Hello everyone,

I am happy to share with you what my life is now, what nourishes me and where I find happiness.

For a year now, I've been living in a retirement home for autonomous people (RPA) called Les terrasses de la Fonderie Drummondville. It feels like my own little village as there are 435 of us.

There are plenty of activities and attention given to each person, even though there are so many of us. For our birthday, a greeting card arrives at our door, there is a lively get-together, greetings from the various committees, and so on. There's a real spirit of brotherhood and family.

I am also happy to be involved as a volunteer on the liturgy committee, for the weekly mass and other activities. I'm part of a bowling team, a scrabble team and a card team.

Every 15 days, on Sundays, I play the accordion, accompanied by a guitarist, a pianist and sometimes a violinist. We call our group Les heureux troubadours. I always do a little animation when I play the accordion. On New Year's Day, when I wished them a Happy New Year, I told them what I had read that morning and found very beautiful: “Let us become a word of blessing for others.” There are a lot of single people, as well as couples, about 50 or 60 in all, who don't have visitors and love this music. Their appreciation gives me energy to learn new tunes. It's good for my neurons, and I have the joy of sharing with them this talent that the Lord has given me.

I make a point of learning their names, always saying hello with a smile and try to look at everyone with love.

I like it here; my health is good, and I have no pain, except for the fact that the cancer is in progress, but in silence...

Of course, I am learning to keep time for myself, which is important.

This is my new life in an RPA, and I really enjoy it.

Paulette C.