Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Even though the summer months are still here, Grand Horizons is still active with dominoes every Monday night at 6:30. This is a fast-paced game and so enjoyable. When we are there for the winter months, I try and participate in this game on a regular basis. I can’t say enough about it, as it gets real exciting as the game progresses, and we hear all things like, “Remember, payback,” ”My train is off the tracks,” and so many other cute sayings. It is all said in a friendly manner, and the lively banter goes on throughout the game. Shuffleboard and aerobics continue during the summer months also. I have tried shuffleboard. It is a fun game and keeps everyone on their toes. It is a friendly competition and, again, there is lively chatter that goes on throughout the entire game.

Aerobics is a fun way to get cool, as it is performed in the pool. Everyone should get some form of exercise, and this is a great way, as it is done with several people mingling together. Another function that is still going on is every Wednesday where they have coffee and donuts. This is a great time to get the news, anniversaries and birthdays of the past and future week. It is in the community center and any special notices are also presented at this time.

From what I understand, there is also rummy cube on Friday. Several people play this exciting game, and you really have to think about certain moves.

On Saturdays, a game of billiards is played. I do not know exactly what transpires during a game of pool, but when I see the guys together, it certainly looks like fun.

Then, of course, there is also cribbage on Thursday in one part of the community center while a friendly game of mah-jongg is on the other side of the center.

In the craft room of our center, there is card making. They do a tremendous job and make many a patient happy, as the cards are sent over to different homes.

On Thursday night, they have a fast-paced game of Euchre.

In addition to all of this, they also have paper crafting on Wednesday after coffee and donuts, where they create beautiful things, and they have a game of cards called Pay Me on Mondays. I used to play this game and it is quite enjoyable.

There is also a lunch connoisseurs on the second Friday of every month. This is open to all Grand Horizon residents and family, and we have such a great time at these functions. The last one was on June 12, and everyone went to Olive Garden. It was hosted by Sam and Fred Sage. Twenty-nine people attended this luncheon, and it was a good number of people considering that most are away in their summer homes. Everyone who attended had a terrific time, and the menu was quite extensive, and consisted of several dishes. There was a soup and salad lunch with breadsticks plus several chicken dishes and more. They already are thinking of next month, and that will be at Red Robins.

So, as you see, Grand Horizons keeps everyone as busy as they want to be. The volunteers are wonderful, and they keep everything going smoothly.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published June 24, 2015

On June 2, there was an open house at the Wheeling residence in honor of Bob and Luella’s 64th anniversary.

The celebration went on all morning with residents and family coming in and sitting on the patio and conversing. Refreshments were provided and people moved from one seat to another in order to mingle with all the other people. They had a nice-sized crowd, and people were coming in throughout the morning hours.

Bob and Luella received many cards and, in addition to this, they received a small box from the craft club. It was adorable, and Bob and Luella liked it a lot. This is what Luella said about the box that was presented to them, “The box was given to us by one of the Wednesday craft group. There were flowers on the top, and when the lid was removed, the four sides of the box fell down, and there in the center was a lovely cake made of paper, and each of the four sides were covered with paper flowers.”

All in all, it was a pleasant day and a lovely celebration.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published June 17, 2015

In addition to all the activities that still go on at Grand Horizons like dominoes, shuffleboard and others, they also have get-togethers such as a potluck for special occasions like Memorial Day. On this particular day, they did join together as a group to recognize this day.

I spoke to Sandy and Al Lindke and they said this memorable day was celebrated with a potluck at the community center. The hosts were Albert and Sandy Lindke, and the grill masters were Jim and Judy Fischer assisted by Ken and Barb Holzapfel. There were 96 residents and guests who attended and honored this day.

The evening started with the Pledge of Allegiance to honor our current, former and deceased military members. There was a P.O.W. table set on the stage to recognize and honor our prisoners of war.

Sandy said the blessing, thanked everyone for attending, and also thanked the decorating committee and especially the many helpers.

She continued with the fact that Adrianne Ayres took photos, and she ended with the fact that all had a very enjoyable evening.

I have since talked to others and they mentioned that each person brought along a dish to serve several people. Since the meats were contributed by the social club, mainly side dishes were brought in. From what was told to me, there was plenty of food to be enjoyed and several salads such as coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni dishes and several Jello dishes, in addition to tossed salads. There also were many desserts.

