Senior Center Reopening

 The pandemic had us all on lock down. Even more so for Senior Citizens.

 Considered the high risk group for the Corona / Covid 19 virus,  stores made concessions by opening earlier and allowing seniors to shop before the regular crowds. 

That was a nice gesture but, it didn't make a lot of sense to me. Even shopping with just seniors, a person might still contract the virus. Not to mention the workers at the businesses might be harboring the virus and not know it. Yet, I still think it was very kind of businesses to put forth effort to keep elders safe.

The senior center I attend had a soft reopening in May. Decreased hours, mask, temp and sanitizer enforced. No outside food or drink allowed.

May menu

Meals were handed out as we left, whereas in the past we could eat in.  

Butter beans, collard greens, cornbread,
macaroni & cheese,
vanilla pudding, milk and juice.

For people who are in need of a hot meal and may be infirmed or have other issues this is great for them.

June calendar of activities and events

I am thankful that I am still able to have a choice in many things I do as I age. Sooooo, I came home and made this.  

Hamburger patty, sautéed onions, tomatoes
and oven baked fries. Yum 😊

Now that JUNE has arrived the Center has opened full scale. Safety precautions are still in place, temp, sanitizer and masks but activities and field trips have been scheduled. 

Covered in zipper bag for health safety

Friday BINGO  is back and it is almost SACRED.  It is as quiet as a monastery during BINGO because participants want to make sure they hear every number called and they do not want their concentration broken. Regular center goers know to enter the doors solemnly on BINGO Friday.🙏

Friday BINGO prizes. There were 2 tables of artisan breads and pastries. The rule is only 2 prizes. One a sweet and 1 a bread. A person who BINGOs a third time may give their "prize" to someone who hasn't won. Because the participant numbers aren't up yet, we were allowed to get more than one prize. More than one person had 5 items.  Some folks even bring a shopping bag to haul their prizes home.

What I won: sour dough bread, bear claws, Italian 

bread. All from Publix. The bear claws

weren't  good. They were dry and had more

crust than filling. I prefer the bear claws from 

Pop's Donuts but, that's another story.

I enjoy attending the center. The staff is wonderful, patient and understanding. The attendees are a diverse group and that's a good thing. We all need to learn to live and get along with others who may seem to be different but have a place on earth just as we all do.

Looking forward to Hula Hoop and Tai Chi exercises.

That's it ***

The Back Porch

 

Located      on First Avenue in Bessemer, Alabama is The Back Porch restaurant. 

My first time there this past Sunday gave me a nostalgic feeling of the 80's Sunday brunches  once sponsored by Mom & Pop establishments.  This one had home cooking, was clean, had congenial servers who greeted me with a smile when I placed my order at the steam table. Seeing customers waving and talking with friends added to the warmness . The dulcet singing voice of Jolanda Green ( see below) was icing on the cake.

I'm glad the  Pandemic policy has been somewhat relaxed. There's no way you can remain six feet  apart in this small establishment.

Some of the historic photos  from when the Muscoda Mines operated.

Jolanda Green music

                                                                 Here's a sample↓↓↓

A great Sunday!😄

ETCetera

Lincoln Theater June 2021

Just next door to The Back Porch is the Lincoln Theatre. This was a theater for African Americans to attend during the segregation era. 

Built in 1910, Sam Raine bought the building in 1942. In 1947 Raine had the building redesigned. In 1948 the theater opened to movie patrons.

" In 1950 the Lincoln was scheduled to screen the 1949 feature "Lost Boundaries", about the family of Dr Albert Johnson who passed for white while living in New England in the 1930s and 1940s. As in Atlanta, Memphis and Birmingham, Bessemer's censors banned the screening. The board's opinion, reported byBessemer Police chief Lacey Alexander, was that, "We didn't want it shown in Bessemer. We didn't like the looks of it.  "(copied from Bham Wiki)

 Raine put the theater up for sale in 1961 for $40,000. After going through a succession of owners the building was closed as a  theater in 1981.  

In 2017, actor, Andre Holland , who grew up in Bessemer purchased the theater with the support of his family as local managers. Naming it the Holland Project and given a grant of $21,000 by the Alabama State Council on the Arts they began restoration of  the building to benefit the community. 

Lincoln Theater in its early days.  1948 (copied from Bham Now

That's it***

 

 

Sheet Pan Cooking

 Sheet pan cooking is a method of cooking an entire meal using one pan. Most often that pan is a large baking sheet. It's claim is that everything can be prepped and cooked at the same time. This leaves less mess and clean up after the meal. I've done oven roasted vegetables . They're easy prep, tasty and true enough there is less clean up

Today I prepared pork cutlets and baked carrots in Teriyaki sauce.

I prefer pork chops with the bone  but, these were on sale. My initial plan was to cut them in strips, place in the crock pot and add barbeque sauce. Even after this method I can still add barbeque sauce. 

I can't give you portions, measurements and time because I pretty much did this off the cuff. In addition to the carrots and pork cutlets I also prepared string beans and  potato salad...separately.😊

 Success!

That's it***