapel with applause.

The rest of the concert was enjoyable too. A new violin concerto by a Denison composer. A set of solos and duets from operas by Mozart, Delibes, and Offenbach. Songs from hit Broadway musicals. But on the bus during the short drive home, conversation focused on the young man whose musical resources and winning smile had engraved the concert on our minds. We felt that we had attended a truly special occasion, and we were reminded that there is something deeply satisfying in reflecting upon the heights to which human creativity may soar.

More Musings by ewq

More Musings
As I contemplate my life here at Kendal I can’t help thinking how lucky I am to live in such a rich environment - rich that is in terms of diversity. All sorts of diversity abound here. Our recent celebration of International Day quickly revealed our diversity of national heritages as we put pins in a world map to show the land of our family origins. At the end of the day we had pins in almost every European Country and even some in far off Australia. At that same festival people brought foods representing their native lands. There was an abundance of wonderful tasty delights spread out on our table.

The residents here have many talents. Our Gallery Committee just hung a new art show made up entirely of paintings by artists who live here. These paintings represent the work of artists who have been painting for years, artists who are now engaged in teaching others, and those who have learned to paint in the art studio here. Subject matter ranges from abstracts to pets and wild animals to landscapes to still lifes and more.

Our glass display cabinet also arranged by our Gallery Committee is currently filled by bits and pieces on loan by residents. Items drawing ooh’s and aah’s and compliments include a set of sculptured glass jade animals from China copied from those of the Ming Dynasty; selections from a collection of hand blown glass paper weights from various parts of the United States and Scotland; china boxes including Wedgewood and Spode from England, cloisonné from Japan and earthenware from Ohio; pieces of antique vaseline glassware going back three generations; several Cat’s Meow collectibles from Granville; and figures of Confucius with students from China. All exemplify the rich diversity of interests of those who live here.

Not only do we have a variety of international heritages here but we also enjoy the richness that comes from the fact that many of us have lived in many different states of the United States. So it is that dinner conversations often elicit memories of homes in other states. Although I’ve lived here since the opening five years ago I’m still discovering new facets of the lives of those who live here. For example just last week I discovered that someone I had talked with frequently had spent a part of her life in the same part of Pennsylvania wheremy great grandparentsonce lived. My great grandmother had written a poem about the beauty of the Alleghany Mountains, a place this friend remembered also with fondness for its beauty.

My life in general has been enhanced by my contacts with diverse new friends including among others one who came from Australia with her American GI husband and another who tells us what it was like to live in England during WW II. I also had the good fortune to get to know a woman who served in the Navy in the northwestern US and broke Japanese codes in WWII.

Once I discovered that the couple I was eating with had lived in the same community in northwest Ohio where I lived when I was in nursing school and after I was married. The wife turned out to be the graduate of another school of nursing there. We quickly found out that we knew many of the same people. Then I just happened to ask if she went to a particular high school where my husband’s cousin was the principal. It turned out that she knew him well but had lost touch over the years as they moved about. She was delighted to know that he and his wife were still alive and well. So I shared some of our last correspondence. That’s diversity plus - making new friends here and finding out that it’s a small world we live in after all.

Tomatoes

Well, I pulled up my tomato plants today. Sort of sad, but the lovely “Golden October” weather we are having makes up for it. Before my wife and I moved to Kendal, I had been an anti-gardener. Many years ago, my father introduced me to gardening which he loved, but I didn’t. I do remember working in our “Victory Garden” during the war that I was just too young to be in. (Korea caught me though.) But for 40 years we lived in Granville with so many trees that gardens were pretty much ruled out. At least I told myself that. A few Impatiens in the spring was all I tried for. When we moved into Kendal, I gave my son most of my gardening tools. After all, the grounds are taken care of and the lawns are mowed.

Then I discovered I had a nice sunny spot in back of our cottage, where my efforts were not easily seen by fellow residents. So this is my fifth summer of having a garden which I call “Danny’s First Garden.” Mostly this consists of marigolds, zinnias and an experiment each year. Once it was huge sunflowers, then equally huge hollyhocks. And this summer three tomato plants.

