Editor's Note: I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream ...

Say Hey Garlic Fans;

We hope you are all doing well (at least those of you not trapped in the heat and humidity, which is to be oppressive over the next few days).

I meant to post this last evening (see above heat and humidity), that I wouldn't be posting yesterday.

Things just got too jammed up on the homefront, and, then, too burned out (drained - see above heat and humidity) to sit down and be creative.

Something new (which goes to explain, to some extent, the odd-timing of posting) this month, is I got my Aunt a wheelchair, so as to get her out-and-about more often.

Since last year (the first hospital run, when, after getting her admitted and settled, 20-minutes later, she fell and broke her wrist), she has been reluctant to go out.

She walks fine (with the aid of a four-post walker), so it is more a dementia/mental thing, rather than physical, and I was loath to think of another summer with her sitting in the house all day.

Surprisingly, she has embraced it (that was a big worry).

There was some minor carping ("what will the neighbors think", or "people will think I'm crippled"), but that has subsided and she's groovin' on it.

(There has been a downside to it though, her dementia. More-and-more, she is getting confused, asking me to "to her home" referring to her childhood home. Now, with each wheelchair excursion, when we get home, it's a 15-or-20-minute thing, that she is in "her house", recognizing all her "things".)

Aside from walks around the neighborhood, we've taken her to the supermarket, out every morning down to Central Square, to get the paper, and, slowly, easing her back into going to the Senior Center.

And, that's where we where yesterday afternoon, for an "Ice Cream Social".

Yes, it was about as exciting as that sounds.

About 30+ elderly, gathered and sitting around tables (in their clicks, of course), being treated like kindergarteners by the staff person running this "Ice Cream Social" (including speaking in a, forced, patronizing, slow voice), and giving agonizing directions how all those 30+ elderly would get up, come to the ice cream table, and get their "two scoops", and then the choice of three different toppings (bowls, barely filled of Cool Whip, sat on the tables).

Though, no one asked, I expect it was verboten to put two, or all three toppings, on your two scoops.

And we definitely got tagged as subversive, when I only got my Aunt one scoop (which she didn't finish).

At least we left with party favors (small lollipops, and an even smaller bottle of Bubble Blowing something, which didn't work very well).

So, we'll try to play catch-up today (provided the heat-and-humidity doesn't overtake me) and, as always, endeavor to keep things sharp.

Many Thanks again, for visiting and reading The Garlic

Peace
JTD