The Mansion art show is one week away – next Wednesday – and there will be three judges – me, Maria and Scott Carrino. The three top winners will get lunch at the Round House Cafe. The next three will get books or book certificates from the Battenkill Bookshop. I’m trying to get hold of some beads and bracelets for runners up.

Everyone at the Mansion is excited about the show, it will be up on the Great Room walls by 7 p.m. It’s going to be difficult. Thanks to your many gifts, the residents had every imaginable artistic tool to draw and sketch with. Activities director Julie Smith is overseeing all the art and judging it will be difficult.

Julie showed me some of the collages going into the show, but she wouldn’t tell me who put it together. As a judge, she said, I had to stay detached. The art work. has kept people busy and engaged, the artists have already used up all of the magic markers, which dried out. Jane and others say they want to deep on drawing and painting after the art show.

They have wonderful paper and brushes to use.

Thanks much, these were thoughtful gifts that will be used again and again.

I asked Julie today, as I do every time I come, what the residents need. Julie is never greedy, she always thinks carefully about it, and worries about other people’s money.

I think right now we really need old movies, used DVD’s  she said. We have a big screen set up every afternoon now, but we don’t  have the good or funny ones.

We could sure used some used  good movie discs, some good DVD’s, said Julie. She’s set up a new activity, a movie is shown in the activity room every afternoon around 3:30. The idea is a hit, the room was filled this afternoon for an old western. But they don’t have many movies to show.

If you have any old movie DVD’s lying around and want to send the to the Mansion, it would be appreciated. The address is 11 S. Union Street, Cambridge, Mass.,  12816.