Cindy's Job At The Birch Street Nursing Home

This morning when I got to the Birch Street Nursing Home, I found a note from the head nurse telling me to have the patients do some spring cleaning. Mrs. Lieberman said she didn't want cleaning to cut too much into our poker time, but even she got into the spirit of things when I handed her a big sponge and bucket. At one point in the afternoon, Mrs. Henley came into the activity room carrying two sets of handcuffs she found in one of the rooms Mr. Smith had rented for the girls. I figured the police must have left them there that night in February when they came to investigate the mysterious intruder, but when I called the station to report the items had been found, the officer told me that handcuffs used by the police are not pink and furry. Mr. Matthews offered to hold onto them until the true owners can be found.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 52)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I cleared trash from Mrs. Chang's grave.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 51)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I lent an old woman my extra pair of mittens.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 50)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I helped a neighbor unload Christmas packages from her car.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 49)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I helped push an old woman's shopping cart at the local market. 

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 48)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I tied pink ribbons to the park bench where they sit. I also wiped the bench clean with my sleeve.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 44)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I wore my Halloween costume to the Birch Street Nursing Home. I went as a kitten in a costume that Grandmother made for me. The patients were surprised, and said they felt bad they didn't have any candy ready because they hadn't had any trick-or-treaters at the home in years. But they all said they loved my costume. So I told them what Grandmother told me — that it's authentic, made from real cat fur. Mr. Matthews in particular loved it and pet me for hours. He even encouraged me to purr for him.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 43)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I dressed as Mr. Matthews’ dead wife to help him celebrate their wedding anniversary. Mrs. Matthews must have been a short woman, because the wedding gown was only slightly too big for me. As it got dark, I got a little cold, and Mr. Matthews was nice enough to lend me one of his wife’s sweaters, which was actually a bit tight.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 42)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I raked leaves from the entrance to the Birch Street Nursing Home. As I was finishing, Mr. Matthews called down from his open window to say some leaves had also ended up in his room. So I went in and cleaned those up too.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 41)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I put on some of Mr. Matthews' dead wife's perfume because he says it helps him remember the good old days.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 40)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I helped decorate the Birch Street Nursing Home for Halloween. I had some extra glow-in-the-dark skull stickers so I put them on the patients' walls just above their beds, where even the invalids can enjoy them.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 39)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I gave aid to Mr. Matthews. I had just been telling him how we learned mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in school this week, when he suddenly fell over and had trouble breathing. Good thing for him I was there.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 38)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I helped return the stolen items found in Mrs. Shimshack's closet after her death. It's much easier to understand Mrs. Beaumont now that she has her proper dentures back. She said I can end my late-night vigil.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 37)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I sang to Mr. Matthews. He told me he missed his dead wife and wanted to hear her favorite song, "Ring Around The Rosie." That's one I know by heart! He had me sing it to him four times, and told me I sound just like his wife.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 36)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I told the new occupant of Mrs. Chang's room that she could keep Mrs. Chang's cushion.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 35)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I wiped the lipstick off of Mrs. Chang’s teeth before they carted away her body.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 34)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I promised some of the female patients at the Birch Street Nursing Home that I would keep a late-night vigil outside their windows until the Birch Street Nursing Home thief is caught.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 33)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I walked with Mrs. Chang next door to the Birch Street Funeral Home and helped her pick out a coffin. After that, there was still some time before her afternoon nap, so we walked across the street to the Birch Street Cemetery, where I helped her pick out a plot. When we got back to the Birch Street Nursing Home, I pointed out that she can see her cemetery plot from her window. This seemed to cheer her up, as she said her next move won't be as difficult as her last.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 32)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I found a cushion for Mrs. Chang to replace the pillow I'd given her earlier, which was stolen by the Birch Street Nursing Home thief.

Cindy Cheers Up The Elderly (Week 31)

This week to cheer up the elderly, I showed them my collection of old coins, some of which are from the 1980s.