You don’t want to miss this! 

Wanna act? Play music? Or just help out? – contact Activity Director Taylor Clodfelter

Meet Miles & Judy Muhlada

by Pat Simpson 

VocalMotion, an adult show choir, is an all-volunteer performance group sponsored by SAS Institute in Cary, NC. Its members include SAS employees, spouses, and friends with a love for music and a dedication to bringing quality entertainment to the Triangle.

The choir has entertained thousands of patrons at retirement centers, community centers, charity events, and at company-sponsored functions. 100% of the donations they collect are given to designated charities throughout the area. VocalMotion has entertained the folks here at Independence Village more than once.

Mike Muhlada, a son of residents Miles and Judy Muhlada, is an active member of VocalMotion, Mike got his love of music from his parents.

Meet Miles and Judy Muhlada, residents here at Independence Village since September 8 of last year (2022) after a long and circuitous route for both of them. Each was born in 1939 but that’s where the similarity ends.

“Our son, Mike,” said Miles, “lives here in Raleigh and so, after retirement in Indianapolis for 30+ years, we moved first here with him, then in a single level apartment in Cary.” 

The journey for Miles began where he was born – on the western end of New York State’s Long Island in the town of Mineola (Algonquin for “pleasant village”). But his family soon moved Midwest, to the place where he grew up: Hamtramck, Michigan (pop. ±29,000), a town nearly surrounded by the city of Detroit. Miles says his mother was Polish and his dad was second generation Slavic (Polish/German), although he had heard the term “White Russian” used in his youth. (It was a term applied to Belarus, an Eastern European country formerly known as Byelorussia or White Russia.)

Miles grew up with two brothers and two sisters – twins Lita and Lisa, still living in Michigan. 

“My favorite thing to do as a child,” says Miles, “was to fish near Detroit as well as all summer long in New York’s Long Island Sound with my brother. We also played a lot of pick-up basketball.

“I joined the US Navy at age 17, and was a draftsman with assignments in Chicago and Saipan. I was discharged four years later as a staff sergeant. After that I went to University of Detroit’s Jesuit college for four years. Meanwhile, let me say that Judy and I like to sing and always have. I got a chance to practice my passion in the University of Detroit Chorus. “The chorus was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and performed in various cities in the area. 

“And that’s how I met Judy Richart, later to become my wife. Judy and I sang with the chorus – and we traveled with it. Ultimately, we got married – because of it.”

Judy chimed in. “Even though my dad was born in Chicago and my mom in Kansas City, I was born in West Palm Beach Florida. But,” she added, “Like Miles, I also grew up in Detroit! The 1940s were boom years of development in the automobile industry and there were jobs, jobs, jobs available as factories re-tooled to build war machines and later to satisfy the public’s pent-up demand for new automobiles. Detroit became known as Motor City.

“I was the baby of my family,” she said. “Among my favorite toys as a child was my large Judy Splinters doll and a huge dollhouse to go with it.

 “When we moved to Detroit in 1945, Dad said ‘No!’ to public schools, so I attended Detroit’s St. Augustine Catholic School. 

“My favorite teacher in Florida had been my preschool teacher, Ms Drinkwater. But count my all-time favorite teacher as Sister Ernestine – she loved all of us.

“Eventually, I got a degree in elementary education, right around the time Miles got his degree in accounting. In 1964 Miles and I got married – just before he joined the Air Force. Jobs were hard to find then and he had heard it was a ‘family man’s outfit’.” At one time, Judy’s Dad had worked for an automobile company, first in the factory, later in sales. Judy, herself, worked in downtown Detroit with her mom.

 So, off they went, continuing their life’s journey together, now as man and wife. They spent three years in Spain, two years in Guam, four years in Massachusetts, and even time in downtown Cleveland. Miles, as a Major, also served in the Blytheville (Arkansas) Air Force Base (since renamed Eaker Air Force Base), a major airfield that was part of the Strategic Air Command.

“Today we have three boys,” said Judy, “all in their fifties: Michael, Andrew, and Matthew. My oldest brother Bill had nine children, my sister Joan had six children, and brother Tom had five children! It’s not hard to guess that we have big family get-togethers at times!”   

Miles added: “Our son Michael, was recently hired by SAS even though he was 51. That says a lot about SAS. 

“As for me, I like to play Bridge as much as I can: online, by email, and face-to face, especially duplicate Bridge, like I play here at Independence Village. 

“It’s a good place to be.”

Quack, wack, wack, quack, wack! – by Frank Howes

Have you ever been swimming in a cold December-pond in a three-piece suit? I have. The occasion was when my bird-crazy ball-of-energy Brittany Spaniel, Micki, got out of her pen one evening just before Christmas. My pregnant wife had stumbled at the gate to the dog pen and accidently let Micki out.

Micki, good bird dog that she was, had immediately jumped the fence between my neighbor’s yard and mine and proceeded to hunt the neighbor’s ducks that were swimming about their pond. When I got home in the dark it was to the sound of, “Micki, come here Micki. Come here girl.”

At the time I was managing a jewelry store in Crabtree Valley Mall. When I arrived, my neighbor, gun in hand, was yelling, “I’m gonna kill that dog! Tm gonna kill that dog!”

