Voting, stuffing the ballot box, and lost email.

A recent email from RantMom's current retirement community reads something like:

 Dear Families

"Here is a link to vote (our community) best in category of Renton and then to visit every day and help stuff the ballot box...."

RantWoman has no basis for comparison with other facilities. RantWoman also is tired and not willing to go look for the email. The first time RantWoman clicked on the relevant link, she got lost and has not been back.  But RantWoman is happy to say a few words about things that have impressed her since RantMom moved in last year. 

Creative holiday meals. RantWoman and Little Sister dined with RantMom for easter brunch. Two items that completely charmed RantWoman: a green salad with a hint of fennel, fresh peas, and some other herbs and nicely spiced hot cross buns. The quiche and cheesecake were lovely too but RantWoman was most charmed by the salad and the rolls. RantWoman has previously written of creative use of flavorings for vegetables at Christmas.

Wonderful view of Lake Washington from the dining room. Not so much fun if one battles light sensitivity but the RantWomen have enjoyed meals there many times.

Landscaping as charming as the location that previously enticed RantWoman to her first retirement community.

Dining Room is a large and comfortable performance space for a number of music and dance schools.

The monthly calendar includes a whole range of activities: poetry reading, meditation, lectures about current events as well as monthly meetings with staff about things like changes in the dining room.

A bonus to the Lake Washington location: the community is right near a flight school. RantWoman finds it kind of fun, if a little noisy, to hear and watch small planes practice takeoffs in cold and dark skies in the winter.

A very conscientious director. Recently RantMom decided to move from one apartment to another because of elevator problems that did not have a clear timeline for resolution. The elevator problems got resolved just about the time RantMom moved to a new apartment that needs no elevator or stairs to get to from the front door. The move required a certain amount of paperwork and the director patiently kept saying "Now I need to talk about ...." It was courteous. It was respectful  It was all manageable.

A van available to save RantMom at least some of the trips she would otherwise do on ACCESS and a much shorter travel distance to RantMom's church.

RantMom moved from a location in Ravenna--and downsized a little more--because the Ravenna location is getting torn down and rebuilt. Uncertainty about planning dragged on for a number of years, but finally Era living just set some timelines, offered incentives to stay within the company, provided tours. RantWoman was also impressed by some special events to help residents share memories, say goodbye to the community, and then celebrated the clumps that moved to different locations.

All in all, much to be thankful for.

Shhh. Don't tell RantMom, RantWoman is also very glad that RantMom does not have to cook unless she really wants to. RantMom's hands have cooked plenty of meals over her life, but now neurological challenges in her hands make RantWoman nervous about anything involving RantMom having to do more with knives and hot liquids than enjoy meals in the dining room.