Page 0: Page 1: WALLINGFORD CLUB HOUSE The World According to the Wallingford Clubhouse May 2010 Monthly Newsletter MAY BIRTHDAYS Wayne Watkins James Wade Jonathan Jones Elliot Neyme Robert Dudley Aaron Crosetto Stephanie Walker Lorne Hill Rich Bynum Jackie Willimon Steven Schmidt Robert Cortelyou Albert Groat Catherine Hennings-Kennedy Deborah Miller Jimmie Wyche Marc Kachel Catherine Condeff Sheila Helvie David Brenner Arthur Myers Lawrence Fields Susan Walz Israel Abellera Carol Kuhn Deloris Campbell Ruth Walker Two Ladies Two of my favorite ladies frequent Wallingford House. It is really one of the perks of writing for the newsletter when I get to introduce you to special people. In this case, one of these gals is a dog. Mary Miller was born on February 2nd, In Los Angeles California. She came to Seattle by way of Job Corps. After her stint in the Corps. she went back to California, where her son was born, in 1974. His name is Nathaniel Montgomery Darrold. He shares a birthday with his uncle. Back in 1974, single moms weren’t as common as today, and Mary told me the most difficult thing she had to deal with was “rudeness by strangers.” Mary started coming to Wallingford House about seven years ago. Of course, we all know that we were a drop-in center back then. She lived at Keystone at the time, and now is in an adult family home, because she is recuperating from surgery. She told me that very soon she will be looking for a place of her own. Naturally, she’ll never be ALONE, well trained as she is now.” Obviously, Mary is a quite talented trainer. If I had a dog, I would turn her over to Mary to teach obedience without thinking twice about it. I see how gentle yet firm she is with her bestest buddy. I truly admire her. Mary’s current pursuits include going to school, and leading a Bible study. Her school is an on-line course that will result in an Associates degree in Business Administration. She will then go for her Bachelors’ degree. You would think that Mary Miller already has her hands full, but she actually does lots of other things. I mentioned her Bible study, and she also has been writing a monthly column for the Wallingford House newsletter. She has done several pieces on computer terminology for those of us who aren’t as “computer savvy” as she is. When that particular series of articles is finished, she plans to do a column that spotlights dogs & training. This is a woman who never forgets that the most important part of her because she’s got the lovely Lady – her best friend and companion. Lady is Mary’s service dog. Lady is an absolutely gorgeous Sheltie. She has beautiful and expressive eyes, and it is very clear that she is devoted to her mommy – Mary! As a matter of fact, Lady just turned three years old on February 28th. She originally lived at an Aberdeen shelter. Mary rescued her, and has trained her all by herself. It is amazing to see how this darling canine hangs on every word that Mary says, and obeys. I was very surprised when Mary told me, “it only took me six months to get her as The two ladies. (Continued on page 2) Page 2: May 2010 Page 2 Two Ladies (cont.) life is the furry creature who shares every day with her. Here is some trivia: Mary’s favorite color is blue. For music, she prefers Country, and rock ‘n roll oldies. Her favorite country artist is Johnny Cash. Believe it or not, her family used to go to the same church that Johnny Cash’s family attended. “Once upon a time”, she reminisced “I actually knew the man”. I sure am happy to say I know both these awesome (Continued from page 1) ladies!! I asked Mary “what is the source of her greatest joy” and I imagine you won’t be surprised that Lady is. She says “Lady brings the best out of me – she knows my moods, and helps me lighten up a bit when I need to.” She also gets other members here at the clubhouse out of their heads by being cuddly and playful. On a practical note, Lady has given Mary the incentive of taking her knowledge of animal behavior and opening her own “doggie training” business. I asked Mary what she would like everyone here to know if she could say just one thing. “Please be respectful of me and of Lady when it comes to the rules that need to be followed for a service animal.” An example of that would be to always ask Mary if its ok to pet Lady – because there are times when its not appropriate to touch a service animal. —Jacquelyn Willimon Group On Mondays from 3PM-4:15PM! key and very fun! with engaging in some brainThis group is low Creative Writing Come Join the Soap