Sandy said it was a very good turnout, considering the number of residents who are away at their summer homes in another state.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published June 10, 2015

Our trip to Atlantic City started on a Saturday. We got an early start and drove to Tuckerton, New Jersey, where we saw the Tuckerton Seaport. Here we took a self–guided tour that allows you to enjoy a detailed experience of the seaport.

We saw the recreated maritime village ending with the Tucker’s Island Lighthouse. Each building depicted the different trades of the baymen, those industrious people who made their living in and around the Tuckerton area. We stepped back in time to a place where men and women lived and worked, on and by the water, their lives being dependent on the sea.

From here, we went to the Atlantic City Aquarium. This is a historic basin waterfront park. There were 17 aquarium tanks and nearly 50,000 gallons of water in and around the basin. Also, there was a 25,000-gallon tank featuring fish of the New Jersey Coast, including sharks.

The aquarium consisted of three floors with artifacts and computers filled with information. There were also diving helmets and equipment from notable collectors.

From there, we were off to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. Here we learned how they rescue, rehabilitate and release marine life.

Inside the stranding center, they showed us pictures of three different seals that were brought in for one reason or another. There was a baby gray seal that suffered from an extreme act of malicious intent, while another was brought in because of shark bites, and still another with an eye infection. When they first arrive, they are treated by a vet, then placed in an individual pen and, finally, into the pool where the animals are reacquainted to life in the sea, before their release. After we finished our visit, we went back to our place for the night.

Sunday was a lovely day. We decided to go to Wildwood, New Jersey, as we heard so much about it.

Before I go and tell you about how beautiful Wildwood was, we must tell you about the Silver Bullet. This was a speedboat and an actual thrill from start to finish. If you know how it feels to be a racecar driver, then you will just begin to experience the Silver Bullet.

We also got to see dolphins, as the captain expertly spotted them. Everyone on the boat watched the dolphins play, glide and cavort alongside the Silver Bullet. The captain supposedly gave us a special treat, and being that it was a speedboat, we should have expected it, but, we didn’t — the captain zigzagged the boat and, of course, that created a huge wave of water that covered everyone in the boat and not only the people in the back. Everyone! Water was splashing everywhere, and I do mean everywhere! We were sitting almost halfway, and we got drenched. It was a pure delight, and I loved it. The trip lasted about 1.5 hours, but it will be an experience not easily forgotten.

Once the boat got back and docked, we took a nice long walk on the boardwalk in Wildwood. Wildwood is like what Atlantic City was 35 or 40 years ago. There was much action going on the boardwalk and different stores to browse in. There are many games on the boardwalk and something for everyone.

Since it was growing late, it was back to the motel in Atlantic City.

Monday we were on the road to Cape May. This was more than an hour ride on the ferry that brought us to Delaware. Once here, we had the option of taking any one of two tours. Each tour is by bus, but one tour is to the historic district, while the other goes to the streets with many outlets. We took the historic tour where the bus takes you to the historic district and you can then wander the streets at your leisure. You can return at anytime with the understanding that the bus goes at specific times and the ferry departs on others.

We had a fun-filled day, and once we boarded the ferry for our return ride to Cape May, we were so exhausted, we just slept for the return trip. When we returned to our car, we traveled the entire length of the streets that bordered the water. At the very end, there was a small boardwalk, so we parked our car and walked it. We did some more browsing and then rode back to our motel.

Tuesday came by so quickly. It seemed that we barely got any sleep. Since the weather was so hot and steamy, we both decided that this would be our last full day in Atlantic City, so we were prepared to get out and do some “gaming,” and then go to the Gardens Basin (where the aquarium was located) and take a dolphin watch cruise.

In the morning hours, we went to the far end of the boardwalk where there were casinos bunched together. I think we visited them all and had such a good time that we thought we would miss our dolphin watch on the boat called Cruisin 1. Glad we didn’t, as this ride proved fruitful. We saw more dolphins then you can count on your fingers. There were more on this trip then we saw on the Silver Bullet. Once again, we saw them frolicking around and playing. They followed our boat for quite some time, and we loved seeing them ride the waves. True, we had our cameras, but we were content to watch them through our eyes. This was supposed to be a 1.5-hour ride, but ended up a little longer as the captain kept on finding more of them. Well, like all good things, it came to an end, but this dolphin watch trip and the Silver Bullet are two trips that will remain in our minds for a long time to come.

