I just found out that next week (March 2-8) is Celebrate your name week. I have always loved my name because it means "follower of Christ" As I was looking up information about my first name for ideas of how to celebrate my name, I also looked up Ward. The definitions were pretty similar to what I have always known. Here are some: "1) and occupational name for a 'guard or watchman,' from Old English 'weard' = guard. 2) A geographical name for a person who lived near a guardhouse or fortress." "A keeper, one who guards or defends."
Some ideas I have to celebrate our surname are to find a historical fortress or guardhouse to visit and maybe find somewhere to eat some English food.
Any ideas from you all?
Happy "Celebrate your name week"!!!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Night out with Marge
Grandma Margie and I had a grand time last night sharing a fine meal, great conversation and an excellent show.
Grandma wanted to use some of her many gift cards filling her purse; so before the show we had dinner at the Olive Garden. The meal paid for with a gift card from Chas, Emma, Katie and family… the tip and tax was paid using a visa gift card from Kelly. Grandma had the tilapia and I had lasagna.
The show was the Utah Symphony performance of "Bravo Broadway" on the campus of Weber State University. Three Tony nominated (and one Tony winning) singers accompanied by the symphony sang famous Broadway songs. Our favorites "Don't Cry for me Argentina (Evita)", "For Good (Wicked)", "The Music of the Night (Phantom) and "The Impossible Dream (The Man of La Mancha)"
Our favorite memory of the night was after the show. As we were descending the stairs of the theater a woman in her 80's (with a touch of dementia) spotted grandma and said, "I know you!" Grandma walked up to her and said, "I'm sorry but I don't remember you, how do you know me?" The woman wasn't sure but was determined to find out. We spent about four minutes speaking with the woman and her friend. We never did find a common thread to tie the two together, but had a fun time chatting none-the-less. As we left grandma grinned and said, "She was cute!"
Before we got out of the theater we bumped into a few others that actually did know Grandma. We sat behind some friends from her ward and chatted with a former employee of Grandpa's. After the show grandma wanted to have a treat so we went back to Whispering Oaks and had banana split sundaes.
I feel pretty darn lucky to share time with the old gal. Especially one-on-one like last night. She's still got a lot of spunk; you should have seen her climbing two flights of stairs in the theater after walking up a step hill. She had me out of breath trying to keep up. All in all it was a great night and fun to see each other and catch up.
Conversation always revolves around her "wonderful family" as she put it, "With such a great family, how could I NOT be happy Charlie?" I couldn't think of a single reason why.
Grandma wanted to use some of her many gift cards filling her purse; so before the show we had dinner at the Olive Garden. The meal paid for with a gift card from Chas, Emma, Katie and family… the tip and tax was paid using a visa gift card from Kelly. Grandma had the tilapia and I had lasagna.
The show was the Utah Symphony performance of "Bravo Broadway" on the campus of Weber State University. Three Tony nominated (and one Tony winning) singers accompanied by the symphony sang famous Broadway songs. Our favorites "Don't Cry for me Argentina (Evita)", "For Good (Wicked)", "The Music of the Night (Phantom) and "The Impossible Dream (The Man of La Mancha)"
Our favorite memory of the night was after the show. As we were descending the stairs of the theater a woman in her 80's (with a touch of dementia) spotted grandma and said, "I know you!" Grandma walked up to her and said, "I'm sorry but I don't remember you, how do you know me?" The woman wasn't sure but was determined to find out. We spent about four minutes speaking with the woman and her friend. We never did find a common thread to tie the two together, but had a fun time chatting none-the-less. As we left grandma grinned and said, "She was cute!"
Before we got out of the theater we bumped into a few others that actually did know Grandma. We sat behind some friends from her ward and chatted with a former employee of Grandpa's. After the show grandma wanted to have a treat so we went back to Whispering Oaks and had banana split sundaes.
I feel pretty darn lucky to share time with the old gal. Especially one-on-one like last night. She's still got a lot of spunk; you should have seen her climbing two flights of stairs in the theater after walking up a step hill. She had me out of breath trying to keep up. All in all it was a great night and fun to see each other and catch up.
Conversation always revolves around her "wonderful family" as she put it, "With such a great family, how could I NOT be happy Charlie?" I couldn't think of a single reason why.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
March 0/February 29
This being leap year and all I fell like I am having to wait to an extra day for March Madness to get started. As such, I have decided that I will consider tomorrow March 0 and I can start talking about March Madness. Its time to start watching college basket ball to get ready for the big dance. I am sure there is a bracket about ready for all of us to take part in, so its time to start doing your research.