They grew great. I have done enough “amending” to provide a pretty good bed;. And, although a bit late, we had great big tomatoes. With luck the little animals that come down from the woods left them alone. After trying tomato frames, I found 6 foot stakes from the lumber yard held them up. I probably could have gotten tomatoes from Granville’s excellent farmer’s market as cheaply, but it would have been no fun. We even took some to dinner a couple of times and shared with table mates.

The basic rule here is that residents have a “yard” literally around their cottages/villas to plant. (I mean a yard as in 3 feet.) Most cottages have been planted of course so it is strictly voluntary. But when I take my walks around the “campus” I see a fascinating variety of flowers, tomatoes and even one cottage with strawberries.

Our Book Group

I just love our book group! Once a month an assortment of men and women from different backgrounds with different tastes get together to discuss a book which has been chosen by the group. We choose a book by consensus which is the Kendal way. I said the members are varied but so are the books. We have read bestsellers, classics, biographies, and history.

One of our first choices in 2006 was "Team of Rivals". In 2007 we read several old classics such as "Painted Veil" by Somerset Maugham and"Madame Bovary" by Flaubert. One of our favorites was "Huckleberry Finn". Larry remembered that her daughter had written a paper years ago about this book in which she said that the river was a metaphor for good and the land was a metaphor for evil. Good things happened on the river and bad things happened on the land.

Last month we discussed a current bestseller, "The Help". We had a little "help" with this book from Susan Richardson, a retired English Professor at Denison. Most people enjoyed the book but several of us had reservations, including me. One of Susan's interesting questions was whether we thought the book was about the writer of the story or about the maids.

We have an ambitious project for December. We are reading "Anna Karenina" by Tolstoy, a 900 page beautiful and sad story. Most of us have read this book in our younger years, but as with "Huckleberry Finn", we will bring our added years of experience, knowledge, and mature insights, so that it is almost like reading it for the first time. We will have help again this time. Betty's daughter, Carol, is a Professor of Russian Literature at Duke University, and she will lead our discussion.

Usually we do not have a reviewer or a leader. One of us just moderates the discussion. There are two rules: Only one person at a time may speak (no side conversations), and we have to pretty much stay on topic. I can usually tell beforehand which books will have a lively discussion because of the chatter I hear in the dining room. I have already heard lots of chatter about "Anna" and am really looking forward to our December meeting.

Musings on Life at Kendal

I've heard some people say, "I'm not ready yet for life at a CCRC." If they are saying that because they think living at a CCRC is a place where people sit around gathering dust they have a lot to learn about life as it is lived at a CCRC like Kendal at Granville. The only place where dust gathers here is in the corners of our four-car carports. When the wind blows on a dry dusty day, all sorts of dust bunnies may gather in the corners but elsewhere there are lots of assorted activities to keep us engaged. If dust gathers on anyone, it's purely a matter of choice

Some weeks I can scarcely keep up with what's happening let alone take it all in. It's a good thing Kendal helps us keep track of what's available both on and off campus by providing lots of reminders via bulletin boards, memos, newsletters, TV, and Sarah. Sarah is our disembodied caller who relays messages en masse by phone when called upon to do so.

Some times just thinking about all there is to do leaves me breathless. Without my personal weekly calendar to keep track of my choices from the great bounty of offerings I would be lost. Even with it I can miss something. Just last Thursday I made sure I got to Fiber Arts on time because I was planning to leave early. The Gallery Committee, of which I am a member, had called a special meeting to figure out what to do because an anticipated exhibitor had declined our invitation to display her works.

Before we could fully resolve our alternative plan we realized that the noon serving time was disappearing. Some of us needed to get there or miss a meal. But first we had to figure out a time when we could meet again. Easier said than done because of our busy schedules. These were the kinds of things that we had to consider: one of us had water exercises every M-W-F from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., another couldn't make it on Saturday because she had The Geek Squad coming to help sort out computer problems, someone else had a medical appointment, and so it went. We finally found a time on Monday afternoon (I just didn't mention it was when I usually went to the fitness room to workout. I figured I would just fit it in at some other time.)

