This Week April 4, 1990. Page MS PRIME TIME Spirit freed by living on essentials - he woman was ahead of me at the grocery checkout. She was new in town. I had seen her on the street several times that spring. She was in her late sixties, of medium build, with gray hair and glasses. She seemed a cheerful sort and we struck up a bit y-of a conversation while waiting in line. She said that she liked to buy locally, and preferred shopp- ing in the smaller store, as opposed to the big supermarket just across the street. Of course, the clincher was that the smaller store delivered if you were a senior, and this was a real plus for those who didn’t drive. From the address she gave reach at all times. For someone wishing to remain self-reliant and yet needing the security of others nearby, Murph’s Place was the ideal solution. For some reason, almost every time I went downtown after our initial meeting, I ran into the newcomer. I learned her name was Wayde, and that she had lived in the western provinces all her life. She had passed through our town several times, liked the location, liked the climate, and decided that if she found herself alone, in later life, she _would like to make it her home. Finding a place like Murph’s, that didn’t cost an arm and a leg, long as they can, she said. I wondered what Wayde's place would be lke. It was almost barren. At first it was as if I had stopped for the night in a motel anywhere along No. 6. The I noticed there were some personal touches, a few bright cushions on the chesterfield, shelves of books, and original artwork on the walls, and on the coffee table, and brass bow] filled with a miscellany of wild flowers gleaned for the sur- rounding fields. Over coffee she explained. She had eliminated the clutter in her life. By getting back to essentials she had reduced her needs. “TJ had far too much,” she the clerk, I realized she was living in one of the units at Murph’s Place. I learned later that her name had been on the waiting list there for over two years. Murph’s Place was unique, and as far as I know, one of a =Goldenrod By IVY KENT said, sitting back comfortably, enjoying her coffee. “I had to get rid of it. The time was right. Far better to do it my- self, rather than leave every- thing for others to sort out after I'm gone.” I admitted she was right, but few people had kind. Murphy had nursed at the local hospital for more years than anyone could remember. When she retired from active duty, she and her husband looked around for something else to do, something that would have meaning. What they found was the old motel just a few blocks from the hospital. It was located on an acre of land bordering a creek. The owner had lived out of province for years and the caretakers had let the place get dirty and rundown. There was a house at the back of the property, and a row of motel units leading up to it. The Murphys bought the place, renovated, modified where necessary, painted and landscaped, and opened for business under the name The Willows. But the name didn’t stick. Everyone in town called it simply Murph’s Place, and thought it a great idea. For it was no longer a motel. The units - were for seniors who could no longer stay either by themselves or in their own homes, but who were not yet ready to forfeit their independence and move into a home. ® For those who needed supervision with their (anything over size OREGON COAST — é May 19-23 5SCENIC DAYS ~ $450 DbI., $465 Tw., $555 Sgl. (Snr.) Spectacular scenery abounds along the ever-changing Oregon Coast. We are two nights at our ocean front hotel in CANNON BEACH, and another night in Newport. Our final night is in Portland with a DIANA medication, Murph was there. For those who needed transportation to and from doctor appoint- ments, Murph was there. There were eight units in all, and Murph had installed call buttons in each so she could be within Capital Tours “The Best in Bus Tours” “Since 1963” 384-8752 215-645 Fort St., Victoria, B.C. V8W 1G2 Office Hours: Featuring all Non-Smoking Coaches Prices per person, Canadian Funds Mion. - Fri. 9:00am -5:00 pm RENO COMSTOCK $275 Dbl., $285 Tw., $385 Sal. & Fully asgorted. Seven Days Each. Hospital/Medical included. April 8th - 14th. April 15th - 21st. May 6th - 12th. May 20th - 26th. BLOSSOM TIME May 14-18 5 BEAUTIFUL DAYS $395 DbI., $405 Tw., $525 Sgl. (Snr.) The orchards of the Wenatchee and Okanagan valleys are in full bloom. Bavarian LEAVENWORTH is charming for our two-night stay. Overnights also in Penticton and Kamloops. Sun-Rype Tour, O’Keefe Ranch and Ashcroft Manor. chance for some shopping. was, as she said, icing on the cake. It suited her perfectly. She was no longer able to drive, and from Murph’s everything was within walking distance. There was something different about her. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but she was unlike the rest of the seniors I knew. Most people have their ups and down, and, past a certain age, some days are bound to be better than others. Mrs. Wayde was always the same, always cheer- ful, always observant and fully appreciative of the world around her. It was as if she was privy to some secret that had freed her mind from the stress: of day to day living. I didn’t know what made her smarter than the rest of us, but I knew that I ‘always felt a better person for being in her company. One summer afternoon, after an accidental meet- ing up town, she invited me to her place for coffee. I had visited some of the units at Murph’s before and found them comfortable but cluttered. The tenants all had favorite pieces of furniture that they wanted to have with them, and Murph couldn’t say no. She wanted them to feel at home and knew the value of familiar things. But the motel units, though comfortable and cozy, weren't large. With the addition of all the extra family heirlooms, they were crowded. Murph was philosophical...let them enjoy their things as the courage to see things in that light. At that she smiled. “I have always believed that the older we get, the less serious we should take ourselves. Surely this is the time to get the most out of what we have left:..time to appreciate life and the world around us... and how can we do that, all weighed down with clutter?” She had, she said, tied up all the loose ends of her life. She had made all her decisions, knew all her needs, and she had found them minimal. Now, she said, she was prepared to enjoy the rest of her life, unfettered by the bonds of materialism. She had books, she had music, and from her window, the panorama of the changing seasons. For a few minutes we were quiet. We could hear the frogs in the creek out back, and the whisper of the aspen leaves. “What more could I possibly need?” she asked. Ihave thought about her a lot lately. When I first began to write, I learned to avoid excess words, to pare down, to get to the bare bones of the matter. It seemed to work better that way. And I wonder why - that edict didn’t carry over into the rest of my life. Happily, I think it is beginning to. Looking around my house, I have made up my mind that spring cleaning this year, will be done with my friend in mind. Maybe I, too, can become a freer spirit. a A SOFT TOUCHJFOR Naturalizer has a soft spot for your comfort. That's why this Soft Shoe is fashioned with very Walkable features. 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