Box Derby An excerpt taken from The Streets Become Mirrors, Images by Don Dias. We start the group The old man with wild, darting eyes, told a story about fire and destruction at the Lord’s second coming. On some of his words or phrases he would whisper right into the microphone with a hiss, and the sound cut right into my heart. The marrow in my bones seemed to shiver. I knew with every cell of my body I was going to have to carry the message of God’s salvation out to the world—to all the stonedout kids, to the selfsatisfied housewives, to the yuppies, to everybody. I stalked the streets and alleys looking for people who would listen to the Don Dias gospel. I became lost and totally unconscious of my self as I went about grabbing arms and locking eyes with passer-bys. I was in a fever because I had to share the message of salvation, or else the fire and destruction would consume me, as well as the pretty little prostitute soliciting on the corner, and the big black street tough, and the hurrying business man—all of us. The compulsion to share my love made me shout and proclaim hell and brimstone. I had a zeal that burned in my head like a pile of glowing embers. I had to talk. I had to reach them. I wandered in my zeal from city to city, across the country. But everywhere it was the same. My impassioned speech, my burning eyes scared everybody and no one really listened. I couldn’t persuade anyone that Christ was loving and merciful and could save them. They didn’t want to be saved. I ended up in jail for disturbing the peace—my God! Disturbing the peace—in Denver. But even the guys in the tank would listen only for five or ten minutes, and then they’d wander away to cards or to TV or to even more nothing. I needed to share and so few wanted my gifts. Nobody was hearing. storming exercises and usually some basic education more creative writer. several prompts to choose from. You are always free to use your own After, we have about how to be a prompts; we even writing music. So come in and join the fun! have members Page 3: May 2010 Page 3 Computer Terms Part 7 This is part six on computer terms. I am hopeful that these terms will help you to understand the computer a little better and make it a little less scary for those of us that don’t want to get near a computer. The computer terms are taken from 241 Computer Terms You Need to Know by Frank W. Cawood and Associated, Inc. Please let me know if these are helpful and if you have any questions. I will try to find the answer. If you have any computer information to pass on please drop it off for me or send it to tigger1098125@yahoo.com Prompt – A symbol on your computer screen that indicates the system is waiting for you to enter something. Purge – To remove old and unnecessary data from your computer, often via an automatic command. Quick Launch toolbar – A section of the Taskbar that contains shortcut icons to often – used programs Quit – To close and exit a program. RAM (Random Access Memory) – The “working” memory of the computer where programs and information are kept while the computer is using them. Reboot – To shut down your computer then restart it. Record – A group of fields containing data in a database. Recover - To retrieve a deleted or damaged file. Recycle bin – In Windows, What to Know grams. Save – To store a copy of your data onto a permanent storage medium like your hard drive or a floppy disk. In most programs, the Save command automatically stores your fie right back into its original location, with the same name. Save as – A command, usually under the File menu for your program that lets you change the name, format, or location of a file before you save it. Scanner – A device that converts a printed image into an electronic image Screen saver – A moving image you program to automatically appear on your computer screen when you have your computer turned on, but aren’t using it. Screen savers were designed to prevent images from being burned into the now mostly obsolete monochrome monitors. Scroll bar – A vertical baron the right or a horizontal bar on the bottom of your screen or window. A scroll bar appears when the viewing area is too small to show all the window’s contents. Click on one of the scroll arrows or drag the scroll box to see information outside the viewable area. Search engine – A tool to help you find information on the Internet. You activate this type of program by typing in keywords. The search engine then locates documents or Web sites that match your query. by Felecia James Mary Miller