CBS is broadcasting the the big dance online for free but they do require you to sign up for it before the dance starts. The link is below, don't feel bad nobody really works during the dance days of the week.
http://www.ncaasports.com/
CBS is broadcasting the the big dance online for free but they do require you to sign up for it before the dance starts. The link is below, don't feel bad nobody really works during the dance days of the week.
http://www.ncaasports.com/
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Wii Hab
This picture and article were recently in the Greensboro Newspaper. It does not have anything to do with the Occupatioanl Therapy department but with the Physical Therapy and Recreation Therapy departments which I work closely with. I thought that you all would enjoy reading it.
Going through Wii-hab
By Lex AlexanderStaff Writer
Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 3:00 am
GREENSBORO — Mary Oakley was recovering from a stroke and had trouble moving her arms. Thelma Watson was recovering from neck and ankle injuries from a wreck and couldn't put weight on her right foot.
Naturally, Watson invited Oakley to go bowling.
Virtual bowling, that is.
The women, patients at Moses Cone Hospital, were using Nintendo's Wii (pronounced "we") video game system as part of their physical therapy.
The Wii player uses a wireless, handheld controller to mimic the motions a player would make in any of several games, such as tennis, bowling, baseball and boxing. The game system translates the player's real-life motion into on-screen action.
Hospitals, assisted-living centers and rehabilitation units have been snapping up the units since the Wii was introduced in November 2006. Accounts of its use have been published in professional journals, said Becky Windsor, supervisor of therapy services at Moses Cone.
"I'm surprised there's not an industrial hospital version at 10 times the price," Moses Cone spokesman Doug Allred said.
The company Cybex markets a "full-body Wii" called the Trazer, in which players wear a sensor belt around their waists rather than using a handheld controller. It, too, has been used in therapy, although the product's Web site primarily emphasizes exercise and recreation.
Moses Cone's physical therapy unit has been using a Wii since September. Therapists find that it can help patients of all ages not only with strength, balance, coordination and endurance, but also with cognition and memory, Windsor said. The game also is a fun distraction, she said. That's important because physical therapy can be boring and painful for patients.
"But you give them the control, and they'll bowl for 10 minutes," Windsor said. "Human nature is that we're competitive. So whether they're competing against themselves or (another patient), it makes them work a little harder, do a little more."
Oakley and Watson recently went head-to-head in bowling, walkers and all. Oakley bowls in real life, but when asked her average, she said, "Not very good."
Assisted by physical therapist Jason Carrero, Oakley took three tries to bowl the ball correctly in the game's first frame.
"Bring it down and then come forward," Carrero said.
As the game proceeded, the players cheered at each other's spares and groaned at each other's gutter balls.
In the fourth frame, Watson groaned as her ball hooked left and knocked down only a few pins. Her second ball veered toward a gap between two pins.
"Uh-uh — not in between," she implored, but the ball ignored her and went straight into the gap, knocking down the remaining pins for a spare.
Recreational therapist Lisa Simpson coached Watson, who was slightly to the side of the TV: "Don't aim (the controller) at the TV. Just roll straight and see if that helps."
It did.
"Patients want to know the name of this, where you can get it and how much it costs," Simpson said. One patient's family bought him a Wii for Christmas. The system retails for about $250.
With Oakley leading Watson 66-65 after eight frames, Watson announced, "Ms. Oakley, I can't let you beat me!" But she failed to pick up a spare.
"Sugar!" she said in mild disgust.
Oakley rolled a spare in the ninth frame and went on to win 94-80.
"You shouldn't have invited me," Oakley teased.
"Well, it was fun," Watson conceded.
Afterward, Watson reflected on the Wii's benefits.
"It helps emotionally," she said. "It helps me balance myself. It helps me think positive. ... This would help anyone in therapy with healing."
"I like it," Oakley agreed. "I'm going to get me one and put it on my computer."
But first, she and Watson were going to hit the tennis court.
Credit: Jerry Wolford/News & Record
Thelma Watson gets help using the Wii controller from Lisa Simpson at Moses Cone Hospital's inpatient rehabilitation unit.
Thelma Watson gets help using the Wii controller from Lisa Simpson at Moses Cone Hospital's inpatient rehabilitation unit.
Going through Wii-hab
By Lex AlexanderStaff Writer
Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 3:00 am
GREENSBORO — Mary Oakley was recovering from a stroke and had trouble moving her arms. Thelma Watson was recovering from neck and ankle injuries from a wreck and couldn't put weight on her right foot.
