Another Sunday, another Rick Scalise performance. It was Halloween, and Rick played classical music that might loosely be associated with the event. He began with Gounod’s, “Funeral March for a Marionette,” which is more commonly known as the theme music to …..Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He also played Liszt and Bach and ended with Peer Gynt’s, “Hall of The Mountain King.” Flo and I sat in what Rick refers to as the expensive seats – a couch with the best view of his magical hands.

I counted twenty people, which is fewer than usual, but only one person with their chin on their chest, asleep. Or should I say, one person who fell asleep twice. The second time I woke up, I noticed Flo looking at me with a Santa Claus twinkle in her eye, as if to say, “Yes, you fit right in.” It wasn’t the music, believe me, it was the previous day’s logging adventure.

Diane and I both think that Flo is much closer to accepting her new living arrangement, and at six months, she is right on schedule. She has two new buddies. Sylvia, though she was taken from CP in an ambulance yesterday, and Bessie. In fact, to insure that help were available, should it be needed, they got together with Lois the other morning, and each filled out a three by five card with their names, telephone numbers and addresses.

I met Bessie at the end of the concert. She is another gentle soul who, though she calls Flo, Dot, is very much in the here and now. Diane will argue this point, but I’ve always thought Flo to be the most (as Susan would say) crisp amongst her peers, and I believe that is a big reason she’s been so lackluster about her new living situation.

Bessie provides comfort and empathy, and they both talked about how difficult the adjustment. Bessie compared moving into Concord Park with giving up her car, which she now admits was the proper thing to do. When Flo grumbles, Bessie counters.

Flo: “You eat, and then you go to your room. You come down here for this, and then you go to your room. You play cards, then you go to your room.

Bessie: “But you get up and someone else makes you breakfast. Someone else makes you lunch and dinner, too. The food is good, and you don’t have to do the dishes or your laundry.”

Holding hands with Bessie, Flo smiled and agreed. “I don’t want my daughters to feel guilty forever for putting me in this hole.” When she finished the sentence she laughed as hard as I’ve seen her laugh. I thought she’d double over.

Bessie squeezed Flo’s hand and said, “But it’s a nice hole.”