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Laughing seagulls … and other amazing things

IRON MOUNTAIN — Have you ever noticed a seagull laughing? No? Well, I hadn’t, either, until this past Sunday, when my husband and I took a drive to Lake Superior. It was the only day in the next ten predicted to have full sunshine in Marquette, so we decided we had better take advantage of the good weather. We took the necessary precautions by calling ahead to Togo’s and ordering our sub sandwiches to be picked up at the drive-up window at a specific time, and we paid in advance as well to have minimum human contact. Then we drove to Presque Isle and found a solitary picnic table in the sunshine upon which to eat our lunch.

Sure enough, as soon as we sat down, so did a pair of seagulls. They perched on the guard rail right in front of us and watched closely as the food emerged from its packaging. We had learned decades ago, when our kids were little and we always did a final picnic of the season along the big lake, that we should never feed the seagulls. Two gulls would quickly become a raucous flock the minute a single potato chip hit the ground. On this day, we ate, and they watched hoping that we had forgotten that lesson from times past.

Suddenly, for no apparent reason, one gull bent way forward and placed his beak between his legs and then just as quickly stretched out his neck, beak pointed straight upwards toward the sky. All the while he was letting out a loud caw that sounded exactly like a big belly laugh. He finished by looking straight at us and cawing loudly with his beak wide open. Then his partner did the same. They repeated this silliness multiple times until they had us laughing right along with them.

I am sure you are wondering about the significance of this observation. Why do I even take the time to mention it? Well, the fact that we are in the middle of a pandemic turned a simple drive to Marquette into an event that needed prior planning. And it made any other lunch option on a 40-degree day impossible. So, we had a sandwich while bundled up on a picnic table, which also gave us the opportunity to see the gulls up close and personal … and learn that they laugh! Who knew? On any other trip north in early April, we would have eaten inside at a restaurant and taken a brisk walk through the park, never noticing the seagulls — those annoying birds that we had seen and avoided a hundred times in the past. Now, I have a new appreciation of seagulls and have a happy memory of their laughter in the middle of a somber time in our history.

I began to think of what other positive consequences this virus may be having for all of us. A simple drive down a now-deserted Third Street, which is generally so packed with traffic and people it is difficult to notice anything else, displayed an overriding feeling of optimism. Businesses assured the public, along with their notifications of closure, that they “would be back” and there was a generous usage of the word “temporarily” — a very optimistic, and greatly appreciated, adjective during these troubling times. Signs also included words of encouragement along with phrases dealing with “winning” and “fighting together.” I had never taken a single drive down a single street and ended up feeling like I was so much a part of a force greater than myself; it was a very uplifting moment.

It also turns out that we have a collective sense of humor that is bursting at the seams. One house in a Marquette neighborhood had erected a huge Easter bunny head — it must have been 10 feet tall — wearing a surgical mask draped over its big, floppy ears! It brought a smile along with its serious reminder. And how many of us have been receiving email with attachments showing the many silly antics of folks passing their quarantine time by pulling practical jokes on each other in the most creative of ways?

Our collective creativity is seen in constructive ways as well. Businesses are finding ways to stay open by adopting new carry-out methods for their customers. They are also finding ways to deliver their products to people to avoid the crowds in their establishments. I recently saw a news report about an arcade that had just opened with the dream of bringing back the old-time pinball games. It had just started to take off when the virus hit. So, the small business owner thoroughly cleaned all of his machines and turned his arcade into a rental business. It turns out that people love to play pinball games when they are confined in their homes, and he was more than happy to deliver them. And the entertainment industry has certainly found ways to continue to broadcast from their own homes. We continue to be informed by CBS news and to be entertained by Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert from their homes in Vegas and New York City as they all work from home.

Also, culinary creativity seems to be on the rise. With favorite restaurants closed and so much “at-home time” on our hands, many of my friends have taken to trying new recipes. One friend recently confessed that “her kitchen was a perpetual mess” and that “the birds and squirrels were enjoying her many failed attempts at new bread recipes.” I have always enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes, but I have never had a week where every night saw a new entrée. My husband is very happy with this turn of events and even enjoyed last night’s Thai-inspired pumpkin soup.

And, by the time this is over, we are going to have the cleanest and most organized homes of our lives. Anyone I have talked to recently has been spring cleaning and purging their home office files of a ton of unnecessary paper. My husband and I are making great headway on the spring cleaning, and once he gets outside to do yard work, I will clean out our filing cabinets.

It seems also that as a nation we are adjusting to more at home time with family. Our sons and their teenagers seem to have found ways to coexist while confined. And many other homes across America have found new enjoyment in the family meal; there is simply more time to rediscover family now that schools are closed and extracurricular activities have been cancelled, and that is a good thing.

