When we first came to look at our prospective new home, we found Florence Walrath’s hand-made sign in the back door window: “Anyone Enjoying Work Can Have A Good Time In This Institution.” Florence was all about work, family, determination and independence. She was 102 when she died, and kept her promise not to leave her home. We decided to keep this sign, we appreciated the message and the spirit behind it. A few days ago, it fell off the back door, another casualty of our cold and wet and snowy winter.

I brought it into my study and put it next to my muse. I look at it every morning when I start the day. It is a carefully worded statement, I like the fact that it juxtaposes work with fun, a major element of Florence’s world view I think. Women seem to age better than men as a rule, the world loves great and indomitable old ladies, and Florence was a Queen of the Great Old Ladies, she worked and lived her life to the end. I mean to do the same. Anyone enjoying work can have fun in this institution too, we keep Florence’s spirit very much alive her. If she chose to be a ghost, she would be quite welcome to come back to her home.