We mourn with HMB church community
Our community is still in shock from the devastating fire that engulfed the largest church in town, Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren. And it also caused much smoke damage to residences nearby and meant the evacuation of owners as well. Such a loss! So many plans no longer possible! But certainly one real blessing
Son Skip and wife Lois were weekend guests, then returned to their home in Pratt Sunday afternoon. It was they who called to tell me of the fire, having seen the news on television.
I, like many others, went outside where I could see the heavy dark smoke rolling southward. The entire community joins the Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren congregation in mourning their loss.
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As I grow a bit older, I have tried and am still trying to "dole" out family items that are of interest to my "near and dear ones."
On occasion they really give me a bad time and call me an "Indian giver" when I want to retrieve an item or two. Why fret? They should know they'll get back to them eventually!
Case in point! I asked Skip to return a medical kit that was given to my father, an M.D. It had belonged to an American doctor who was in the employ of General Alvaro Obregon during the Mexican revolution that he (Obregon) had begun in early 1920.
The story as told to me was that Obregon wanted the doctor to be able to operate on the battlefield. He procured numerous kits of fine German steel with medical instruments for almost every medical procedure known at that time. Obregon became president of Mexico later that same year (1920), and in 1928 he was assassinated.
The American doctor loaded mules with the kits of medical instruments and headed for the United States. He and his party were "set upon" by some guerrillas who stole a number of the loaded mules. He did, however, get across the border with what was left and settled in what was then called Hot Springs, N.M. but was later named Truth or Consequences N.M.
My father, being a real history buff, heard the story, so when he and mother went to T & C for the baths, he made time to meet and converse with the doctor's widow. She was kind enough to offer him a number of the kits, about five, since she really had no use for them. He, in turn, gave several to a missionary who worked close to the Tibetan border. The missionary was particularly happy to get the dental kit because so many of the people had severe dental problems.
So, I'll keep the kit awhile but I won't forget to return it
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I was commenting to my kids as we were standing close to the meat counter at Dale's, that I had sausage thawing at home. Bob Jantz, the butcher, overheard me and said "You used that term correctly." He then added that he has heard customers talk about "unthawing" meat. That would really mean "refreezing" it.
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Skip and Lois brought along Buddy, their little black poodle. Buddy is aging very well in spite of the fact that he's older than I
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A little book on "Guilt" includes this gem: Guilt is when the plants you've been talking to die and you're positive it's something you said.
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Ogden Nash said it: "Senescence begins when middle age ends the day your descendants outnumber your friends."
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If you think you've read some of my column before, just remember I'm senescent!!
