Home Management

The holiday season is always a busy time as well as a family time, and it’s no different with our Colorado Center for the Blind family.

Travel Instructor Steve Patten always volunteers to take a hand helping with Christmas cookies. He and student Natalya look sharp in matching red aprons.

While many were preoccupied with Cyber Monday, we brought in our tree and decorated it in the meeting room. Cookies were baking in all three ovens in the kitchen. Even Travel Instructor Steve Patten donned a red apron to help out. Meanwhile, out at the front desk, Robert solemnly presided over the drawing of names for the Secret Santa exchange as he does each year.

They had both kitchens to themselves on Tuesday as Home Management staff took other students on shopping trips in advance of the NFB of Colorado convention next week. Daniel and Marcus spread out and did their work – both preparing for their mini-meals, which is the second of three major meal requirements in Home Management.

They’ve been cooking for fifteen and, as with all of the required meals they must find the recipes for three dishes, calculate the portions and the shopping list, and then do the shopping – all within the allotted budget.

Daniel’s meal was served on Wednesday and it was an all-vegan triumph of a black bean and tortilla casserole featuring homemade tortilla chips, a vegan sour cream-substitute, and a peach cobbler for dessert.

Marcus went another direction. His meal served Thursday was barbecue ribs with a homemade barbecue sauce, a salad with a homemade dressing and apple cheesecake.

“I’m doing Montana proud,” said the student from the Big Sky.

And that is a true statement!

Both of them did it proud for the guys.

Six remarkable women made up our late-summer Seniors in Charge the week of August 31 to September 4. Ranging in age from 58 to 90, it didn’t take long to figure out that each of them were accomplished, dynamic people, and had been all their lives. They came to Seniors in Charge because they intend to remain that way.

Three of the women came from the Grand Junction area and one returned from Mexico, where she retired after living and working in Denver. It was an intense and demanding five days and six nights, of course including Braille, cane travel, assistive technnology and home management skills. Though sleepshades are optional during Seniors in Charge, they are encouraged, and each student took on the challenge at least part of the time during the week.