My great-niece Floey turns eight years old tomorrow, and gee whiz, what a coincidence that this extremely flattering
The irrepressible Annmarie.
email arrived in my in box just when I was thinking about what to get for her for her birthday – she wrote it as a report for her second grade class:
Beth Finke unfortunaly is my aunt. She is also a great athor, but I like her better as my aunt. She’s actually my GREAT anunt (I’m not just saying that) and she has always been. She’s 54 and is married to my Uncle Mike (Who is coo-coo). He has an aquarium. Aunt Beth is VERY kind.
Thank you Floey. You’re very kind, too! See (okay, hear) you tomorrow….
How sweet!!
She LOVED having you stop by for her big day, today. I’m sure she’s dreaming up some noteworthy comments and observations about the day…will share.
I can’t imagine she even *remembers* us coming by, what with all the other schoolfriends arriving soon after we got there so that they could celebrate with Floey, too. It was great fun to be there with the one and only original Flo and Cheryl and Anita and Ben and all as the party was starting, and what a sense of freedom to be able to leave before it got totally crazy. Surprised you stil have your wits about you to write this blog comment –you are amazing. THANKS for having us at Floey’s party, Janet. Now time to open up some of that Flo Wine, eh?!
So sweet! Have a wonderful holiday! 🙂
You too, Tara, with those wonderful sons with the guitar-names — happy everything!
Hi, Beth! Jim Gallagher here. “Long Time No See” as they say. Wait! Isn’t that the title of a book I read once? Thom forwarded me your blog and I loved reading about your doggy adventures. Had no idea you were on your 4th dog now. Whatever happened to Hanni? You were still with her last I knew. I guess Thom hasn’t been keeping me abreast of all the latest developments. Whitney is GORGEOUS. Give her some hugs and kisses for me. Or is she a he? Anyway, hope you’re doing well. SWAK, Jim
Welcome to blogland, Jim! Hanni retired three years ago and lives with friends in, guess where? Urbana! Her new People, Steven and Nancy, bring her to forest preserves and out to Homer Lake for walks, be on the lookout, I have a feeling you would still recognize her sweet self if you saw her…
Me again. Just found this text in a book I’m working on and thought you might find it interesting:
Historic Blind Girls’ Home Building Serving the Needy while Retaining its Historic Integrity
From its construction in 1908 until 1966, this historic red-brick Georgian revival building in St. Louis, Missouri, provided a communal home for disadvantaged blind girls and women, allowing them to live independently and earn a living. A significant example of early twentieth-century institutional architecture designed by architect J. Hal Lynch, the building originally had 50 sleeping rooms for its sight-impaired residents, a dining hall, and two communal living rooms. A small infirmary was added in the 1920s. After the Blind Girls’ Home left the building in 1966, it became run down and was eventually occupied by squatters.
In 2010, the building was restored to become the home of Places at Page, a facility designed to serve people with mental illnesses, many of whom have been homeless at some point in their lives. While the exterior of the building remained mostly intact since its construction, the interior had suffered insensitive remodeling, vandalism, and water damage. The $4.6 million rehabilitation, funded in part with tax credits from the National Park Service’s Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, repaired the damage inside and out and reconstructed many significant interior features (Allen 2011). On the exterior, damaged or missing bricks and terra cotta blocks were replaced or repaired. Inside, the historic appearance of the former lobby was restored, and “layers of drywall and paneling were removed to reveal a beautiful wood and tile fireplace, beamed ceiling, and grand staircases” (NPS “Featured Case Study” 2013). In addition, the former girls’ dormitories were rehabilitated into 23 low-income apartments.
This project demonstrates that sensitively rehabilitated historic buildings can serve people and offer an enriched atmosphere inside and out. The historic facility once again offers support and care, allowing its residents to lead mostly independent lives.
Had never heard of this place. So interesting –makes me curious if there was anything special the architect did to accommodate the blindness — textures on walls or floors, inclines rather than stairs, that sort of thing.
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