Last Day...

Okay. So this is it, I guess. My last day at the Courtyard at Jamestown. I have been here since June of 2006: almost 5 years.
Its a little bitter-sweet, I'm not gonna lie. I've made a lot of really fantastic friends here, over the years (both residents and co-workers) and I'll take with me a lot of awesome memories.
I know that we're not supposed to have favorites, but really - how can you not?
Clara Hanson. Hands down. My FAVORITE resident.of.all.time. She used to leave the building and someone from the bank across the street would walk her back and ask if she belonged here. Apparently, she'd told them her name was Myrtle. I always thought that was hilarious. Of all the pseudo names out there, Myrtle is NOT one that I'd pick out. But to each their own, right? She'd sit across from the front desk and scowl at me and stick her tongue out at me and then I'd pull a face right back at her and she'd get this big grin on her face, like it was the funniest thing she'd ever seen. It kinda was, actually. I love the day that she walked up to Corey and hugged him. The biggest hug ever, and she just snuggled right up against him. With her arms still around him, she looked up at him with the sweetest smile on her face and said "yer fat!" so matter-of-factly and snuggled right back up against him. He just laughed and said "why, thank you Clara." Quite possibly one of the best days, ever. She moved over the Enhanced Care and I'd stop by a couple times a week to see her and she'd smile big as ever when I came around. She stopped talking eventually and started spending most of her time in her room. I did get to see her once, just a few days before she passed. I managed to get one last award-winning smile from her. What a sweet lady! Memories like these are the ones that I'll take with me, and keep forever.