Naturally, Watson invited Oakley to go bowling.
Virtual bowling, that is.
The women, patients at Moses Cone Hospital, were using Nintendo's Wii (pronounced "we") video game system as part of their physical therapy.
The Wii player uses a wireless, handheld controller to mimic the motions a player would make in any of several games, such as tennis, bowling, baseball and boxing. The game system translates the player's real-life motion into on-screen action.
Hospitals, assisted-living centers and rehabilitation units have been snapping up the units since the Wii was introduced in November 2006. Accounts of its use have been published in professional journals, said Becky Windsor, supervisor of therapy services at Moses Cone.
"I'm surprised there's not an industrial hospital version at 10 times the price," Moses Cone spokesman Doug Allred said.
The company Cybex markets a "full-body Wii" called the Trazer, in which players wear a sensor belt around their waists rather than using a handheld controller. It, too, has been used in therapy, although the product's Web site primarily emphasizes exercise and recreation.
Moses Cone's physical therapy unit has been using a Wii since September. Therapists find that it can help patients of all ages not only with strength, balance, coordination and endurance, but also with cognition and memory, Windsor said. The game also is a fun distraction, she said. That's important because physical therapy can be boring and painful for patients.
"But you give them the control, and they'll bowl for 10 minutes," Windsor said. "Human nature is that we're competitive. So whether they're competing against themselves or (another patient), it makes them work a little harder, do a little more."
Oakley and Watson recently went head-to-head in bowling, walkers and all. Oakley bowls in real life, but when asked her average, she said, "Not very good."
Assisted by physical therapist Jason Carrero, Oakley took three tries to bowl the ball correctly in the game's first frame.
"Bring it down and then come forward," Carrero said.
As the game proceeded, the players cheered at each other's spares and groaned at each other's gutter balls.
In the fourth frame, Watson groaned as her ball hooked left and knocked down only a few pins. Her second ball veered toward a gap between two pins.
"Uh-uh — not in between," she implored, but the ball ignored her and went straight into the gap, knocking down the remaining pins for a spare.
Recreational therapist Lisa Simpson coached Watson, who was slightly to the side of the TV: "Don't aim (the controller) at the TV. Just roll straight and see if that helps."
It did.
"Patients want to know the name of this, where you can get it and how much it costs," Simpson said. One patient's family bought him a Wii for Christmas. The system retails for about $250.
With Oakley leading Watson 66-65 after eight frames, Watson announced, "Ms. Oakley, I can't let you beat me!" But she failed to pick up a spare.
"Sugar!" she said in mild disgust.
Oakley rolled a spare in the ninth frame and went on to win 94-80.
"You shouldn't have invited me," Oakley teased.
"Well, it was fun," Watson conceded.
Afterward, Watson reflected on the Wii's benefits.
"It helps emotionally," she said. "It helps me balance myself. It helps me think positive. ... This would help anyone in therapy with healing."
"I like it," Oakley agreed. "I'm going to get me one and put it on my computer."
But first, she and Watson were going to hit the tennis court.
Monday, February 18, 2008
St. David's Day
I do not know how I missed this my whole life. (Lana just showed it to me) But with all the David’s in the family, we need to celebrate this. So mark March 1st on your calendar and wear your Red Dragon of Wales. I printed my Dragon at Crayola.com in case you don’t have one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_David
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_David
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Split pea soup
I have the ham bones in the water and just waiting for the pea's to get in there. I am wondering if there is anything special that any of you put in your split pea soup that just makes Better then mine.
Blend or not to blend that is the question.
I am going to use the following recipe if I don't hear of something better on here.
This recipe convinced me that split pea soup was good enough to eat. It is rich in flavor of the ham and vegetables. It is worth every minute it takes to make it.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 lb. ham hocks or shin (about 3)
1 to 1 1/2 lb. ham steak, fat removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 bay leaves
3 quarts water (12 cups)
1 lb. Split Peas (green or yellow) rinsed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Preparation:
In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over high heat. Sauté onions, carrots and celery until vegetables begin to brown, about 6 minutes.
Add ham hocks, chopped ham, bay leaves and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 to hours or until ham is very tender.
Remove ham hocks and bones. Shred meat into bite-size pieces and return to stock. Discard bones. Add split peas and thyme.
Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour or until peas dissolve and thicken soup. Remove bay leaves. (Soup may be refrigerated for several days or frozen.)
Makes 6 servings.
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