Before going to lunch I hurried back to my apartment to take my noontime meds. Coming in I saw the phone message blinking. There were two messages. The first was from the Wellness Center telling me the lab tech was there waiting to draw my blood. Oops! I knew the lab tech would be long gone by the time I heard the message. I have blood drawn routinely to follow a chronic anemia problem. But this time the date hadn't made it to my calendar.

Fortunately, a quick call to the nurse in the Wellness Center allowed my to apologize, explain what had happened, and arrange for a new date. Then it was off to lunch because at 1:30 p.m. I needed to be at the annual meeting of the Residents Association. Any wonder at 2:30 p.m. I was ready for a nap or at least some sort of time out.

Speakers Series

I am in charge of the Speakers Series at Kendal at Granville.

For over five years we at Kendal have enjoyed presentations of over 100 speakers from every walk of life. When you read the newspapers, attend a lecture, or hear of an interesting speaker, you will have almost endless sources of enlightenment. We generally have one or two speakers per month, and occasionally three, and almost all have been resounding successes. The problems I have encountered are that people don't like to return phone calls. The other problem is that a speaker's DVD is often incompatible with our laptop and projector. When they bring their own equipment, things work more smoothly.

The Starry Heavens Above

Early in September, after the sun had set, a gang of curious residents took the Kendal bus to the home of Dick, one of our drivers. Dick is an astronomy buff, and he had invited us over to see the wonders of the late-summer sky. The night was dark, cool, and clear - jacket weather, with no moon and no urban lights. And like any serious amateur astronomer, Dick had a seriously massive personal telescope, conveniently mounted for us in his front yard. This was our window on the glories of the heavens.

A friend once told me that all little boys pass through their moments of fascination with stars and dinosaurs. (And maybe little girls do too.) I know I went through both phases, and they were buttressed by school visits to the Hayden Planetarium and the Museum of Natural History in New York City. In any case, this interest in things astronomical never really left me, and the opportunity afforded by Dick's invitation reignited it.

There were about ten or so of us that night. After a little instruction, we took our turns, one by one, at the computer-directed scope. For some it was easy to use. For others getting the knack of it was a bit more of a challenge. But for almost everyone there was that moment - and a gasp from the viewer let everyone know it had come - when a magnified picture of the sky suddenly jumped out of the eyepiece and the marvels of the heavens opened themselves up.

For me the highlight of the evening was seeing the four large satellites of Jupiter, conveniently strung out in a row to the right of the planet. I tried to imagine what Galileo had thought. We also saw the Hercules cluster (spectacular under the magnification of the scope), a double star (featuring partners of contrasting colors), and the Andromeda galaxy (still only smudge, but far and away the most distant thing I've ever cast my eyes on).

I had taken along my bird-watching binoculars, but they turned out not to be very useful for viewing particular objects, even those as large and (relatively) close as Jupiter. Still, when pointed at the gauzy haze of white that drifted across the sky directly above us, the binoculars converted it into an astonishing array of thousands of sparkling stars. Milky Way indeed!

We didn't become children again that night. But we recalled some of the simple pleasures and happy anticipations of childhood. And we were reminded that the there is much to be gained by seizing opportunities to move beyond our day-to-day lives and to touch realms of existence that ordinarily lie beyond our ken.

I Feel at Home Here at Kendal

I was ready and eager to move here! Our big old house, which was beautiful and much loved, constantly needed some repair or update. It was becoming increasing difficult to get the walks shoveled, the lawn mowed, and the weeds pulled. Furthermore, after working in and out of the home for most of my life, I wanted more time to read and volunteer.


Also, I had worked as a financial planner and many times some person nearing retirement age would come in for planning of his/her own and tell stories about helping aged parents and stressing out about what should be done, usually whether or not to insist mother or father go to a nursing home. Sometimes it meant uprooting older people at a time when it was harder to make friends and adjust to different surroundings. I soon made the decision that my children were never going to worry about what to do with mom. I would make that decision myself. We were fortunate that Kendal, a CCRC, was being planned right here in our community. However, we did do a thorough investigation of its finances and services which did not come up wanting.