We still had several hours left before night and when we would turn in, so it was back to the boardwalk, and this time we tried our luck at the casino at the other end. Still no luck, so we just browsed around and then went back to our motel to get ready to leave the following morning.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published June 3, 2015

With the warmer weather approaching, many residents return to their summer homes for several months, while still others take motor trips with their campers, RVs or cars for several weeks at a time. Some of our friends may be leaving to go to California or other states, while others may be taking a camping trip.

Marty and I returned from a relaxing trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and are now in Connecticut.

While in Connecticut, we went to a Vacation Fair where we got loads of literature for future trips. It was a fun day, but very hectic.

There was a booth where they took your picture, put it on one of several backdrops and emailed it to your computer. This is how Marty and I received a picture of us “in Aruba,” as this is the backdrop we asked for.

We got many brochures from the fair, and Marty is working on planning future getaways, whether for a few days or a week.

In the meantime, back at Grand Horizons, they are still having activities — maybe not as much, but they are still having a good time.

On April 25, they had a pancake breakfast where sausages, pancakes and French toast were served. I heard from Rosie Semian, and she said that more than 70 people attended and enjoyed the breakfast. Since it was blueberry season, there was an option of blueberry pancakes for this time. They were going to try once again on May 16, depending on the number of people that would attend, as more residents may be away for this date.

Then there is water aerobics. We had this activity on the calendar for several months, but when it got colder in Florida, they stopped it. But now that the weather is warm once again, this fun and healthy activity is back on the calendar,

On May 5, approximately 12 women went to ABC Pizza for a great lunch. I spoke to Joyce Bell, and she said there was a nice turnout considering all the residents who have left for the summer months. She went on to say that one new person also came, and she liked it so much that she asked when and where the next luncheon was. Joyce explained to her that as time progresses, she should check either the new newsletter or in our community center. So, as you see, Grand Horizons is still keeping busy.

In addition to the above-mentioned activities, Colleen Crandall is doing an excellent job with paper crafting. They work on several different items such as cards and more. Also, she will welcome any new ideas. She looks forward toward any new people with ideas or if people just wish to join.

In the meantime, a Memorial Day picnic and potluck is being planned for May 25. This will be hosted by Sandi and Al Lindke, with Jim and Judy Fischer cooking the burgers. All the meat and the buns will be provided by the Social Club. The residents will bring in individual dishes. More on this in a later post.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published May 20, 2015

Marty and I said “goodbye” to all our friends at Grand Horizons, as we headed home to East Hartford, Connecticut.

But before heading home, we made a side trip to Cherokee, North Carolina, to see and experience Indian dances that were being presented in front of several souvenir shops. We had our pictures taken with the dancers and the performance was truly magnificent. Their colorful costumes were quite a sight. We went in the shops to see the wares, which were varied, including some that were quite unique. We also got to see an Indian reservation with all the activity that goes on in a village.

We then proceeded to Qualla Arts and Crafts Inc., to see all the various things that are sold there. There were many items, including baskets of all different shapes and sizes. Cherokee beadwork requires great patience and hand-eye skills. You can see this work, plus more, as you view the pieces in the shop. Qualla Arts represents more than 350 enrolled tribal members, whose works express Cherokee spirit with the highest skill. This was an amazing place, and we are so glad we got to see it.

We spent the night in North Carolina and the next day, while traveling through the Great Smoky Mountains, we saw lots of wildlife and many flowers plus beautiful and breathtaking scenery. There are many different type of trees that create a beautiful picture. Endlessly attractive waterfalls are seen several times around each bend in the road while driving, and the landscape includes many log buildings.

After viewing the Great Smoky Mountains, we went to a bear zoo that was located outside the park. In the bear zoo, we got to see and feed some baby bears and got to see the big bears that were in an enclosure, but we were able to throw pieces of food to them.

Now on to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. They are relatively close to one another so we stayed in the Pigeon Forge area and traveled to Gatlinburg when necessary.

