The Kelleher Rose Garden

The Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens is a hidden jewel. You enter the garden through a rose arbor which opens to a formal circular garden. There's a pathway to walk, arbors to sit under (seemed to be a popular place for the young people), and thousands of roses. Teague and I were there in late July so most of the roses had already passed. The garden must have been spectacular in June when the roses first bloomed.

There was also a large bunny who didn't seem to mind having his picture taken.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesdays with Elders - Life Insurance

If your Elder has a life insurance policy, is going into long term nursing care, and is applying for Medicaid, the monetary value of the life insurance policy is considered an asset. In order to prevent Medicaid from taking all assets (bank accounts, stocks, bonds, property, insurance) the life insurance policy should be "cashed in" and the money used to prepay funeral expenses.

Dad had a life insurance policy he purchased through the Veteran's Administration. To cash in the policy, I had to have Dad's military discharge papers and a copy of the Power of Attorney. The funeral director took the check, divided it in half to cover expenses for both my parents. The money was then put into a funeral trust fund. The trust is administered by a bank. The bank sends a yearly statement of the money in the account for Medicaid and tax reporting. It's a relief to know Medicaid didn't get everything, and there's money set aside for the funeral costs.

 

I'm not a lawyer, don't pretend to be one. What's offered here is my experience going through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts system.  Your state regulations may be different. An attorney well versed in your state's Elder care laws is worth the fee.

The Borden House

Today is the anniversary of a heinous crime that rocked the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and put the city of Fall River on the map. I bet you've even heard of the event or maybe skipped rope to the rhyme:

Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.

On 4. August 1892, the bodies of Andrew Borden and his (second) wife Abby were found bludgeoned in their home. Even more shocking, Andrew's 32 year old daughter, Lizzie was charged with the crime. After a 10 day trial, the jury acquitted Miss Lizzie. The murders remain unsolved.


The Lizzie Borden Museum and Bed and Breakfast  is located at  230 Second Street in Fall River with daily tours of the home. Amid period furniture and with a guide dressed in period costume (though the mood is broken when he carries around a Styrofoam cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee), you'll hear about the crime and see horrific photographs and evidence from the trial.

The bed and breakfast is immaculate, but the house creeped me out. I thought it had a funny smell to it, but Teague didn't smell anything. Perhaps a product of an over-active imagination, I didn't like being in the house and the outside looks like it's still screaming.

If you're in Fall River today, the Pear Essential Players will be dramatizing the events. Time and Ticket information here. 

Would you be able to spend a night in Lizzie Borden's house?

Veterans Memorial Park

While in the Fens, came across the Veterans Memorial Park. The WWII monument was designed by architect, Tito Cascieri. The bronze angel statue sculpted by John Paramino.
The angel also watches over the Korean and Viet Nam war memorials.

The Friday Five

After toodling around with my friend, Teague, we ended up back at her house. She asked if I wanted something to drink so I asked if I could try the soft drink, Moxie.

When I was a kid  saw bottles of Moxie at the home of one of my father's closest friend (more like a second father). When we visited, we were told we could never have Moxie because that was Charlie's, but we could have our choice of other soft drinks.

1. Moxie was invented and marketed as a Nerve Food in 1885 and was promoted as a health tonic. Some time during the early 1900s, the word "moxie" become associated with strength, vigor and guts.

2. It has a medicinal though not unpleasant bouquet from the main ingredient, gentian root.

3. The first sip is yuck.

4. While it poured out quite fizzy and had a good head, it quickly lost its effervescence and tasted flat. It wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be, but it definitely would not be my go to soft drink.

5. I told Teague, Moxie is an acquired taste. Acquired by Chamberlains. Teague is related through her mother's side of the family to John Chamberlain, the model for the logo. John is known as The Moxie Boy.

Have you ever tried Moxie?

Month of August

Looking for something to do and a way to beat the heat? The Worcester Art Museum is offering free admission during the month of August.