an icon that looks like a trash can and represents the place where you temporarily store deleted files. Refresh – To update a Web page so it shows the latest information. Or the button on a Web browser that allows you to update the current page. Also reload. Reset button – A button that restarts the computer without first turning it completely off. Resolution – Describes how sharp and clear an image is. The higher the resolution, the better the image. Resolution can refer to computer monitors or printers. Restore – To return a window to its original size, usually by clicking on the Restore button. Retrieve – To find and access data stored in your computer. Right-click – To press and release the right button on your mouse or other pointing device. ROM (Read-Only Memory) – Permanent data storage (on a disk or chip) that cannot be changed. This builtin computer memory contains necessary system pro- Yesterday is flying away. My life is striving to catch up to the world my mind is stuck in. Nights are chasing days, days don’t run from nights. They crash together. Night and day are one, Yesterday got away, And my mind is doomed. It is stuck on a world I will never see. 3/24/2010 (Continued on page 4) Page 4: May 2010 Page 4 Computer Terms Part 7 (cont.) (Continued from page 3) Secure server – A Web server that codes and decodes messages to protect them from third party tampering. Select – To make an object (such as an icon, window, or menu option) active. This tells the computer you are about to do something with the selected object, like move, rename, open it, etc. Sometimes pointing at an object on the screen selects it, but generally you must click on an object to select it. Server – Regarding the Internet: a computer that is host to a Web site. Shareware – Software that is available for free trial – usually by download from the Internet. If you decide to use the shareware program regularly, you are on the honor system to register and to pay for it. Shortcut – A quick way to access a file, folder, or program. You can place an icon that represents a shortcut onto your desktop or in a folder. Shortcut key – A key or combination of keys that performs common commands in a program. Shortcut menu – A list of options that appears when you right-click on an object. —Mary Miller Wallingford House Groups: Creative Writing Group Mondays from 3:00-4:15 Book Club Tuesdays from 3:00-3:45 Crocheting Class for All Levels Thursdays from 2:30-3:00 Art Class Thursdays from 3:00-5:00 Social Activities Committee from 1:30-2:15 A page from...Jackie’s Notebook 4/10 In Creative writing group this week, we were charged with taking any sport, and changing the rules. There were a lot of whimsical ideas. Felecia said she would surround a soccer team with a clear plastic box so that the ball could never go out of bounds. Cassie said that in hockey, the goalie would break dance to defend against scoring by the other team. bolt upright in my bed. I only have an hour before I need to leave for work, so naturally I re-set the alarm for an hour and a half and snooze back into dreamland. At a half-past LATE (not eight!) I sit back up and look around my bedroom. How to conquer it? One leg on the floor, my cat jumps up on the bed to be with me, so I take this as a sign and spend 45 minutes playing with her. Finally I take a header off the mattress and land on the floor. I run an icy cold shower, jump in (grimacing ) and soap up. Then emerge without rinsing the bubbles off. They dry in white streaks all over my body, so I put my pajamas back on and open my front door. Oops! – I forgot footwear. I grab one high-heeled boot and one sneaker for the other foot. Haltingly, step- drag, step – drag. Down the stairs outside and into the alley. I leave the gate unlocked and wide open behind me, so that any random person can wander onto apartment grounds. I see my bus pull up, so I give the driver the finger – guaranteeing myself an additional 20 minute wait for another bus. The next bus cruises near, and I wave it on as well. A car pulls up, head out window, driver hollers “Are you o.k. lady? Do you need a ride somewhere?” Remembering my mother’s stern pronouncements against hitchhiking, I eagerly step-drag into the idling car. I give the driver directions to the Woodland Park Zoo, where I visit all the monkeys. Realizing it is now almost noon, I walk the rest I’ve got to be honest, folks. I don’t know much about any sport, let alone what the rules are. It’s true – I am absolutely clueless. So I was musing about the rules