Once here, we attended shows. They were all done in extremely good taste, and the first show that we saw was “The Comedy Barn Theater.” This had us in stitches from the moment we entered until we left. They have a talking dog, and this was so funny. The show was high energy, fast paced and loads of family fun. There was audience participation. Loads of kids were called up for different skits, and this just added to the enjoyment. There was singing, dancing joke telling and more.

The next day we went to a show that was at the Smoky Mountain Opry called The Blackwood’s. While they performed various types of music such as country, pop and more, they also sang gospel music, and they did a fabulous job of it. This show was outstanding and had the entire audience clapping to the music.

After this show, we went to the Island, which is located in Pigeon Forge and saw the wheel. This was a fun ride with beautiful views from the top. It is like a Ferris wheel where it goes round and round. From the wheel, we got to see the entire park. Once we disembarked from the wheel, we took a walk through the Island and saw the many stores and other attractions.

Later that afternoon, we went to the Hatfields and McCoy dinner show. While we had dinner the Hatfields and McCoys were performing. It seems there was a long-standing feud between the two. We (the audience) were to help the two family settle their dispute. There was dancing, singing, comedy and mighty feats of strength. While it was approximately two hours long, the show was so fast paced that it seemed to fly by.

The next day, we went to another show that was also at the Smoky Mountain Opry Theater. This was the ultimate variety show, as it included a talented cast of singers, dancers, comedians, musicians and jugglers in the Smoky Mountains. The costumes were quite dazzling, and the special effects added to the show. Performers were dropped from the ceiling on a suspended rope or chair. It was truly amazing.

We also went to Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg. Here we saw stingrays, coral reefs and more. We walked through a tunnel that was underwater, and we saw the world’s most spectacular shark habitat.

After we saw the aquarium, we went to the Country Tonight show. This show was also fast paced and really high energy. There was singing and dancing. The costumes were absolutely beautiful and, here again, the afternoon just flew by.

That night, we again drove to Gatlinburg to attend the Sweet Fanny Adams Theater. This is a terrific show. Every time we go to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, we make it a point to attend Sweet Fanny Adams. The shows are quick-witted sensations and filled with the broadest of humor and the silliest of slapstick. It is a two-hour show and full of fun and audience participation. Toward the end of the show, they have a sing-along and everyone joins in. That night we went to the Dixie Stampede. Here the seats are in a horseshoe around an arena where the performance on horses is held. Before the actual show, there was a pre-show held in the saloon. Dinner is also served on a table that is in front of each seat. While I can say the meal was delicious (served without silverware), the show was outstanding. It was the North vs. the South, and people in the audience were cheering them on.

The following morning we went to Knoxville, and by lunchtime we went on a riverboat that also had a buffet lunch. The time just flew by, as the trip was delightful. It was an hour-and-a-half trip and was so relaxing.

We went browsing in the stores for the rest of the day and saw the World Fairgrounds and the Sunsphere. We stayed one night, and the next morning took the trip home to Connecticut.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published May 6, 2015

On April 18, Luella Wheeling hosted an After Taxes Potluck and many residents joined in on the fun. There were enough people to fill four tables; approximately 35 people celebrated with this potluck. On this particular day, they could wear their oldest clothes showing us how Tax Day affected them. I spoke to Luella, and she told me that the tablecloths had “IRS” printed on them, and the centerpieces were Form 1040 instruction booklets.

Since this special day was on a Saturday, Marty and I were unable to join them, as we were on the road to the Great Smoky Mountains for a week and then home to the cold, and possibly snow. But we were with them in spirit.

The greeting card ladies, consisting of Colleen Crandall, Mim Gardner, Rosie Semian, Barb Janelle, Doris Sutfin, Sam Sage and Tina Stritch, were invited to Zephyr Haven for a volunteer dinner on April 15. They were being honored for making greeting cards for three different assisted living facilities.

This group of women makes approximately 1,500 cards a year and, from what I heard in the past, these cards make a lot of residents happy.

When going to the craft room at Grand Horizons to take a picture of the ones that were going to the volunteer dinner, I happened to see a group that was in the progress of making birthday cards. They all seemed to be having a great time, and they definitely knew what they were doing. The card makers were Cheryl Leone, Brenda Mundis and Diane Taggart. Colleen showed me what they were working on, and they were absolutely beautiful.

The work that they do puts a smile on many faces. Good going, and keep up the good work.

By Helene Rubenstein

Published April 29, 2015