By Vicki Scott
What a week! Last Monday was dulcimer lessons. Tuesday was lunch at Mrs. B’s after exercise class. Wednesday was exercise class, a church luncheon and dinner at church. Thursday was another exercise, clogging lessons and a Lake Martin Dulcimer Club Concert. Friday, we watched The Chosen at church. On Saturday we hosted our youngest grandchild, Addison Victoria.
Next week will be our last dulcimer lesson, and I’m disappointed in my lack of talent in what I was told was the easiest musical instrument to learn. I was able to learn several songs, however, one of which Addie recognized when I played it.
I had never heard of a dulcimer until Bradley Dalton (or Dalton Bradley) came to the George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe and performed a dulcimer concert. I think that is why my ears perked up when I heard that dulcimer lessons were being offered in Dadeville. My husband Alan and I jumped at the chance to learn how to play. Three of my new seniors were interested in learning as well, but only one was able to follow through for this round. We have had a blast learning the instrument.
Last Tuesday held top honors of the week in being invited to one of the legends of Reeltown, Jean Beasley. Mrs. Beasley, who is presently in her 80s and a retired teacher from Reeltown High School, cooked for us. We should have been cooking and serving for her, but she insists on inviting us to her home and serving our senior community every few months. This time she made biscuits and salmon patties.
After reading my first book, this special lady realized that she went to college with my mother and worked with her in the college dining hall. So Mrs. B knew my mother before an accident that left her with dementia. My favorite movie star could invite me to her house, and I would not have been more honored than I was to be invited to this precious lady’s home.
Wednesday brought more honors with being invited to a senior luncheon that has started in another church. We are working together to add more activities to our senior community. This lady came to our luncheons a few times in the past and played bingo, and now she is doing it in her church. God is working, and I praise Him! This nice lady thanked me for coming after one of her church’s luncheon, and I thanked her for all of her efforts in our senior community.
That night our seniors worked together and served and ate supper at church. God is working! Look out, Glencoe! You are a hard act to follow, but I am hard-headed.
After a good night’s sleep, Alan and I went to an exercise class in separate vehicles on Thursday because he had plans after the class. In other words, he did not want to take clogging lessons with us afterwards.
When I first thought of clogging, I thought of wooden shoes, but it is a lot like tap dancing. Our teacher has been clogging for 40-plus years and looks like a 30-year-old dancer, but she said she is 65. There might be a bit of envy on my part. I praise God that she is very patient, since she will have to teach me for a lot of more than 40 years. At any rate, my tap shoes came in today. How is that for commitment?
We finished Thursday with a hot date at the Dadeville Performing Arts Studio watching the Lake Martin Dulcimer Club perform. The group sounded wonderful, and it was nice to dress up for a night out.
Friday began with no plans, but we eventually found out that our Sunday School class was meeting at 6:30 p.m. to watch The Chosen. We were supposed to bring finger food. Another group of seniors are staying active in our community.
We had Addie on Saturday. as we attended a meeting at our church to learn important information about our upcoming mission trip to Guatemala. Addie was good at first, but she soon decided to hang out with our pastor while he was presenting his material and showing how we were going to build the mission houses in Guatemala. As the presentation ended, Addie informed us that she would be going to Guatemala as well.
Later, we watched our second oldest grandchild play her first softball game of the season. We were too late for the game but went out to eat afterwards. We then went home and played until our son came to pick up Addie, who begged her father to let her go to Guatemala with us.
“La vida ocupada pero bendecida,” if I wrote this correctly, it means “the busy but blessed life.”
Hopefully, this column will make the director at George Wallace Senior Center smile. She made the decision to hire me that glorious day that changed my world. Oh, the flashbacks! Thank you again, my dear friend!
Vicki Scott may be contacted at lily200383@yahoo.com.