Greetings from "The Home" front ….

We had several nice Easter surprises this past week - the Peter Boe 3rd graders brought Easter cards that they had made to give to their "adopted" grandparents.  The students are in Sue Peterson's 3rd grade class. Thank you so much - I know the residents appreciated the cards and were showing them off to visitors.   Also, the Portland Parish Sunday school children made butterfly shaped candy bags to give to the residents.  The butterflies were a very cute idea and the residents certainly enjoyed the treats - but most of all - the residents enjoyed BEING REMEMBERED by the children in our community.   Thanks again to all of you.

We started off Monday with newscurrents in the morning and in keeping with the Twins Baseball opener we had our own baseball game in the afternoon.  The residents had a lot of fun spinning a wheel with various "baseball plays" on it and moving their players forward (or out!) as the game progressed. Thank you to the staff and residents who dressed in baseball team T-shirts and caps to spread the baseball spirit around.  There was Sit & Be Fit and Rhythm Band on Tuesday.  We had choir on Wednesday morning and then the crafty ladies (and men) made "stain glass" greeting cards with contact paper & tissue during crafts in the afternoon.  There was also a rousing game of Bunco later on.  Thursday brought bible study in the morning followed by root beer floats and wheel of fortune in the afternoon.  Pastor Diane will be here for church on Friday and then the residents will get gussied up for the weekend with pretty nails and happy 1/2 hour.  We have Kaffee Hus from 2-3:30 on Saturday and Sunday and a chance to play real bingo in the activity room also on Saturday at 2 p.m.   The Saturday movie matinee is "YiYi".  It is a comedy/drama  portraying three generations of a Taiwanese family, affluent and successful, but haunted by lost opportunities and doubts about the purpose of life.  It will certainly give you something to think about.

Next week we have a food committee meeting in the morning along with newswcurrents.  At Kitchen Cappers the residents will be making Strawberry Short Cake Truffles - OH MY !!!  There is also lotion in motion and Bingo in the evening.  After all that strawberry truffle on Monday we definitely need Sit & Be Fit on Tuesday and then Rhythm Band in the afternoon.  We will play real bingo on Wednesday and Mary and her gang of quilters will be here in the afternoon.  We also have a resident council meeting.   The Second Wind Band will be here on Thursday for a special concert at 1:30 - they have visited us before and put on a wonderful performance.  We can hardly wait!  After church on Friday, Joel & Sue Pietz will be bringing their fainting goats for our residents to pet and enjoy.  The goats are popular attractions whenever they come to visit. 

Last week the Jet Set met and enjoyed Cuban sandwiches.  Many of us had never heard of a "Cuban sandwich" so I am putting the recipe at the bottom of this column.  The jet setters thought the recipe was very similar to sandwiches they had eaten at popular restaurants in Florida and other parts of the country.

Our sympathy to staff member Vonda Gunderson on the loss of her husband Lonny. Also to  Shelby Krueger and Nicki Lee on the loss of their father and stepfather. Your LMH family is here to help and support you during this difficult time.  May Lonny rest in peace.

There is one resident birthday next week - Lowell Lande on April 7th.  Sun Center resident Edith Lundstrom has a birthday April 8th. Hilma Hovde and Dorothy Enger, also Sun Center residents, share a birthday on April 12.  And staff member Becky Moen celebrates her birthday on April 8th.  Best wishes to all of you and enjoy you special day!

Now here is that recipe:
5 lbs. boneless roast or pork shoulder, cut into 3-4" cubes

Combine the following and pour over the meat:
1 T. coarse kosher salt
1 t. coarse ground pepper
1 T. ground cumin
1 T. dried oregano
4 cloves garlic (finely minced)
Juice of 2 limes (about 3 T.)
Juice of lg orange (about 1/2 cup)

Mix in crock pot for 8 hours on low.  Then shred.

For the sandwich you need a Hoagie roll
Yellow mustard
Deli ham
Swiss or provolone cheese
Dill pickles thinly sliced
Red onion thinly sliced