The hard part was downsizing! I think I spent the better part of the year going through stuff in the attic, garage, and basement. My husband was a big collector and accumulated lots of family history items. We also had antique furniture from his family. I could spend a whole "blog" on just that subject. We have a friend whose work is interior design, so we gave him the floor plan of our Kendal cottage and decided together what pieces would work where, and then invited the children to choose from the rest. John and children decided what documents to keep and we contacted different historical societies to find out what interested them. When we brought some items to the OSU Historical Society, we were given a lovely tour of the archives.

When moving day came, and our furniture was in place, I really felt at home! Our antiques contrasted beautifully with the contemporary design. We were among the first residents in April, 2005. We had no sidewalks to the main building and the trees and shrubs were still being planted. And then we watched our surroundings become just lovely! We have growing trees and shrubs and residents have planted gardens in public places as well as around cottages and villas. I love to see the creativity of each gardner in the areas around the porches.

Aanother time I will tell you how I spend my days and weeks. I do have time to read now and belong to two book groups, and am participating in other volunteer activities. Lawn care, snow shoveling, and window washing are someone else's concern! It is just great! We gave a good life.

The Right Time to Move to a Retirement Community?

Hello ... and let me introduce myself. I'm Reed Browning, a resident at Kendal at Granville, a CCRC in Ohio, and this is the inaugural entry on the new Kendal at Granville Resident Blog.

As you'll see in the coming weeks, several other residents will be joining me in sharing with you some accounts and musings about our life at Kendal. Basically we're just having fun in this project, and we plan to tell you what's going on here. But we also hope to trigger your curiosity about Kendal, and so we hope you'll let us know if there are particular subjects you'd like to hear about.

I don't know what topics my colleagues will be bringing up, but as for me, since I'm just getting started on this blogging thing, I think I want to begin with an important and serious subject that friends have heard me talk about - the benefits of not delaying a decision about moving to move to a CCRC.

Here's the background. It's known that I love living at Kendal, and so I sometimes get into conversations with people who are wondering how long they should wait before moving to a CCRC. I usually wind up giving the same general advice: make the move while you are still in good health. Why? Because then, even as you enjoy the two great advantages of living in a CCRC - the simplifying of your life and the comfort of knowing that you will be cared for if illness or disability should come - you can plunge into activities you enjoy.

If asked to give examples of what I mean, I tend to draw on my own experiences here and on what I've seen my friends doing. Do you have hobbies you want to spend more time with? Well, our rural setting encourages gardeners, our spacious campus invites casual bicycling, and our on-campus pond and Indian mound draw hikers. In the cooler evenings of the spring and fall, residents get together for conversation in the courtyard, over lawn games, or during strolls. Indoor hobbies flourish too, with (for examples) swimmers having their pool, fitness fans the exercise room, woodworkers their shop, artists their studio, book clubbers their regular discussion meeting. And everyone, of course, has the library.

I may also note that our residents are often drawn to attractions near our campus. For example, Denison University, sitting just north of Granville, welcomes residents in its classes (I've enrolled in four), while its program of cultural events - lectures, exhibitions, concerts - draws many from our community, with a Kendal bus providing transportation. As for the town of Granville itself, it is nothing less than a picturesque jewel. The village's main street features restaurants, ice cream parlors, clothing stores, lovely churches, and a variety of typical small-town businesses. And everywhere you turn - the public library, the grocery store, the post office, the hardware outlet - the service is friendly and efficient. Granville is filled with nice people.

Finally, if there is an inquiry about the possibility of an occasional interlude of big-city life, I reply that Kendal is only about a 25-30 minute drive from Columbus. As Ohio's capital and largest city, Columbus offers restaurants, theaters, concerts, two major league professional teams, a world-famous zoo, a nationally-honored public library, and the many attractions of The Ohio State University.

So, to get back to my opening point. I'm a great fan of the concept of the CCRC. To anyone who is seriously thinking about whether it's time to move to a CCRC, my advice is generally to act while you're able to seize the possibilities offered by life in a retirement community. Or to put it succinctly: earlier is better than later. Even briefer: carpe diem.

Please let me hear from you if you have questions or comments.

Reed