I immediately went into action. I started chasing Micki around the pond. Micki, of course, would have none of that, so she jumped into the pond and continued to chase the ducks. I had no choice but to

wade in after her. She ignored me and swam to the other end of the pond, still chasing the ducks. I waded deeper, took a deep breath because of the freezing water, and went in up to my shoulders.

Micki thought I was trying to help her hunt. She thought I was trying to hem the ducks up in a comer of the pond so that she could run along the shore and catch one.

So there I am, swimming in the pond with a rifle pointed in my general direction, yelling for Micki. “Micki, come here you *#@*&.”

The cacophony continued, “Quack, wack, wack, wack, wack!”

“Come here Micki!”

“I’m gonna kill that dog! I’m gonna kill that dog!”

My wife laughed so hard she had liquid flowing from her eyes and from other parts of her anatomy.

I finally caught Micki and returned her to her pen, but not before tripping and going over my head in the cold water. Micki had a great time that night, and it is definitely one of the most vivid memories of my life, but it is not one I’d ever want to repeat.

Letter Writing – by Richard Smalto

When I was a young man, I swam Olympic pool laps at the YMCA after work for exercise. The lifeguard was a vivacious young woman. She especially enjoyed talking to a particular man who was in age almost an octogenarian. She even had dinner with him once in a while. I knew Gerry, the older man, and marveled at his stamina and the interest he took in her and the time they spent talking together. That was a time when we were still getting used to the idea that you could be vigorous and robust as you aged late into life. Gerry and the life guard became very good friends though there after-hour friendship was confined to dining out together. Of course, I eventually got to know them both pretty well but their conversations at pool side were mainly with each other. Then the young woman left New Hampshire and moved to Massachusetts. She wrote a long letter to her fiend Gerry, after she departed, talking about what she was doing and discussing different people they both were acquainted with when she was a lifeguard. When he read the letter to me, I suddenly understood why people use to be avid letter writers. As he was reading the letter this young woman suddenly emerged again exactly as the way she was when I knew her. It was as if she was standing in front of us talking about old times.

I wrote and received letters when I was a teenager and even as a young adult. I never had a similar reaction before. I suppose it could be a shared experience between good letter-writers. Oddly enough one of the first things that entered my mind afterward was the significance and beneficially historians attributed to the letter writing between John Adams, our third president, and his wife Abigale. It was also through voluminous warmly written correspondence that Jefferson and Adams repaired a fractured friendship. In those times there was no other way that I know of communicating with each other when people were separated by distance. It is worth noting this was probably why it was so important for servicemen and their loved ones to receive letters from each other during war and other times of duress. If you had an image of them in front of you as you read their letter it had to be a beneficial experience.

After I wrote this article, I thought about it some more. Does the person who is reading the letter and concentrating on the words written have the same experience as the person who is having the letter read to him? Despite this reservation I now have a greater appreciation for the value of as well as the beneficial effects of letter writing.

Things to Remember About our Furry Friends – by Margie Lewin

• You should know how to address puppy socialization, teach life skills and use positive reinforcement.
• When encountering a therapy dog the owner should say, “I know she’s a very sweet-looking dog and you want to pet her. However, she does have a job and needs to remain focused.”
• Based on genetic evidence the researchers found that a dog’s breed does not predict its behavior.
• A kitten is in the animal world is what a rosebud is in the garden.
• Siamese cats were considered so important in the Far East that they were reserved for royals, while other breeds were revered as temple guardians.
• Today’s purebred cats can cost thousands of dollars, though the same animals can often be found in shelters.

Evee’s Story – Phyllis Woolery

Happy Day peoples! Yesterday was a long terrible day for me. Mom went downstairs about 10:45 AM and didn’t come home until 7: 00 PM. I was very mad at her and told her so. I kept following her around the apartment meowing the entire time. She said “Hello pretty girl!” I was not having it!

“Meooow” I screamed! “Where have you been?”

Mom said, “Do you need some food in your bowl, baby?” Mom sounded so sweet.

“Can’t you see the bottom of the bowl? I could have starved to death as far as you care!” I meowed.

Mom tried to pet me and I swatted her hand away. She fixed my food and sat down in her chair. She looked tired, and I wanted to snuggle against her and purr really loud so she would know how much I love her. But I had to tell her she is grounded. She can go downstairs for lunch and supper, but she cannot stay and play with her friends. Mom is supposed to take her nap with me every day! She didn’t bother to tell me she was going to play downstairs all day. It’s my job to make sure she gets her rest, but I can’t do my job if she doesn’t come home. So she is grounded today!

If I don’t do my job, my uncles might find another cat to take care of her. Or, Heaven forbid – a dog! I may have to call one of my uncles to have them talk to her. I have heard about juvenile delinquent senior citizens. Maybe she is just going through a phase. If you see mom doing anything she shouldn’t do, please let me know. Also I wanted to tell you about Mom’s friend getting a yellow cat. She named him “James”! I think that’s the coolest name I have ever heard for a cat! My sister’s adopted daddy is named “James”.

I don’t have a dad. Mom is a single mom. She’s not even looking for a daddy for me. But that’s ok. He would have to be shorter than five feet tall so he could sleep on our couch. I am not giving him my side of the bed! Well, I have to keep a close eye on mom today. I love you peoples! Toodles!💕💕🐈

Aegis Therapies

(aegistherapies.com}

“We Treat People Not Patients”