In ways large and small, we are all finding our way through today’s challenges. I have heard various reports about how the environment is responding positively to less travel and fewer emissions into the atmosphere. Neighbors are helping neighbors — even in big cities. Crime is down, and policemen are delivering medication and groceries to senior citizens. Groups large and small are pulling together to help those less fortunate — either by raising money or by actually doing the heavy lifting. And we all have a very profound feeling of gratitude for healthcare workers, doctors and nurses who are endangering their own lives while saving ours; their dedication to us goes beyond any words we can find to thank them.

There is great meaning today in the phrase we so often use during times of difficulty: “Everything happens for a reason.” We are becoming a nation of people who appreciate more, are thankful for smaller things, are more generous, are developing resiliency and patience, are learning empathy … we are, in fact, becoming our best selves. Amazing things can happen when we have enough time, and we listen closely enough … to hear the seagulls laugh.

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The usual senior living activity calendars and senior center menus will not be published this week in an effort to avoid confusion. Due to the coronavirus and the vulnerability of our elderly population, daily life in our senior living facilities and senior centers has changed dramatically.

All living facilities have closed their doors to public visitation, and the activity calendars have been modified to allow for one-to-one room visits only and individualized activities to keep residents engaged and active as much as possible while remaining within the health and safety guidelines provided by state health experts. Group games are being substituted with individualized activities residents can do in their respective rooms. Staff are providing supplies as well as “overhead announcement bingo and trivia” games and “hallway games” that can be played in individual rooms or by sitting within individual room doorways. YouTube and DVDs are being utilized to provide religious services. A big dose of gratitude and appreciation goes out to all senior care staff for their creativity, caring and perseverance through a difficult situation.

All senior centers have also been closed to center-based activity. Until they reopen, no information is being published about activities typically available at these centers. Meals continue to be delivered. Some centers are also preparing meals to be picked up. Menus are printed below for those centers who are either preparing takeout or providing home-delivered meals. Questions can be directed to the individual centers at the numbers listed.

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SENIOR CENTERS

Alpha-Mastodon Center

906-875-3315

Amasa Center

906-822-7284

Breen Center

906-774-5110

Crystal Falls Center

Head cook: Lucy Korhonen

906-875-6709

Crystal Lake Center- Iron Mountain

(906) 239-0278

Home-delivered meals only menu for week —

Monday: Sweet and sour pork, rice and Oriental vegetable blend.

Tuesday: Omelet, spiced peaches and hash browns.

Wednesday: Chicken quesadilla soup, corn bread and pudding.

Thursday: Cheeseburger, potato wedges and baked beans.

Friday: No meals being offered to home-delivered clients.

Any questions regarding the home-delivered meal program at this center can be directed to Christine McMahon at 906-774-2256

Felch Center

906-246-3559

Home-delivered meals only menu for week —

Monday: Shepherd’s pie, side salad and fruit.

Tuesday: Pork chops, au gratin potatoes and fried cabbage.

Wednesday: Beef roast, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans.

Aging and Disability Resource Center of Florence County, Wis.

715-528-4890

Director: Tiffany White

Home-delivered meals only menu for week —

Monday: Sloppy Joes, mac and cheese, potato wedges, sweet hummus and apple slices.

Tuesday: Pork chops, mashed potatoes, broccoli, fruit cocktail and birthday cake.

Wednesday: Chicken parmesan with meat sauce and cheese topping, penne pasta, tossed salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, Italian bread and butterscotch pudding.

Thursday: Porcupine meatballs, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots and fresh fruit.

Friday: Tater tot casserole, biscuits, three bean salad and Mandarin oranges.

Fence Center/Town Hall

715-336-2980

For meal reservations, call 855-528-2372

Same as ADRC menu — home-delivered only.

Florence Community Center/Town Hall

For meal reservations call 715-528-4261

Same as ADRC menu — home-delivered only.

Tipler Town Hall

715-674-2320 — home delivered only.

Same as ADRC menu — home-delivered only.

Hillcrest Senior Dining Center, Aurora

For meal reservations, call 715-589-4491

Same as ADRC menu — home delivered only.

Hermansville Center

Coordinator: Pam Haluska

906-498-7735

Iron River Center

906-265-6134

Home-delivered meals only menu for the week —

Monday: Sausage pizza, and cottage cheese.

Tuesday: Beef casserole, California vegetable blend and garlic bread.

Wednesday: Turkey wrap and potato chips.

Thursday: Parmesan chicken, noodles, cauliflower and breadstick.

Note: No dance as previously scheduled for April 11.

Niagara Northwoods Senior Cafe and Center

Meal site manager: Corrie Maule, 715-251-1603

Senior center director: Jill Anderson, 715-251- 4154

Norway Center

Director: Susie Slining

906-563-8716

The center will remain closed; however, takeout meals will be prepared for pick-up — must call ahead.

The menu for the week —

Monday: Polish sausage, sauerkraut, boiled potatoes, carrots and onions, fruit, juice and dessert.

Tuesday: Ham and scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, fruit, juice and dessert.

Wednesday: Barbecue ribs, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables and dessert.

Thursday: Chicken alfredo, noodles, garlic bread, fruit, juice and dessert.

Sagola Center

906-542-3273

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