Specializing in
Alzheimer's Care

EdItoR's NoTe

Bloomfield Healthcare

Prottd1 Presents

i •

•

Surprise!

hen I turned 1 8
— so many,
many years ago
— an acquaintance did
something marvelous for me:
she threw me a surprise party.
I was absolutely, complete-
ly in the dark about the
whole thing. What a fun and won-
derful feeling when I opened the
door and everyone jumped out of a
dark room and called (you guessed

it), "Surprise!"
Of course, as you get older and
have children and settle down, life
isn't quite so full of surprises, and
frankly, you're glad. I don't need to
be surprised by hearing that one of
my children invited a friend over
without checking with me first, or
that another needs six blue-and-
green pencils with pink tassels at
the top for b school project —
tomorrow. I don't need to be sur-
prised, as I was this very evening,
to learn that my son suddenly no
longer likes hot dogs, potatoes or
corn off the cob, which is what we
were having for dinner. Above all, I
don't want any sad surprises. Ever.
I like a normal, regular day. I like
to know that life will go smoothly,
predictably, gently. Okay, so maybe
I'll have a little healthy angst if Ridge
and Brooke have yet another fight
on The Bold and the Beautiful."
That's enough. Mere existence —
getting in and out of a car with three
children on a snowy day, wondering
what to pack for my daughter's
lunch, trying to be polite, if firm, with
telemarketers — is all I can take.
For my children, though, the word
surprise" conjures such magical
visions. "Surprise"' means nothing
but fun and good everywhere, all
shining and sparkling, like glitter.
I have recently instituted a new
program in our home. My 5-year-
old son, Yitz, calls it "Surprise Day."

All it means is something
out of the ordinary, some-
thing unexpected. Several
weeks ago Yitz's big sister,
Adina, went to play with a
friend for the day, again,
and they were going to the
movie. No one invited Yitz
over that day. Again.
"I wish we could do something
fun," I told him, lying. "But I've got
a few chores and you're going to
have to come with me, I'm afraid."
He was a good sport. "All right,"
he said, though his little voice was
heavy with sadness.
We headed out, and I kept him
going until we were inside, and the
smell of popcorn and candy was
overwhelming. "No chores today," I
said finally. "We're going to see
The Rugrats Movie."
His tiny body trembling with
excitement, Yitz jumped up and
down and gazed at me with an
expression of such gratitude. He
kissed my hand, many times.
Sometimes, Surprise Day is small,
like an unannounced trip for ice
cream or to a dollar store for a
treat. It might mean a movie that
evening, instead of picking up the
playroom. Sometimes, it's adven-
ture, like Discovery Zone. The only
requirement: It's a surprise.
Surprise Day has never failed to
moke my children happy, and watch-
ing them in such moments makes my
whole world seem sparkling and
new and shiny, like glitter.

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

Elizabeth Applebaum welcomes your
comments about this or any other col-
umn. Please contact her by voice mail
at (248) 354-6060 ext. 308, or by e-

SUTTON
HOMES

• ',„

• •
•
•
Staffing Ration 1 : 3
•
No Entrance Fee
•
No Hidden Costs

•

(Supplies Included)

•

Quality care provided with
dignity and compassion
•
Convenient Locations:
Bloomfield Hills • Troy • West Bloomfield

Philosophical commitment to doing whatever necessary and possible
within our means to meet resident's needs for care of dementia.

A TRULY SKILLED ALTERNATIVE TO INSTITUTIONAL CARE

For information call (248) 258-8282

Maxie Collision, Inc.

Jim Fleischer — "Since 1987"

32581 Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills, MI 48334

248 - 737 - 7122

p.S11.410011.S11.911SIXSTILSIMIIISSIISILVELSIISIXSUSF

AAVINGSsfsld ,
!AiMAZINIG
., ,
Quality Closeouts At Amazing Prices!
0

A

✓
O

HUNTER'S SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER 1 41 ,4
30887 Orchard Lake Road (S. of 14 Mile) r
41
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Phone: (248) 932-5110

SHERWOOD SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER

26215 Greenfield (at 10-1/2 Mile)
Southfield, MI 48076
Phone: (248) 569-6699

i d Hours: Sunday 10:00 AM — 6:00 pm • MON. THURS. 9:30 am — 9:00 pm • Friday 9:30 am — 4:00 pm • Closed Saturday c g,

—

FILSIIISIMUSII,S11,411SUSII.S11SUSTISUSIISUSIISUSt

mail at philapple@earthlink.net

W\ ‘45.4..G

"--

/-

C4v..

2/2

Y\

Detroit Jewish

News