for the thing I do know something about, which is getting up and going to work. What would a morning look like if I had no social or personal rules to follow? The alarm brrrrings me (Continued on page 5) Jackie Willimon Page 5: May 2010 May 2010 Tue Wed Thu Fri Page 5 Jackie’s Notebook (cont.) (Continued from page 4) Mon of the way to the club. I slam open the clubhouse door and enter. Soap residue clings to everything I touch, so I hug everyone I see and rub it all off onto them. I skip from computer to computer hitting “delete” and “control alt delete” just to be annoying. This has been a productive morning! —Jacquelyn Willimon 3 Tuna Salad/Egg Salad Sandwiches, chips 4 Shepherd’s Pie 5 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta! 6 Roasted Pork Chef’s Salad Loin, Potatoes, Fresh Asparagus 7 Welcome back, Karen Craft 10 Grilled Ham and John Jone’s Spa- Minestrone Cheese Sandghetti and Meatwiches balls 11 12 13 Chinese Chicken Teriyaki Chicken Salad and Rice Birthday Lunch 14 The lovely Karen has returned to the clubhouse. It’s so great to see her – but where has she been? Actually, she has been going through a pretty tough time and said “thank God for this clubhouse” when we spoke today. Karen had surgery several months ago. She is still in a lot of pain, but yet, making plans and livin’ life. Like this Saturday yours truly is going to color her hair. It’s a surprise what color, so watch for it! On top of the operation, Karen lost a dear friend. It’s not something you get over quickly or completely. Jerry Backus (a mutual friend) and Karen were constant companions. First when we all lived at Martin Court, and after. Jerry was diagnosed with liver 17 Ratatouille w/ Grilled Sausages 18 Hungarain Goulash 19 Kathleen’s Tuna Noodle Casserole 20 Salad Trio, Pancakes, Sau(Tabbouleh, Pea/ sage, Fruit Bacon, Ceasar) 21 24 Frittata 25 Burritos, Spanish Chicken Alfredo Black Bean Soup Chef’s Choice Rice 26 27 28 31 Chef’s Choice (Continued on page 6) Page 6: WALLINGFORD CLUB HOUSE Opening up to a new life Karen Craft (cont.) (Continued from page 5) 4122 Stone Way N. Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: 206-461-3773 Fax: 206-545-8641 Email: wallingfordhouse@hotmail.com cancer and the next thing she knew, he had died. It was that quick. She was there until the end, and last week in creative writing group – wrote a moving tribute to a man she referred to as “my soulmate” So lets go back to the beginning with our friend. Karen was born in Seattle, and attended Olympia High in Olympia. She was married once, now divorced, and warned me “don’t ask me what I think about marriage” giggling. Karen has a cat named Sammy, who she calls the child she never had. She does have a foster son who calls her mom, and his name is Charles. He is recently married, but since neither Karen nor the bride’s parents could be there, another ceremony is planned for August. Back to Sammy. It’s a Karen Craft friend who has been beside her every step of the way, and that would be Felecia. She said “Felecia was THERE. She even fed me in the hospital.” They spend a lot of their time together. That’s real friendship. I asked Karen what made her happy and she told me “Getting up and around again. I used to love to walk. That has changed – my whole life has changed, Jackie”. She seems sad for a moment, but only one, and then the sunny disposition was back. She looks forward to working here in the clubhouse at the reception desk. And lord knows – we need her there! Karen says she has a fabulous brother. She told me all of this while I painted her fingernails – black! Yes, long black fingernails! She’s back!! —Jacquelyn Willimon If you wish to receive an electronic copy of this newsletter via email, please send us an email with your full name in the subject line. Visit our web page at: www.wallingfordhouse.org “Off the Row” by Ron Kariya Sandy wishes— Hammy also— Shake-rich/fried at Seven Eleven. Church goers Bank goers go broke –or— Have the accounts. Love the T.V. pretty funny story. Sammy the cat started out as “Sarah” because this feline seemed to be lacking (uhhmm). Yeah. Her friend Linda had a male cat and Sarah couldn’t get along with him, so she suspected that maybe Karen had an unusual male cat. When she took the cat to the vet for his shots, the vet confirmed this. So “Sarah” is now Sammy. The way Karen told this story was hilarious, and she really has a great sense of humor, for anyone who doesn’t know her yet. She’s a blast! Karen especially values a “Bipolar” by David La May Page 7: