KOKOMO OPALESCENT GLASS, By Delbert Blickenstaff
At 7:30 AM our friends Jim and Donna Fourman picked up Louise and me
and we headed up 571 toward Kokomo, Indiana. Our destination was the
Kokomo Opalescent Glass factory. Both Donna and I enjoy working in
stained glass and we wanted to see how it is made. The weather was
beautiful and we had a pleasant drive, stopping briefly at a rest stop
on I-69. We arrived at the factory in Kokomo in time for the tour at
10:00 AM... read
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Introducing Billy… Mary Beth, By Delbert
Blickenstaff
Mom and Dad are back with our new baby sister, and she is just as cute
as her picture. She doesn’t talk much and the words she does say
are Chinese so we don’t understand her. Emily is around 20 months
old so she babbles a lot but no one outside the family knows what she
is talking about. Well, I mentioned before that I wanted to name her
Beth. Then Henry said that he wanted to name her Mary. Mom
said that those two names went together nicely... read
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Blue Laws,
© By Abraham Lincoln
When I was growing up the first day of the week, Sunday, was going to
church day. Some of my friends went to church every Sunday. Most were
like me and didn't go to church. I don't know if that was because we
were poor and didn't have clothes for church, or if there were other
reasons. But mostly, the "Blue Laws" meant everything was closed on
Sundays and you might as well go to church or stay at home. It was
impossible to go to a grocery store, a drug store... read
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When
Children were Children… Just
real people By
Sharon Hopper
“Put on your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it” Those are the
opening words to the Irving Berlin song Easter Parade. When I was a
child it was a seasonal thing to get the J.C. Penny catalog and search
for the perfect outfit for Easter. My mom and I would go to town not
once, but several times to shop for that perfect outfit and after
trying on many outfits we would decide on one and then go shoe shopping
and if I had grown to much a new coat. My little brother... read
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D O U B L E B
L I N D, By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
Have you been advised by a well-meaning friend to take the little pink
pills for your aches and pains because “Aunt Myrtle took them and they
cured her lumbago?” There are several things wrong with your
friend’s advice. Did Aunt Myrtle really have
“lumbago?”
Would she have improved without taking the little pink pills?
Do
you have the same problem Aunt Myrtle had? Your friend’s
method
of reporting medical results is called... read
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… Grandpa's
Hand,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! As I write this, we're due for an ice storm - just to show
that you can never take anything for granted. Time to get the ice melt
out - for maybe 12 hours. Friday afternoon it's supposed to
turn
to rain. It'll be enough to keep us "just off balance." Kinda in the
same vein, I received a phone call Monday evening. A young man I've
watched grow into a fine gentleman told me that his girlfriend's family
decided to pull the plug on her Grandpa. Some six weeks back... read
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Introducing
Billy... BETH,
By Delbert
Blickenstaff, M.D.
A few months ago I wrote about Khoidia Wade, our foster child from
Senegal. Now we are getting another child and this time she is going to
live right here with us. Dad and Mom are on their way to China right
now to get her. I don’t know what her name is but I bet is won’t be
Mary. Grandpa and Grandma are staying with us three kids.
Last week Dad and Mom explained to us kids this adoption of a Chinese
child. They told us that Chinese girl babies are
... read
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When
Children were Children… They
call us antiquated By
Sharon Hopper
I heard a report on CNN that children were suffering from night texting
just like a child would suffer from sleep walking. They do not even
remember texting or what was said during the process. And they
definitely do not remember doing the text. Can you imagine the things
the sub conscience mind could think of during sleep? And the horrible
things one could say to another without any concern for feelings. And
we think we had it rough when kids called us a nickname ... read
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Louise at
Lake Louise, By Delbert
Blickenstaff, M.D.
Lake Louise in Banff National Park has always been fascinating to
Louise and she finally got to stick her toes in its ice cold water on
September 21st. 1997. Banff was only one of many colorful stops on our
Canadian trip with son Jeff and his wife, Debbie. She enjoyed the
meadows full of blossoms and the distant wildlife. What she didn’t like
was the curved mountain roads and sheer cliffs. Debbie closed her eyes.
On the way we... read
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Musings
of a Senior Scribe… Come
On!!! By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! Do you all remember the "scene" on the Decatur, Indiana
football field in 1999? Seven students were suspended for two years for
"brawling." Since black students were involved - it surely was a
"racial incident" - right? Indiana is a "zero tolerance" state -
period... all the way to a pregnant mother convicted of a drug crime…
possession, dealing, etc. They will receive no ADC or assistance of any
kind. Someone brought Jesse Jackson up from Alabama for the trial... read
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When
Children Were Children… Talking
out loud to paper dolls
, By Sharon Hopper
I have been thinking about my paper dolls all week. It was hard to
recall all the different favorites I had but amongst the most favorite
were Liz Taylor and Eddie Fisher. I guess that was because they were
the heartthrobs of America at the time I was playing with paper dolls.
I don’t think they even have such things now. Probably because you
would have to use scissors and that would be child endangering these
days. Or possibly a weapon. However you want
... read
more
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Introducing
Billy… FAMILY
COUNCIL, By Delbert Blickenstaff
We got together for a family council. There’s another new word. We
never did this before. It was Dad, Mom, Henry and me because Emily
doesn’t talk yet except to say “mama” and “dada.” Dad said that we
should put Nelly in a dog kennel for a short time so that we can get
the house cleaned up real good. We need to remove all the dog hair and
dander, another new word. Nelly won’t mind that because she’s been
there... read
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President,
Darke County Senior
Scribes… Horses
I Have Known,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
Our first horse was Queen, a Quarter Horse mare. We were
living
in Versailles in 1963 and we arranged to board Queen on Wilbur and
Martha Long’s farm on Boyer Road. Queen was well trained and
seemed to be especially careful when we put a child on her
back.
She never bucked or tried to run. We bred Queen to a Quarter Horse
stallion and got a beautiful colt, which we named Prince, of
course. At the appropriate time our Vet. Dr. Willard Barga
neutered him and we... read
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What's
God Got To Do With It… That’s
A'more! By Nancy
Livingston
While shopping this week, I noticed the very large display of
Valentine's Day cards. When it comes to cards there's no such thing as
"one cards fits all". You'll never see a person just grab one off the
rack and go. Neither do I! I'll stand there and read through each one,
looking for the one card that not only expresses what I want to say,
but that best describes the person I'm getting it for! I'll pick up a
card, get to that second line and then put the card back in a hurry... read
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Darke County
Senior
Scribes… Doo
Wop Test,
Submitted by a CNO reader
For the over 60 crowd… and those who grew up loving the music of the
50s and 60s. Answers at the bottom… Don't cheat, now! 1. When did
''Little Suzie'' finally wake up? (a) The movie's over, it's 2 o'clock;
(b) The movie's over, it's 3 o'clock; (c) The movie's over, it's 4
o'clock; 2. ''Rock Around The Clock'' was used in what movie? (a) Rebel
Without A Cause; (b) Blackboard Jungle; (c) The Wild Ones... read
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Introducing
Billy… VACATION,
By Delbert
Blickenstaff
Before I tell you about our vacation I want to tell you about something
funny that happened at church. At least I think it’s funny. Remember I
told you that I get bored in church? Well, last Sunday the preacher
asked everyone to stand for his prayer. I was standing between Mom and
Dad and I was doing something interesting. I was trying to stand on one
foot. I lost my balance and fell right down on the floor, during the
prayer. I looked up to see Mom frowning... read
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Musings
of a Senior Scribe… Hmmm,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! As I pen this column - 2/8/'13 - people are gathering in the
state capitols across the USA at 10 EST (corresponding time zones,
too). Under the umbrella of "We the People," all who are attending
these peaceful demonstrations are finally putting an organized voice to
the local powers - we are protecting our 2nd Amendment right - owning
and carrying a weapon..."We voted you politicians in at our state level
to make our voice heard in our nation's capitol... read
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When
Children were
Children... What
is Wrong with
Simple, By Sharon Hopper
I was pondering over the season we are now in and wondering what it is
that kids do today?
I am trying my best to remember what it was that I did as a child of
about 11 to make the days pass during the winter when there was no snow
or ice to play on. I did not have a cell phone so I could not text, no
I-phone so I could not play on the Internet, no computer to search out
whatever, and no television in the house. My only outlet was a radio
and I used it faithfully to... read
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President,
Senior Scribes… RT.
66 – KICKS, By Delbert Blickenstaff
Theron and I got our kicks on Rt. 66 in December of 1949 when we took
Western Ave. out of Chicago and ended up in southern
California.
Theron was our 5 year old son and he went with me while Louise moved to
her parent’s farm in Preble Co. to await the birth of our third
child. Jo Ellen, who was 18 months old, stayed with Louise. I
had
been doing basic research in Physiology in the Dept. of Clinical
Science at U. of Illinois, and I began to realize that our family... read
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Our Ohio Boy, Boehner,
By Mona
Lease
Hi, all!! Words show up in my mind. They form themselves into columns.
I never really noticed until I read Forbes magazine. Then it "clicked."
I've written about Ozymandias. I've most recently written about the
"Mirror." Forbes Magazine credits John Boehner with "blindsiding"
Obama. While Obama was strutting around "Ozymandias style" about having
forced Republicans to raise the tax rates on "the wealthiest
Americans... read
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Groundhog Day,
By Lois Wilson
Once again Senior Scribe Poet Laureate Lois Wilson is on top of the
season with her insightful look at the important events of the day.
This time it’s the groundhog’s annual prediction… more bad weather or
is spring on the way? Wilson's completed set - four volumes - of
published poetry is now available and is offered as a fundraiser for
the Senior Scribes Scholarship Fund. Enjoy great poetry and help... read
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When
Children were
Children… We
actually talk to
one another,
By Sharon Hopper
Someone once said out of children come some of the world’s best ideas.
I was talking to an old friend of mine the other day and she noted that
when we were kids we did not have the phones we have today and I do
remember that one of the things that everyone in my day wanted was a
phone without a chord attached. I am sure someone from my childhood
invented the cordless phone. However I could be wrong. Maybe it was
years later, but I know we would have surely ... read
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Introducing
Billy… ALLERGY,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
I got along just fine after my operation. I can walk anywhere I want to
but Dad says no T-ball yet. We have another problem though. Emily is
about a year and a half now and recently she has been having trouble
with her breathing. She coughs and makes a wheezing noise, and Mom says
that it happens when she is around Nelly. I don’t think it’s Nelly’s
fault because I’m around Nelly all the time and I don’t have any... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribe… The
snow arrives… then
it’s gone, By Lois Wilson
Once again Senior Scribe Poet Laureate Lois Wilson is on top of the
season with her insightful look at the important events of the day.
This time it’s snow. Wilson offers three poems, each addressing a
different look at the recent snowfall. The accuracy of predictions, the
splendor of the ice spears, and finally, the inevitable thaw. Wilson's
completed set - four volumes - of published poetry is now available and
is offered as a... read
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President,
Senior
Scribes… I’ll
Help,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
“Ken honey, I think that we should talk about starting our family.
We’re in our mid-twenties and we’ve been married over two years. I
think now would be a good time.” “OK Pat, I’m willing to consider it,
but we have to realize that it would completely change our lifestyle.
And I think we both enjoy what we’re doing now.” “You’re right, but I
often wonder what it would be like to hear the patter of little feet.”
“I can show you.” “Who said that... read
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Musings of a
Senior
Scribe… Falling
for the Mirror
Image, By Mona Lease
Hi all!! Mirror, mirror on the wall - Who's the fairest (brokest?) of
them all? In my last column, I wrote to Sharon Hopper about how we got
to where we are, as a people, in what is supposed to be the greatest
nation on the face of the Earth, our USA. Now, we'll look at what I
believe to be the underlying cause. I mean no disrespect to anyone. It
probably started with the surgery to remove excess eye skin on those
stricken with Down Syndrome - the missing gene stuff we... read
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When
Children Were Children… Fashion
was not part of the curriculum,
By Sharon Hopper
Baby it’s Cold Outside---is an understatement this week. I was looking
at the children outside and was absolutely astonished at how poorly
they are dressed for this weather. One can certainly tell that they are
inside kids. No scarfs, No boots, No leggings, No gloves. Just a coat
and open head and maybe a stylish type boot that is not geared for
cold. I swear when I was a kid and one weighed 60 lbs, he weighed 80
lbs. with all the gear we used to wear. But that... read
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Introducing
Billy… APPENDECTOMY,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
The next day was Sunday and I didn’t feel any better. I was able to get
up and move around a little, but I sure didn’t feel like going to
church. Dad stayed home with me while the rest of the family went to
church. Nelly was glad that I stayed home. Generally I felt a little
better and I walked around a little but I noticed that I had to bend
over a little because it still hurt. In the afternoon Grandma and
Grandpa came over... read
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President,
Senior
Scribes… Costa
Rica,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
On September 6, 1991 Wilbur (Red) Long, Martha, Louise and I planted
trees in a reforestation program at the University of Peace in Costa
Rica. Red had planted thousands of trees on his farm on Boyer Road here
in Darke County. I think that the prospect of planting trees on foreign
soil convinced him to go on this Elderhostel trip. While at the
University we heard lectures about past presidents of Costa Rica. The
most famous was Oscar Arias Sanchez, who won the... read
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When
Children were
Children... Growing
in the face
of danger, By Sharon Hopper
Wow! It is winter once more and everyone seems to be shut up in the
house. Doing what? I remember where I grew up we had winter. Snow and
Ice. Not man made ice but real ice on a pond that could by any stretch
be a bit dangerous. In order for us to enjoy the ice a few parents
would go on the ice first to “check it” for us kids. After the all
clear was given those with skates would proceed to do their thing.
Sometimes that meant... read
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… Open
Letter to Sharon
Hopper, By Mona Lease
Hi, Sharon! I rarely read my fellow CNO authors' columns "on time."
It's usually two or three weeks later. I like to see with whom I am "in
sync." Something about your last column grabbed my attention. We, as a
people, have traded every thing there is to trade -love, friendship,
morals, heritage, birthrights, truth, justice, standards, property, our
blood-semen-ova, children (abortion, porn, trafficking, etc.), the
American Flag, honor... read
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Introducing
Billy… BELLY
PAIN, By Delbert
Blickenstaff
On Saturday morning I woke up with pain in my belly. I felt sick to my
stomach but I didn’t throw up. I had never felt like this before. I
told Mom and Dad that I was too sick to eat breakfast. Dad is a doctor
so he tried to figure out what was wrong with me. Dad told me to try to
relax on my bed and he pressed on my belly a little in different areas.
He kept asking me if it hurt when he poked me. Everything hurt a little
but... read
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What’s God
Got to Do
with It… It's
About Time!
By Nancy Livingston
A new year is upon us! Hmmm... I wonder if I'll refer to the new year
as, "Two Thousand and Thirteen", or "Twenty Thirteen" ? And how is it
that each year goes faster for me than the year before? Yet, here we
are in the year 2013! Time is an amazing thing! We manage time. We
waste time. We spend time. We save time. We wish time would come. We
wish time would pass. Time flies. Time drags on. We schedule our entire
lives around time, believing we... read
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… Some
Trivia, Some Truth,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! Listen children to a story - That was written long ago - 'Bout
a kingdom on a mountain - And the valley folk below. - On the mountain
was a treasure - Buried deep beneath the stone - And the valley people
swore they'd have it for their very own. - ...So the people of the
valley - Sent a message up the hill - Asking for the buried treasure -
Tons of gold for which they'd kill. -Came an answer from the kingdom -
"With our brothers... read
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When
Children Were
Children… Paying
the price for
our neglect, By Sharon Hopper
I apologize for the absence of my articles the past couple weeks, but
after the horrible thing that happened in Sandy Hook School it has been
a rather thought provoking time and a time of great reflection on days
gone by. What has happened to us as a people that we have so many
monsters running loose out there to harm just about anyone. And because
they usually commit suicide after such an act, we will probably
never... read
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Introducing
Billy… CARLOS,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
Now I know what to spend my allowance on - a new baseball
glove.
I’m tired of using Henry’s old beat up glove. It’s about time to start
T-ball again and this year I’m going to hit a home run. I know my arms
are stronger than last year. Mom said that I could invite Carlos to
stay over night with me next Friday. She asked me what Carlos would
like for supper. I said “How about sloppy Joes,” but I think he will
eat almost anything... read
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Darke County
Senior
Scribe… What
a way to end 2012,
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
I am the proverbial fly on the wall, and if you want to know what
really happened at the celebration of Louise Blickenstaff’s 90th
birthday, listen up. I saw and heard everything. The party
started with a fried chicken dinner for about 25 members of the
immediate family. The main meal was prepared by chef
extraordinaire Mike Randolph and his crew at the Brethren Retirement
Community. Family members also brought salads and a delicious chocolate
cake. The Minnesota... read
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Musings of a
Senior
Scribe… Snow
Blind,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! I trust everyone made it through the blizzard! It surely was
fun figuring where to put all the snow, huh? Seems like that's when all
the "stuff" happens - just to try your patience. It looked like there
were two snow plows every block and a half or so, aside from the
professional ones. I called a plower and I would be 15th on the
list? HOW? I was at an impromptu gathering. The conversation
turned to money - there's a surprise!! I've been listening to... read
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Introducing
Billy… DR.
KELLER, By Delbert
Blickenstaff
Grandpa did teach me a little song in Spanish and here it is: Frey
Philipe, Frey Philipe, Duermes tu, Duermes tu, Toca la Compana, Toca la
Compana, Tan, Tan, Tan, Tan, Tan, Tan. It is easy
to sing
and it didn’t take me long to learn it. Grandpa said it might be a
lullaby that a mother would sing to her little boy Philip. I’m going to
sing it for Carlos and see what he says. By the way, I found out that
Carlos has the same last name as some of the baseball... read
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Darke County
Senior
Scribe… Who
Gave The Shoes?
By Delbert Blickenstaff
Louise and I were in the This and That Shop at the Brethren Retirement
Community (BRC) on December 5th. Louise had selected some
nice
blouses from the collection of donated items. I was looking
at
the small amount of men’s clothing when I noticed a pair of new white
shoes. I examined them carefully. I could tell that
they
were new because they were still tied together and still had tissue
paper stuffed inside. But they were size 13. (I
wear size
9.) The price... read
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Radios and Telephones,
By
Abraham Lincoln
During the War Years, a radio was as rare as a telephone. Very few
people had radios or telephones in their homes. We had an old radio my
dad got during the Depression but it wasn’t much to look at. I remember
hearing President Roosevelt talking about the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor. Later I listened to Joe Louis in his fights when he knocked out
people in the first round. We did not have a telephone. Sometimes, my
mother would give-out Freda and Joe... read
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Musings
of a Senior Scribe… A
Bay of
Pigs and Chromosome 21, By Mona Lease
Hi, all. Castro led an armed revolt and overthrew Cuban dictator
Batista. The USA did not trust Castro and his relationship with Soviet
Union leader, Khrushchev. Eisenhower's administration planned to train
Cuban exiles and invade their homeland. They counted on the support of
civilians and military living there. The plan was to overthrow the
communist supporters and implement a government that was friendly to
the USA. Always something in it for the leader... read
more
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When
Children Were Children… The
thought that counts,
By Sharon Hopper
Remember in one the earlier articles I mentioned that we were given
about $10.00 to do our Christmas shopping with and that was in addition
to the two or three that we saved from our allowance that was about
fifty cents a week. I remember that because dad always gave me $3.00 on
Sunday night and that was my lunch for a week and my allowance. Well I
was remembering my Christmas shopping. This particular year was special
in my memory because my.... read
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Introducing
Billy...Terrible
Shooting,
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
Did you hear about the man who killed all those children? I’ll bet you
did because all the TV people are talking about it. I don’t pay much
attention to what’s on TV, unless there is a story about animals, but
everyone is talking about this story. And asking questions. Like why
did he do it? And why didn’t his parents stop him?
Just think, some of those children were my age. They will never get to
learn anymore in school. And never have any more birthdays. And what...
read
more
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Brethren Heritage Tour,
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
Other people have traveled the world much more that we have, but the
trips which we have been privileged to take have given us a view of the
world that we would not have had otherwise. The Brethren Heritage Tour
is a good example. On July 11, 1983 Louise and others waded in the Eder
River in Schwarzenau, Germany. We were part of a group of 48 Church of
the Brethren members on a heritage tour. The Eder River is significant
because that is where Alexander... read
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Washing
Diapers, By Abraham Lincoln
Patty, my wife of 56 years, used to wash diapers by hand until we got
an old Maytag wringer washing machine. She still had to dump the poop
off the diapers and rinse them out using cold water from the kitchen
pump. She stored them in a bucket of water. On washday, or when she was
running out of diapers, she would pick them up and put them in the
washing machine. The water was heated using a heater that you
dropped... read
more
|
An Old
Crock Pot, An Old Friend, and a New, Wiser Woman,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! I've been working with Mary Ellen - yup, straight out of the
Blue Ridge Mountains - Cowboys don't cry/Heroes don't lie/Good always
wins again & again/Love is a sweet dream. Trouble comes in
bunches
and she "runs." In her past, an old friend had been telling her to come
down off "the mountain".- you can't keep "blindly believing" - you're
gonna get hurt. You need to "watch and wait." - make them earn your... read
more
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When
Children Were Children… My
most
memorable Christmases,
By Sharon Hopper
I want to deviate from my usual tales about When Children were Children
for the next couple weeks to tell you about my most memorable
Christmases. I think at this time it is important to reflect and pass
on the real meaning of Christmas.
When I was about 27 or 28 we were very poor. I had a friend whose
husband was a music teacher and in those days teachers did not make the
money of today. Christmas was coming and neither of us had a dollar
to... read
more
|
Introducing
Billy… BIRTHDAY,
By Delbert Bickenstaff
My sixth birthday was the best ever! Mom and Dad gave me a new bike and
is it ever a beauty. It’s bigger than my old one. I’m being careful to
ride it only in the driveway because I don’t want to wreck it. After
all the snow is gone I’ll ride it in the street. We did go to a high
class restaurant for my birthday dinner. Dad picked the place. The
waiters sang Happy Birthday to me and gave me a cake with candles on
it. Then... read
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Darke
County Senior Scribe… ARE
WE CRAZY? By Delbert
Blickenstaff
Concussion is defined as “a jarring injury to the brain resulting in a
disturbance of cerebral function.” Football coaches are very
aware of the dangers of concussions in their players, and they try to
get the best head gear to protect them. The refs are very
hard on
players who cause head injuries. Why is it then that while we try to
prevent concussions in one sport, we applaud and reward participants in
another sport who are best at causing concussions? I’m
talking
about... read
more
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When
Children Were Children… Santa’s
letter written backwards,
By Sharon Hopper
Well by golly we are still looking at the coming Holiday Season. Pretty
soon school will be out and the children will be hunting for something
to do. Now this is the time that my mom would give us our Christmas
shopping money and she would take us to town. Naturally it was the dime
store. Woolworth or Ben Franklin. I had a smaller brother and I would
take his hand and we would shop for all the people we had to shop for.
That was mom, dad, sister, brother... read
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Fencerows,
© 2012 Fencerows By
Abraham Lincoln. All rights reserved.
When I was a boy, sagging fences of rusted wire crisscrossed the
countryside. Old cedar and locust fence post, burdened with vines,
stood askew at regular intervals like rows of weary soldiers. Fencerows
separated fields so farm animals could not get into the fields and eat
the crops. Some fences were like new but others were old, broken down,
and rusty. The rusty wire fence was overgrown with weeds, raspberry... read
more
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… Vanity
Goes To Market,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! As usual, I have questions. So here goes - On
November
30, 2012, the New York Stock Exchange concluded business thusly: (1)
Bank of America (2) Advanced Micro Devices (3) Ford Motor Company (4)
Sprint Nextel (5) Nokia (6) Yum Brands, Inc. [food for Kentucky Fried,
Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut] (7) Citi Group (8) Pfizer, Inc [human/animal
small molecule vaccines] (9) ATT (10) Teva... read
more
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When
Children Were Children
… A
celebration of life,
By
Sharon Hopper
The excitement of the season. Bells are ringing outside the stores and
Christmas tree lights are blazing all over the neighborhoods. The city
parks are decorated with scenes of Christmas, and in our town we had a
small train ride for a nickel that we could ride all over the park to
see the lights and displays. It truly was a grand time in my childhood
memories. If It snowed and it usually did we would pile in the car and
go for a drive to see all the ... read
more
|
Introducing
Billy… Spanish,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
On my next birthday I will be six years old. That will be great! My
birthday comes at a bad time, though. December 28 – between Christmas
and New Year. Everyone is excited about Christmas presents and parties,
and my birthday doesn’t get much attention. June 28 would be much
better. Dad and Mom always buy me a nice present though. Also our
family goes somewhere for dinner and this time I get to... read
more
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Child Art… Art of Adolescents and Adults,
By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe
It is hoped that the positive approach of parents and teachers to the
creative efforts of both visual and non-visualchildren have helped
children keep a positive attitude toward their art as the stage of
critical awareness is reached. If so, they are more likely to continue
the study of art when it is an elective. In adolescence, imaginative
activity changes from uncontrolled to controlled. At some time, the
child will think that the final product... read
more
|
Darke
County Senior
Scribes… Our
Carnegie Hall Trip,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
We could see Times Square looking out our window on the 19th. floor of
the Crown Plaza Hotel on 49th. and Broadway. We were there to
prepare for a concert in Carnegie Hall. As a former member of
the
Manchester College A Cappella Choir I was invited to join the 2001
Choir, and about six other choirs from across the country, to present a
concert. I decided that I wouldn’t get another invitation to
sing
in Carnegie Hall, so I accepted... read
more
|
Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… An
Old Diary, An Old
Calendar, By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! There's a 100 year old diary a WWI soldier kept. In a pocket
of his uniform, it traveled with him on long, cold, wet marches through
France. In pencil, he meticulously recorded the activity - marches,
drills, rests, food, no food, forages into turnip fields to eat, stolen
food from "KP", being able to eat at a table (some French people
"hosted" the troops with a hot meal & bath before continuing
the
war), and the occasional baseball game - Red Team vs Blue Team... read
more
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Introducing
Billy… Emily,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
You’ve heard me talk a lot about Nelly, our yellow lab. That’s because
I spend a lot of time with her. I think she likes be better than the
rest of the family. I know she can’t talk but I think she understands
some of the words I say to her. She likes to sit beside my chair at the
dinner table. Maybe that’s because I let her lick my plate when I
finish eating, if Dad isn’t watching. I haven’t said much about Emily,
my baby... read
more
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Child Art… Pseudorealistic Stage (11 to 13
years),
By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe
Children enter a stage in which they have developed enough intelligence
to tackle most problems, but in their reactions, they are still
children. They know the uses of a pencil but will pretend it is an
airplane and make motor sounds as they move it through the
air.
An adult doing the same would be considered strange. To adults, a
pencil is just a pencil. The child’s imaginative activity is
unconscious but changing to critical awareness. It is... read
more
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When
Children were
Children … Monopoly
would last
for days, By Sharon Hopper
I was just thinking today about the things we did in the winter to
entertain ourselves because of the long dark evenings. Today every
child seems intent on video games, texting, and playing with apps
whatever they are, or reading a book on a device. I started to remember
what took up the time. And ironically I was surprised at the intricate,
mind work, and co-ordination that was involved in our pastimes. We were
personally... read
more
|
Bubble Net Feeding,
By Delbert
Blickenstaff, M.D.
Off the coast of Alaska the Humpback whales have an amazing feeding
technique called bubble net feeding. It works like this. The matriarch
whale in a group that usually numbers eight to ten whales makes the
bubble net. She does this by swimming in a circle below a school of
fish blowing out a constant stream of bubbles. As these bubbles rise to
the surface they form a net that catches many small fish. While she is
doing this... read
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Introducing
Billy… A B C
‘ S, By Delbert
Blickenstaff
Kindergarten is fun. We have already learned our ABC’s. We learned them
by singing a song that sounds like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
A B C D E F
G H I J K
LMNOP Q R S T
U V W
(doubleU)X Y Z Now I’ve said my ABC’s Tell me what you think
of
me. I can’t wait ‘till we learn how to write them. I’ve already told
you about Nelly, our smart yellow lab. Well, yesterday she did
something strange. Dad... read
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Darke County
Senior
Scribe… Thanksgiving
Football
time, By Lois Wilson
Once again Senior Scribe Poet Laureate Lois Wilson is on top of the
season with her insightful look at the important events of the day. The
game of the year is over with more Thanksgiving football yet to come.
If you are a football fan (or the spouse of one), you can’t help but
identify with her concise, to-the-point prose… Wilson's completed set -
four volumes - of published poetry is now available and is offered as a
fundraiser for the Senior Scribes Scholarship Fund... read
more
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Child Art… The Dawning Realism (9 to 11
years)
By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe, Former Art Education Instructor,
Miami University - The significance of this stage of development lies
in children discovering social independence; they see that they can do
more in a group of peers than alone. Most commonly, it is a same sex
group. Girls may choose dressing up and parties; boys may prefer
playing war, secret codes and rules for their groups. Cooperation with
adults can decrease as children exert social... read
more
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes… O S
C E,
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
The late Dr. Robert T. Blickenstaff helped develop the Objectively
Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) at Indiana University School of
Medicine. Robert, my twin brother, was a research chemist with a PhD
from Purdue U. His contribution to the OSCE program was in training his
actor friends to be standardized patients. The medical doctors who were
in charge of the testing program for medical students developed the
scenarios... read
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Put it on the Bill
© by
Abraham Lincoln
There was a time, not that long ago, when you walked into your grocery
story with a note. The note contained a list of items you needed. My
mother usually gave me a note and told me to go to Boyer’s or to
Pinkerton’s store to get the things on the note. Sometimes
she
also gave me money to pay for the items but more often than not, she
would say, “Tell them to put it on the bill.” The “bill” was a sales
receipt book all.... read
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… My
Three Friends,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! For the last 10 months, the hype concerning Medicaid,
mandatory insurance, and the like have escalated to dizzying degrees.
So, consider this. Last March, I got "the call." " Betty Grable is in
ICU. We took her there last night. We've been there all night..E.R.,
regular room, and finally to ICU. She is very ill. If you want to see
her; you better go - today. If you don't feel you can drive, we'll come
and get you." "Yeah, come and... read
more
|
When
Children Were
Children
… The true
art of gifting,
By
Sharon Hopper
Oh Oh! First day of shopping for the Christmas season. Golly when I was
a kid there were no such stores like Walmart, Target, K Mart and the
like. But we had F.W. Woolworth and Ben Franklin dime stores. I always
wondered why they were called dime stores, because even in my younger
years the cost of everything was more than a dime other than candy or
gum. And the term Black Friday was not in anyone’s vocabulary. It was
the Christmas season and.... read
more
|
Introducing
Billy… Swimming,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
Did you ever do a cannon ball off the diving board? That’s my favorite
dive. Henry and I had to learn to swim before we were allowed to go in
the deep end of the pool. Mom got us swimming lessons at the Y and the
first thing we had to learn was to breathe out with our faces in the
water. Then we learned to swim underwater. Henry can go all the way
across the pool, but I can go about half way underwater. Next year... read
more
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Child
Art… The
Schematic Stage (7 to 9 years)
By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe, Former Art Education Instructor,
Miami
University
After a long search for a way to depict people and
environment,
children create their own form concept or schema for these. Their human
schema contains all the knowledge they emotionally connect with the
thought people and this they repeat again and again unless an
intentional experience influences them to change their ... read
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Dogs I have known,
By Delbert
Blickenstaff
Rosie is a two pound Chihuahua who comes to church almost every Sunday
in the arms of her owners. Occasionally she wears a new
sweater. I don’t know what she thinks of the sermons, but she
seems to appreciate the music. Rosie’s owners have also
brought
their big black Poodle. This dog is trained to respond to
hand
signals instead of vocal commands, and she gets to visit nursing homes
to show off her skills. Duchess was a Kerry Blue Terrier... read
more
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… The
Visitor or Girls
Around The World, by Mona Lease
Hi, all! From 10/06 - 10/25, John and Lana Johnston again opened their
hearts and home to the Weirheim,Germany/Noblesville, Indiana Foreign
Exchange Student Program. Now, I realize that this is roughly 100 miles
west of Darke County. I'll probably bounce past and present on you but
- Germany and all the cultures "over there" are remarkable to me. I am
in awe of the way they handle problems. Take drinking... read
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When
Children Were Children
… A Day of
Family, Love,
Feasting & Playing, By
Sharon Hopper
Oh Boy! It is almost Thanksgiving and I am so excited. I remember some
very interesting Thanksgivings when I was a child. We always had a big
dinner with lots of family around and of course that meant cousins to
play with. My aunt and uncle lived on several farms as my uncle was
often a worker for the owner and that meant we could play in the barns.
Sometimes we went to Grandma’s house but I loved the farmhouse a lot
more.
While the women were finishing the... read
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Introducing
Billy… NELLY,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
We did go to the Fair again and we had a great time. Dad took the whole
family. Henry and I got to pick a ride to go on and we tried to keep
our arms up without holding on. It was fun. I especially liked the
horse show and the llama show. I wish we lived on a farm so we could
have some big animals. I would help take care of them. We have a dog at
home, a yellow lab. We got her when she was a puppy about six months
old... read
more
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Child
Art… First
Representational Drawings,
By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe
Four to seven years - Children when they scribble may intend to depict
something but do not have the ability to execute this intent. When
their drawings in the slightest manner start to show intent, the child
has achieved a relationship with external reality. This is more
important than the quality of their drawings. Children pull from their
circular scribbles a circle which may become a head or wheel; from
their back and forth scribbles, lines... read
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Farms Talk,
By Delbert
Blickenstaff, M.D.
What? You never heard a farm talk? Where have you
been all
your life? New York City? Of course you have to
listen very
carefully because we don’t make a lot of noise when we talk, like some
people do. Let me tell you about my latest renter. I know, he
uses the term owner. But let me tell you something.
Nobody
owns me. He owns the right to live here for a while, but
nobody
owns me. Anyway, a couple named Doc and Lou, and... read
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Thanks and Hugs,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! I know this is somewhat of a reprint, but; I felt I should
tweak it a little, given the feelings I've encountered since our recent
"re-election." My brain screams down the "track" two weeks ahead of
time, picking up passengers (thoughts) along the way. My body zigs and
zags, sometimes ahead, sometimes behind. Sometimes they meet in a
crescendo of insight. Normally; it's a quiet knowing deep within - a
belief that refuses to... read
more
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Building with Logs,
© By
Abraham Lincoln
Schools were built close to a branch or creek for the convenience of
having water at hand for the use of the scholars. Building a
schoolhouse or a log cabin for a home required lots of helping hands.
The weather could stop building for several days so it was smart to be
under roof earlier than the rainy season and before cold weather set
in. People came from all around on the appointed day with their tools —
axes, crosscut... read
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Introducing
Billy… Big
Brother, By Delbert
Blickenstaff
I’m older now than I was when I wrote my first story. I didn’t really
write it but I told Grandpa what I wanted to say and he wrote it down.
I know lots of words but I like to learn new ones. Like sawhorse.
That’s two words put together. I heard Dad say that he was going to get
a sawhorse and cut some boards. Now how can a saw be a horse? Or a
horse a saw? I asked Grandpa and he explained it to me. He’s very
helpful... read
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Controlled
Scribbling… Scribbling:
It’s Important for a Child,
Part II
By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe, Former Art Education Instructor,
Miami University
During the second stage, controlled scribbling, children show more
motor control over their marks. This indicates they are
developing coordination between hand and eye which is reflected in
their other activities such as eating and dressing. The child scribbles
enthusiastically in repeated up and down, back and forth, or circular
patterns... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes… Mask
& Lyre Club,
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
Mark was a 16 year old Junior at Plymouth H. S. Both of his
parents were in the teaching profession, his dad being Principal at
Warsaw H. S. This suited Mark just fine because it saved him
from
being teased by his classmates. Music was Mark’s favorite subject and
he used his fine baritone voice in the H. S. Chorus and in a male
quartet. His present goal was to be admitted to the Mask
&
Lyre Club. Mark was the only one of the... read
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|
Musings of a
Senior
Scribe… Thanks
and Hugs,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! My mind screams down the track, two weeks ahead, of time
picking up passengers (thoughts) along the way. My body zigs and zags;
sometimes ahead, sometimes behind. Sometimes they meet in a crescendo
of understanding. Normally; it's just a quiet knowing deep within - a
belief that refuses to be bought or sold. Today was one of those days.
Veteran's Day is here. Growing up, my Maternal Grandmother referred to
it as Armistice Day. She explained... read
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Baling Hay,
© By Abraham
Lincoln
When I was growing up, I never got an allowance. My father was supposed
to send my mother $3.00 a week for alimony, but there were weeks when
we didn’t get any money from him. We always grew vegetables
in
the garden and that was our source of food in the winter and summer. We
ate canned green beans from under the bed. Under beds is where most of
the neighbors stored their cans of vegetables from the garden. We
didn’t have money to buy a can... read
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When
Children Were Children
… Girls
looked like girls and boys were gentlemen, By
Sharon Hopper
In my youth not only were children free to exercise their daydreams,
but you could certainly tell girls from boys. It was so simple. We had
play pants for outdoor recreation, but in school and all other
functions girls wore skirts or dresses and boys wore pants; mostly
jeans, but clean up was a pair of casual pants and a front button down
shirt.
Now I have to honestly say that this was a nice idea but at times it
could be rather awkward. I remember the day of the circle skirt of... read
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Introducing
Billy... Out
of the mouths of babes, By Delbert Blickenstaff
I’m five and a half years old, going on six. I don’t know how
many days there are in a year, but I think a year lasts from one
birthday to the next. Want to hear me count up to ten.
Onetwothreeforfivesixseveneightnineten. See? I don’t think I
need
to count higher than ten cause I won’t need more than ten of
anything. Like bikes. Where would you put ten
bikes?
The garage is already full. Or ten boots? Or ten
baby... read
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Random
Scribbling… Scribbling:
It’s Important for a Child,
Part 1
By Lois E. Wilson, Senior Scribe and Former Art Education Instructor,
Miami University
When young children pick up a crayon or pencil and make their
first marks on paper, it is an exciting time. Scribbling is more than
fun; it is an important activity for their perceptual and motor growth.
It contributes to their creative development just as babbling does to
speech development. Children from all cultures scribble. The way... read
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What to do?
By Delbert
Blickenstaff
(Updated to correct error) Now what am I going to do? I need
to
leave now in order to get to Versailles in time for office
hours.
And here I am boxed in by an emergency vehicle. The date might have
been May 21, 1968. The entrance to the ER was on the east
side of
Wayne Hospital, and my assigned parking space was next to the ER
entrance. The emergence vehicle was parked directly behind me
so
I couldn’t get out. No one... read
more
|
Feather Ticks,
By Abraham
Lincoln
Sometimes when I woke up, there was snow on my quilt. It blew under the
window and settled on the window sill and on my bed covers. My bedroom
was on the west side of the house, under a tin roof. Rain on that roof
was so nice to hear—I still long for that sound (I hope Heaven has tin
roofs). My bed was an iron frame with wire springs holding up a
latticework of wires. A mattress was laid on top of this and that was
my... read
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… An
Indiana Indian Pow-Wow,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! For those of you who really know me - you'll know that Boredom
is my constant companion. Saturday 10/13 found me headed for
Winchester, Indiana's SilverTowne. I passed a sign half a block before
that read - "All Nations Pow-Wow." My "antenna" was up and scanning -
Flags, tepees, campfires - Yup - this "will work." With my business
concluded, I went to the Pow-Wow. As I entered the grounds I heard -
"Ya.ya... read
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Darke
County Senior Scribes… When
Children were Children - We were expected to succeed
By
Sharon Hopper - The year was 1951. Summer. The Republican Convention
had just convened.
Boy was it different in those days. We had no television or mainstream
media like today. People actually had to read and think about their
decisions. Or hear the commentators on the radio. Radio? It was the
main source of entertainment in our home. I can still see my dad and
mom sitting by the radio listening to the speeches from the Republican
Convention Floor... read
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M O N T E R E
Y B A Y, By
Delbert Blickenstaff
“The dolphin carries a loving affection….of man he is not afraid,
neither avoids him as a stranger; but of himself meets their ships,
plays and disports himself and performs a thousand frisks and gambols
before them.” Pliny the Younger, AD 61 – 113 - Thus were we
introduced to some of the marine animals in Monterey Bay in 1993. We
joined a group of seniors on an Elderhostel program called the Monterey
Bay Dolphin and... read
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… The
Earl and the Bored
Kiddies, By Mona Lease
I was talking to my Mom the other day. We were discussing (OK - maybe
leave off the "dis") the fact that television has nothing - OK; little,
to offer. I personally view Netflix. She prefers cable. We reminisced
about the "good ole shows." I could not remember the name of
my
all time favorite show. Then the phone line went dead. I redialed and
the line was busy. I went to the computer and finally found my show. It
was Jack... read
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The Big City
© By Abraham
Lincoln
There are lots of places to eat in Brookville, Ohio — not to be
confused with Brookville, Indiana with the big lake. Our biggest lake
is in Golden Gate Park and while you wouldn't want to go skinny-dipping
there with big snapping turtles, it is nice to sit and look. The place
to go downtown for a meal or a cup of coffee is Market Street Cafe.
Then for the big sandwiches, give O'Riley's across from the icehouse, a
try. You can locate... read
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Darke
County Senior Scribes… When
Children were Children - A dual birthday celebration
By
Sharon Hopper, Here it is fall and I was just thinking the other day
about the trip we made every single fall about the time of my birthday,
which is in the beginning of October.
My grandmother’s birthday was the day after mine so we always had a
family outing for the occasion. Now I am not so sure how children today
would view this outing, but in my day it was a grand day and it
happened every year. First we would go to my grandmother’s house and
have a dinner... read
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Darke
County Senior Scribes… Dissent,
Detection & Other Political Stuff,
Poems by Lois Wilson
The Senior Scribes Poet Laureate Lois Wilson is at it again. It seems
she has a poem or two (or three or four) for just about every occasion.
She doesn’t come across as a political person to those who know her,
but her thoughts about the process are about as “right on” as you can
get. Enjoy. Don’t forget that our Senior Scribes are prolific writers.
Lois has published a series of poems, starting with “Slices of Wry” and
“As... read
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Grandma’s House,
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
When all of us cousins gathered at Grandma Butterbaugh’s house in 1930
it was a mad house. My twin brother Robert and I and our
cousin
Evelyn were the oldest. Two or three more cousins were added
each
year, so we had a mob. Our Aunt Lucille was only four years
older
than we were, and she functioned as our leader. One day we
decided that we wanted to take a ride in a Model T touring car which
was parked in... read
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Global Warming,
© By Abraham
Lincoln
Global Warming is here but this winter, for me, has been a
cold
one — like a lot of people: I can’t get warm. Our government is making
new climate zone maps so people will be able to plant in their zone
sooner rather than later. The planting shifts will make the 21st
Century a hot one. The last time they changed the planting zone maps
was in 1990 — that’s how fast our climate is changing... read
more
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Musings
of a Senior Scribe… High
Dollar
Hobby provides Jobs, By Mona Lease
Hi, all! Today we're looking at the media hype concerning Ann
Romney and the "horse problem and pain killer" solution. Here are a few
facts: Around here, some everyday costs are: Lime is $9.00 a 50# bag,
$95.00 - $125.00 a trip for the vet to come to you and
administer
regular vaccinations for one horse, for a 1/2 year, $100.00 - $150 for
the farrier; (the guy who cleans hooves, trims them; they're like
fingernails) for a set of shoes (4 shoes), $150 a month for
feed... read
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When
Children were
Children ... We were free to be children, not
prisoners
By Sharon Hopper
I guess I grew up In a time where children had some freedom. Oh I do
not mean free from rules and obligations, like school. What I am
talking about is the freedom to play in a neighborhood without the fear
of being stolen or worse.
Our parents were far more trusting of the human condition than parents
are today and with good reason. However, that freedom allowed us to
have fun in ways that only free spirited kids can have. Like “Kick the
Can”: a game where one... read
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What to Do?
By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
Now what am I going to do? I need to leave now in order to
get to
Versailles in time for office hours. And here I am boxed in
by an
emergency vehicle. The date might have been May 21, 1968. The
entrance to the ER was on the east side of Wayne Hospital, and my
assigned parking space was next to the ER entrance. The
emergence
vehicle was parked directly behind me so I couldn’t get out.
No
one was in the vehicle and I assumed that the EMT people were in the...
read
more
|
The Over
60 Crowd for Men
Author unknown, sent by a CNO reader - Q: Where can men over the age of
60 find younger women who are interested in them? A: Try a bookstore
under fiction. Q: What can a man do while his wife is going through
menopause? A: Keep busy. If you're handy with tools, you can finish the
basement. When you're done you'll have a place to live. Q: How can you
increase the heart rate of your 60-plus year old husband? A: Tell him
you're pregnant... read
more
|
Smoking
© By Abraham Lincoln
Smoking. We've heard a lot on the subject over the years. The first
thing I can remember ever trying to smoke, was crunched up dead grape
leaves back in 1944, when I was ten years old. It didn't kill me but I
didn't get addicted either. My next try at smoking actually involved a
theft. We were letting a married couple live with us. She was the
grocer's daughter and he was in the Navy, a Seabee, just back from
Guam... read
more
|
Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… The
Tail and The Fleas,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! I've been reading the hype about Obama and Romney. I've read
the hype about Mandel and Brown. And my opinion is: You act like
everything depends on these men. On the abortion issue - How about
telling the boys and girls to wait until they are mature and stable
enough to handle the consequences of having sex, "proving their love,
"getting it on" or whatever phrase you care to use. I mentored a
girl/woman a few years ago... read
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When
Children were Children... Halloween
pranks elicited
discipline, not the law, By Sharon Hopper
I have to look back a long way to find all these stories, but I
remember a happy childhood, without the word stress or any of these
other new fangled diseases being mentioned. This time of year
especially brings forth memories of Halloween pranks that we did. And
believe it or not we were not even arrested or tagged as delinquent
children from dysfunctional homes. I lived in a beach front area where
most of the people lived year... read
more
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes… TWERPY,
By Delbert
Blickenstaff, M.D.
Hey, you scrawny little twerp. What do you think you’re
doing? Standing out there on stage with Marilyn and
showing
off. Don’t you remember that I’m the dominant twin?
I was
born first and weighed the most. And I’m smarter than you
are. At least I think I am. That’s why I gave you the name
“Twerpy.” Actually we’re both scrawny little twerps, but I
reserved that name for you. I don’t understand why Miss
Graham... read
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Sleeping Accommodations... ©
By Abraham Lincoln
The bed I slept in was iron, rusted here and there; but some chipped,
white, paint remained. Instead of a set of box springs and a mattress
we had a set of flat springs that hooked into the iron bed rails and if
you sank down, almost to the floor, then the springs were worn out.
Between the mattress and springs mom would add one or more layers of
newspapers to keep the cold air from seeping up through the mattress...
read
more
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Old Dogs, Children, and Two Boost
Cell
Phones, By Mona Lease
I woke up Sept. 20th with Tom T. Hall singing "Old Dogs, Children, and
Watermelon Wine" in my head. Lots of unusual stuff goes on inside my
head - this was most unusual. In 2009, I started Doula training. Doula
is old Greek for "She who helps." It mostly relates to
childbirth
now. They are licensed, but Ohio declines that. I had to go to Marion,
Indiana. Life altering events hindered me from completing that. A Doula
works... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes… Meet
Bill & Joan
Blaine, By Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
William (Bill) Blaine and Joan are world travelers. They have
visited 41 foreign countries, mostly as a result of their involvement
with The Friendship Force International. Bill and Joan became active
members of the Dayton chapter in 1990. The purpose of the organization
is to foster friendship between peoples of different cultures. “A World
of Friends is a World of Peace” is the motto of The Friendship Force.
Details of exactly how... read
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An Old Dog and An Old Leather
Jacket,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all!! Didja ever have one of those days when everything just "fell
into place?" Sat. 9/15 saw me dealing with my 6 year old Lab. In, out,
up, down, and all around. Sigh, yip, arf, and sad, googly eyes. I'm not
much better. I bought a Harley leather jacket a long time ago. I had
thoughts of "breaking it in" with a first time wearing on a Harley -
say maybe Signature Series. That didn't happen either. Then I
remembered the Burn Dog Poker... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes… Hi
Dad, By
Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
Wow! Here I am on my way to perform the most important task of my life.
I’ve been in cold storage for several months and I’m glad to be thawed
out and on my way. You see I’m part of specimen #1 produced by donor
#00700 in an IVF program. There are millions of other sperms also on
their way to find that special ovum, and I’m going to win the race. Let
me tell you about my producer, #00700. His name is Bill and he grew
up... read
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Musings of
a Senior
Scribe… The
Answer,
By Mona Lease
Hi, all! I left you with the question - In the movie The Wizard of Oz -
"Who said the Wizard was a wizard?" Answer - "The Munchkins."
Critical Thinking - With their limited understanding (we all have
"limited" understanding), the Munchkins reasoned that only someone with
exceptional mental capabilities could "fall from the sky - from another
world." They could not do that. In the end, the Wizard explains that he
can not get home... read
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From Monet to Taize,
By
Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
The French Impressionist Claude Monet is famous for his paintings of
his Japanese gardens. We got to visit his home in Giverny, France on
May 13, 2000 when we joined a group from Bethany Seminary. The tour was
organized by Nancy Faus, retired Bethany professor, and our destination
was Taize (pronounced Tayzay.) Nancy had conducted previous tours to
Taize so she knew her way around France. We arrived in... read
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Poetry for Simple Enjoyment, Part
3,
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills
This is the third in a series of poems by Hope Wills. They have been
sent to County News Online by Senior Scribe Marianne Clark. Marianne
said Hope writes about experiences that have been important or
interesting in her life… her goal? Simple reading enjoyment. As with
the others, we enjoyed them. We think you’ll like them, too. Don’t
forget that Marianne’s Book, Yogi Boy Cox and Friends, is still
available for interested... read
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What Happened?
By Mona Lease
A couple of friends and I were relaxing at our Darke Co. Fish and Game
Club. As twilight fell, we started in with our "war stories." As usual,
that started my brain rambling. There was a time (Gee, I feel old) when
a guy put his "mark" on his car or truck. Where ever it was, you'd
know, Joe's ride. It could be anything - racing slicks, center caps,
the rear end up maybe an inch or two, everything perfectly waxed, "all
chromed... read
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El Paso to Ciudad Juarez,
By
Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
Rachel Zerkle crossed the bridge spanning the Rio Grande River from El
Paso, Texas, to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, several times a week. It took
her 45 minutes to walk from Annunciation House in El Paso to Casa
Peregrina in Cuidad Juarez where she worked as a volunteer caring for
homeless women and children. Rachel is our granddaughter and we arrived
in El Paso to visit her on April 1, 2001. She had graduated from... read
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Fall ©
By Abraham Lincoln
When tree leaves begin to change color and fall; it is fall. Fall
brings back memories of great tepee-like piles of leaves burning along
curbs. When you see pumpkins rotting on vines in weedy fields and choke
on smoke from burning leaves; it’s fall. Fall is when spent flowers
take on a startling change in their appearance. What was a beautiful,
purple cone flower, that fed the world of honeybees... read
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Once in a Blue Moon,
By Mona
Leise
For those of you who wanted to read my writings again - THANK YOU. I'm
still stunned. Thanks for your encouragement. A number of us are going
through "life-changing" events. And yes, Deb; I agree. We need to stand
together. We are all we've got. It's interesting - all of us are close
to the same age... 50 - 56. We all grew up with the same moral
teachings. I've only encountered women with the life-changing events.
As we... read
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Remarkable People,
By Abraham
Lincoln
People — some 'remarkable people' have crossed my path over the years.
My mother kept us alive when all hope must have vanished. My
wife, these last 50 years, has been a calming influence on my life. I
think of the dogs I have called my own, by personal name, who have kept
my blood pressure low. Miss Beatrice Brown, my country
schoolteacher who taught generations of kids in the small village where
I lived. The Army set... read
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E R…
By Delbert
Blickenstaff, M.D.
I was an intern at Providence Hospital in Portland, OR, in
1956.
The Emergency Room, ER, was fairly active because we got most of the
skiing and other accidents from Mt. Hood. I was on duty one
Saturday when some high school students came in with their injured
friend. They had been climbing on Mt. Hood, which is a
relatively
easy climb, when a girl fell and pulled several others down on top of
her. They had been tied together... read
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“What a Ride”
By
Phyllis Mong
When
you are in your mature age aren’t you’re supposed to take it kinda
easy? No Way! A great opportunity came along when my son from Rhode
Island came for a visit. He came home a few days earlier than planned
to attend a special event. The event was with the American Huey 369, an
organization stationed in Peru, Indiana, that was appearing in a
Veterans celebration at Fort Jennings, Ohio... read
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C
O S T
A R I C A, By
Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D.
On September 6, 1991 Wilbur (Red) Long, Martha, Louise and I planted
trees in a reforestation program at the University of Peace in Costa
Rica. Red had planted thousands of trees on his farm on Boyer Road here
in Darke County. I think that the prospect of planting trees on foreign
soil convinced him to go on this Elderhostel trip. While at the
University we heard lectures about past presidents of Costa Rica. The
most famous... read
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From Abraham Lincoln… When dandelions bloomed
© By Abraham Lincoln - Heat and humidity was summer. Cold and ice was
winter. We opened the windows when it was hot and sticky and closed
them when it was raining or cold and windy. I suppose air conditioning
was when the windows were open and the lace curtains flapped outside in
the breeze. Most families felt lucky to have a roof over their heads
and to have survived The Great Depression. If it was hot outside it
was... read
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Brethren Retirement
Community...
Meet Jim Fourman,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
It’s good that the price of gasoline was only 21 cents a gallon in
1950. Otherwise Jim would not have been able to make his frequent trips
(almost weekly) from Dayton to North Manchester, Indiana to see his
sweetie, Donna Olinger. Donna was a Freshman at Manchester College and
they had met at the home of her roommate, Beverly Bright, near
Vandalia. Jim
remembers that he proposed in a canoe on the Old River
... read
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John
Hanes’ Horse Barn, By Abraham Lincoln
This barn housed race horses. I never saw them race but when I was
small John still had a horse or two in this barn. Gordon, Ohio, where
this barn is still located, and where I was born, was a bustling
village of a hundred or two families between 1848, when the village was
platted, and 1860. There was a man, south of town, who did have a race
track built for horse races and no doubt John Hanes raced his horses
there... read
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Not
My Doctor,
By Delbert Blickenstaff
Bob arrived ten minutes early for his appointment with Dr.
Madison. He was anxious to find answers to questions about
his
symptom of vomiting at 2 AM. That’s why he asked his family physician
to refer him to a specialist, a gastroenterologist. As Bob sat in the
waiting room, thumbing through a back issue of National Geographic, he
reviewed his medical history: coronary artery bypass surgery, total
right knee replacement, and... read
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Big,
Fat, Yellow
Pencils, By Abraham Lincoln
I can still remember the big, fat, yellow pencil I took to school that
first day when I became a first grader at Gordon school. It was a big
one and Miss Beatrice Brown had to sharpen it with her pen knife as the
two pencil sharpeners mounted on opposite walls of the school house had
no holes to sharpen big, fat, yellow pencils. I can remember that I
also had some problems learning how to draw letters or draw the
numbers... read
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Dayton Business Journal... Baby
Boomers present plenty of
opportunities for innovation
Commentary by Mike Mitchell - The needs of the aging Baby Boomer
generation will create significant opportunities for innovation. Unlike
their parents, boomers will not slip quietly away into old age.
Instead, they will reshape what growing old looks like and in the
process
define the new needs of the elderly. The roar which boomers have made
at each stage of their lives is about to rock the world of innovation
as they roll into retirement and beyond. Nowhere... read
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Senior Scribes... Poetry
for
Simple Enjoyment, Part 2… By Hope Louise
Edwards Wills
About a month ago, County News Online published a series of poems by
Hope Wills. You can see them here. Five more poems have been submitted
for your “Simple Enjoyment” by Senior Scribe Marianne Clark. In one
poem, The Way West, Hope writes about one of the notable experiences of
her life... “When we got to Saint Louis this rhyme was born. It’s
strange but I didn’t see highways and all the tourist trappings of
today. I saw... read
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Darke County Senior Scribes… Lois
Wilson pays tribute to Independence Day
The Senior Scribes Poet Laureate Lois Wilson usually has something to
say about our holidays, changes of season and any other event
worthy of notice. Independence Day is no different. Below are two poems
designed specifically for this day... also, don’t forget she
has published two of a series of books of her poems. Click on the above
banner for details.
THE FOURTH OF JULY
By Lois Wilson
... read
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Darke County Senior Scribes… Heat
Wave,
By Lois Wilson
Heat advisories have been issued. Restrictions on burning have been
issued. Darke County Senior Scribes Poet Laureate Lois Wilson first
published these in The Early Bird in 2010... she acknowledges, however,
that the current heat wave is a little heftier than the one that
occurred then. Be sure to check CNO Books for offerings from her and
other Senior Scribes writers... read
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Senior Scribes... That
“Special
Dog’s Story” now available to readers
Proceeds to benefit CNO and the Senior Scribes Scholarship Fund - After
decades of having his story told to grandchildren and friends, Yogi Boy
Cox has achieved immortality through a new book... “Yogi Boy Cox and
Friends,” by Senior Scribe Marianne Cox Clark. It’s sale will benefit
young people seeking scholarships through the Senor Scribes Scholarship
Fund. All proceeds will be turned over to... read
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Senior
Scribes... Poetry
for Simple Enjoyment,
By Hope Louise Edwards Wills
Hope Wills lives in Adrian, Mich., formerly of Union City, Ohio. She’s
an avid reader and loves to write. Hope is the librarian at the
highrise where she currently lives, as well as previously at the
highrise she writes about in many of her poems. Hope is married and her
children have families of their own... she has written about some of
her grandchildren. This poetry series has been submitted, with the
author’s permission, by... read
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Senior
Scribes... Lois
Wilson’s Springtime
Once again, Senior Scribe Poet Laureate Lois Wilson offers her thoughts
on a changing season... It’s springtime. She has published the first
two of a planned series of four or five. The third will be available
soon. Wilson is offering these booklets to anyone who is willing to
help in the Darke County Senior Scribes’ endeavor to provide
scholarships to Darke County youth. The Scribes is a not for profit
organization dedicated... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... Poet
Laurate Lois
Wilson: Thoughts for Easter
Recently County News Online posted a release from the Darke County
Senior Scribes that local poet Lois Wilson has published her first of
four books of verse, “Slices of Wry.” This first in the series is
available for a $10 donation to the Senior Scribes Scholarship Fund.
The booklets are currently available and anyone interested may contact
a Scribe member or email Lois at loiswilson@darkecountyseniors... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... March
Moon, Slothful
Winter, By Beverly Hughes
This has been a strange winter. Senior Scribes poet Bev Hughes offers
her take on the March moon of winters past and the unusually mild
winter of 2012. Bev’s articles appear in County News Online and the
Early Bird Newspaper. Senior Scribes is a group of adults with a common
purpose... we love to write. New members are always welcome. Drop a
line to CNO if you’d like more information... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... St.
Patrick’s Day...
Irish Cream, By Lois Wilson
From Darke County’s Senior Scribes Poet Laureate, a poetic missive
about an Irish tradition... Irish Cream. Lois is a published author who
plays poetically with everything from politics and the weather to our
cherished holidays, often with wit and humor. Word has it she’s working
on a new book... we’ll let you know when it becomes reality. MIXED
DRINK - Irish farmer Sean O’Shea - Was seen in town every day... read
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Senior
Scribes
Scholarship Fund… Annual
Scholarship Request
All previous scholarship winners and all Darke County Schools should
submit their applications for scholarships in accordance with the
instructions available on the Senior Scribes Website. Go to
darkecountyseniors.us. If you have any questions or need additional
information, please contact Al Bliss at 937-548-5687 or email at
abliss@woh.rr.com. Last year, the Senior Scribes Scholarship Fund
awarded $5,500... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... An
Ode to March,
By Lois Wilson
Darke County’s Senior Scribes Poet Laureate turns her thoughts to
March, the month of mixed weather messages. This year, as in any year,
March could bring anything from a taste of the summer to come, thunder
storms and tornados or the heaviest snowfall of the year. About the
only thing we can count on is wind... INFATUATION - March swirls in on
wings of wind— Blows an air on the budded bough... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... To
be 8 again! Submitted,
Author Unknown
A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching his wife, who was
looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off he
asked what she’d like to have for her birthday. ‘I’d like to be eight
again,’ she replied, still looking in the mirror. On the morning of her
Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Coco Pops, and
then took her to Adventure World theme park. What a day! He put her on
every ride in... read
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What are we allowing ourselves to
become?
By Sharon Hopper
It seems like every day we hear more and more about the cruelty of
people on the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, and all public media. It
seems to me in this day of fast communication and instant messaging
that we need to learn to be far more compassionate and credible in
everything we say and do. The cruelty in school is bad enough, but to
put it in writing on public media for everyone to see is absolutely
unforgivable. It is true that... read
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Senior
Scribes... “Puns
for my Friends with Higher IQs”
From a friend... be forewarned, it’s slightly off-color. Still game?
Get ready to groan. Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine.
A man’s home is his castle, in a manor of speaking. Dijon vu - the same
mustard as before.
Practice safe eating - always use condiments. Shotgun wedding - A case
of wife or death. A man needs a mistress just to break the monogamy. A
hangover is the wrath of grapes. Dancing cheek-to... read
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Senior
Scribes... Poetry
with a Heart... for Valentine’s Day,
By Lois Wilson
Our Senior Scribes ‘Poet Laureate’ has a word or two to say about just
about every special occasion. The day set aside each year for lovers is
no different. Here, she gives you three completely different approaches
to the traditional Valentine’s Day observance. County News Online is
pleased to offer you the following: HAVE A HEART - On other occasions,
I like any card, Even comical ones picked in a rush... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... The
Basic Rules for
Clothesline
(If you don’t even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)
Author unknown - submitted by Dan Harless
1. You had to hang the socks by the toes ... NOT the top. - 2. You hung
pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs ... NOT the waistbands. - 3. You had to WASH
the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes walk the entire length of
each line with a damp cloth around the lines. - 4. You had to hang the
clothes in a certain order, and always... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... Poetry
for the
Undecided, By Lois Wilson
“I noticed these four candidates had short names that could be
interlocked,” Senior Scribes Poet Laureate Lois Wilson said. “So many
voters are still undecided… so I created a yard sign for them.” Wilson
put her talents to work and created a few verses that millions of
voters could probably read and say… “That’s me!” PUTTING IT TOGETHER -
Sometimes when we’ve heard all the candidates, And we still like
none... read
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Senior
Scribes... A
Message for the Groundhog, By
Lois Wilson
It is Feb. 2 and we’re about to find out if Mr. Groundhog in
Punxsutawney is going to see his shadow and return to his burrow -
signifying six more weeks of winter - or find a cloudy day and leave
his burrow... signifying spring is almost here. County News Online’s
‘Poet Laureate’ Lois Wilson has her own idea about when spring is
coming... she shares it with you here: SHADOW INSURANCE... read
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Senior
Scribes... Are
you smarter than a 60 year old?
Written by “who knows?” Editor: I had fun with this. Only missed two.
This is a test for us “older kids.” Remember the Lone Ranger, The
Twist, Satchmo, Red Skelton? If you do, then you’re a prime target for
the quiz. Enjoy. 01. After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off
into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, Who was that masked
man? Invariably, someone would answer, I don’t know, but he left this
behind. What... read
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Darke
County Senior
Scribes... Poems
for the Season,
By Lois Wilson
The Darke County Senior Scribes’ Premier Poet Lois Wilson has attacked
the season in her usual tongue-in-cheek manner, first taking on how we
address problems with “At Last,” then leading into the symptoms of
“Presidential Fever.” As we all know our president has a lot of
problems to address. Our next leader will have 10 options... which one
will be followed? Then we get Wilson’s take on New Years Resolutions,
followed by the... read
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1911
This will
boggle your mind, I know it did mine! The year is 1911 - One
hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes! Here are
some statistics for the Year 1911:
The average
life expectancy for men was 47
years ... read
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Along
Life's Way
"Degree to Disagree", "A Guiding Light", "Out of Sorts" are Lois
Wilson's latest "Along Life's Way" offerings
... read
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Vitamin
F
Unknown
Author ~ Submitted by Wavelene Denniston
Why do I have a variety of friends who are all so different
in
character?
How can I get along with them all?
I think that each one helps to bring out a "different" part
of
me.
With one of them I am polite. ... read
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Citizens answer the call… plus a
little
irreverence
A collection of Poems from
Lois Wilson
Editor: With her usual play on words and poetic form, Lois Wilson
offers us a collection of four, from patriotic to slightly irreverent…
Grateful Allegiance, Mirror! Mirror!, Have a Seat and my favorite,
written in 1966, The Committee.
Enjoy.... read
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Senior
Scribes... Places
I have been, Submitted
by Larry Nelson
Anonymous - I have been in many places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots.
Apparently, you can’t go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.
I’ve also never been in cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.
I have however been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be
driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends and
family. I would like to go to Conclusions, but you... read
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Senior
Scribes... Baby
Boomer Test
(Have a paper and pencil handy to record your answers... Your mind
isn’t as sharp as it once was!) So they say! The individual who sent it
to me got 16 out of the 20. The note below indicates the average is 12.
I guess I’m either weird, a TV junkie in my youth or really old. I got
all 20… Bob Robinson, editor and Senior Scribe. This is NOT a pushover
test. It’s a Baby Boomer era test! There are 20 questions... read
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Senior
Scribes... Biblical
Humor
It doesn’t hurt to have a little Biblical humor to start the day... Q..
What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth? A.. Ruthless. Q..
What do they call pastors in Germany? A.. German Shepherds. Q.. Who was
the greatest financier in the Bible? A.. Noah He was floating his stock
while everyone else was in liquidation. Q.. Who was the greatest female
financier in the Bible? A.. Pharaoh’s... read
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The New American Christmas,
Author Unknown
As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into
high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced
goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American
labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the
gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an
excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is... read
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Poetry by Lois Wilson
Editor: Lois Wilson is one of Darke County’s shining stars in the field
of poetry. Local readers have been entertained for years by her short,
insightful and often humorous stanzas. She has been a member of the
Senior Scribes since its inception as Senior Advocates when I was the
editor of the Daily Advocate. County News Online is pleased to offer
three brief approaches to our daily living, beginning with... read
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Are you a pumpkin?
Submitted
by Nadera Williams
Unknown Author - An “Object Lesson” from the Senior Scribes... A woman
was asked by a coworker, ‘What is it like to be a Christian?’ The
coworker replied, ‘It is like being a pumpkin.’ God picks you from the
patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts
off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of
doubt, hate, and greed... read
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Koinonia
Christen
Sentrum... 92-Year-Old
Preacher
While watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, I
watched a church in Atlanta honoring one of its senior pastors who had
been retired many years. He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the
church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age.
After a warm welcome, introduction of this speaker, and as the applause
quieted down, he rose from his high back chair and walked... read
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Senior Humor 101,
From Karen
Brooks, Author Unknown
I very quietly confided to my best friend that I was having an affair.
She turned to me and asked, ‘Are you having it catered’? And that, my
friend, is the definition of ‘OLD’! Just before the funeral services,
the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked, ‘How old
was your husband? ‘98,’ she replied: ‘Two years older than me’ ‘So
you’re 96,’ the undertaker commented... read
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When I’m an Old Lady,
From
Diane Rhoades, Author Unknown
When I’m an old lady, I’ll live with each kid, And bring so much
happiness ... just as they did. I want to pay back all the joy they’ve
provided. Returning each deed! Oh, they’ll be so excited! When I’m an
old lady and live with my kids. I’ll write on the walls with reds,
whites and blues, And I’ll bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I’ll drink from the carton and then leave it out. I’ll stuff all the
toilets and oh, how they’ll shout... read
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A Herd of Cows, A Flock of
Chickens,
From Sharon Hopper – author unknown
The English language has some wonderfully anthropomorphic collective
nouns for the various groups of animals. We are all familiar with a
Herd of cows, a Flock of chickens, a School of fish and a Gaggle of
geese. Less widely known is a Pride of lions, a Murder of crows (as
well as their cousins the rooks and ravens), an Exaltation of doves
and, presumably because they look so wise, a... read
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A Dog’s Purpose? From a
6-year-old...
Author unknown – submitted by Barbara Rolfe, Boise, Idaho
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish
Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their
little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were
hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of
cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and
offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their...
read
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Interesting Definitions...
Compliments of Dan Harless, author unknown
ADULT - A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now
growing in the middle. BEAUTY PARLOR - A place
where women
curl up and dye. CHICKENS - The only animals you eat before
they
are born and after they are dead. COMMITTEE - A body that
keeps
minutes and wastes... read
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Huffington
Post... ‘Web
Cam 101 For Seniors’ Turns Oregon
Oldsters Into YouTube Celebrities
- 9/14/11 - A couple from northwestern Oregon who are Internet newbies
have found themselves the unwitting subjects of an instant viral video,
thanks to a little help from a grandkid. Bruce Huffman, 86, and his
wife, Esther, 79, of the Hillside Retirement Community in McMinnville,
recently purchased their first laptop computer –- an aqua colored
beauty with a built-in webcam. Late last month, the... read
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Gold Nuggets,
Submitted by
Wavelene Denniston... Author Unknown
Someone has written these beautiful words. Must read and try to
understand the deep meaning of it. They are like the ten commandments
to follow in life all the time. 1. Prayer is not a “spare wheel” that
you pull out when in trouble, but it is a “steering wheel” that directs
the right path throughout. 2. So why a Car’s WINDSHIELD is so large and
the Rear view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST... read
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The Grey Headed Brigade,
Submitted by Al Bliss, Author unknown
They like to refer to us as senior citizens, old fogies, geezers, and
in some cases dinosaurs. Some of us are “baby boomers”
getting
ready to retire. Others have been retired for some time. We
walk
a little slower these days and our eyes and hearing are not what they
once were. We have worked hard, raised our children, worshiped our God
and grown old together. Yes, we are the ones some... read
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Wasn’t
this us?
From Phyllis Mong, Senior Scribe
A Walk down Memory Lane for those who have a sentimental heart! A
little house with three bedrooms, one bathroom and one car on the
street. A mower that you had to push to make the grass look
neat.
In the kitchen on the wall we only had one phone, And no need for
recording things, someone was always home. We only had a living room
where we would congregate, Unless it was at mealtime in the kitchen
where we ate... read
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Midday
Dawn,
a Poem by Lois Wilson
Damp, dismal, Dreary day. Abysmal Gloomy gray... read
more
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Clear
Vision,
a Poem by Lois Wilson
Everyone knows As each life goes, There are the throes, Of pains and
woes... read
more
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Mom’s Empty Chair...
From Dan
Harless, Author Unknown
A woman’s daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with
her mother. When the minister arrived, he found the woman lying in bed
with her head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside her
bed. The minister assumed that the woman had been informed of his
visit... ‘I guess you were expecting me, he said. ‘No, who are you?’
said the mother. The minister told her his name and then... read
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My
job search,
Submitted by Phyllis Mong, Author Unknown
“This is quite clever. I wonder who thinks of all this
stuff.” 1.
My first job was working in an Orange Juice factory, but I got
canned. Couldn’t concentrate. 2. Then I worked in the woods
as a
Lumberjack, but just couldn’t hack it, so they gave me the axe. 3.
After that, I tried being a Tailor, but wasn’t suited for it -- mainly
because it was a sew-sew job. 4. Next, I tried working in a Muffler
Factory, but that was too exhausting. 5. Then, tried being a Chef -
figured it would add... read
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Senior
Scribes... Free
Range Chicken Capitol,
From Lyn Bliss
This was posted on Facebook by a friend of mine (the Recorder in Geauga
County). Her comment was... “Folks... Geauga County is a unique place
to live... things happen here that you would not believe... but this
Burton Village post is a must read. We haven’t had this much
controversy since the “flap over pancakes” on the water tower.” I would
love to hear about the “flap over pancakes” on the... read
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Senior
Scribes... Seniors
at Starbucks, From Dan
Harless
A group of seniors were sitting around talking about all their
ailments. “My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly lift this cup of
coffee,” said one. “Yes, I know,” said another. “My cataracts are so
bad; I can’t even see my coffee.” “I couldn’t even mark an “X” at
election time, my hands are so crippled,” volunteered a third. “What?
Speak up! What? I can’t hear you!” “I can’t turn my head because of the
arthritis... read
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Two Groans for your Reading
Pleasure
My Dog Mace - From Dan Harless - A mechanic who worked out of his home
had a dog named Mace. Mace had a bad habit of eating all the grass on
the mechanic’s lawn, so the mechanic had to keep Mace inside. The grass
eventually became overgrown. One day the mechanic was working on a car
in the backyard and dropped his wrench, losing it in the tall grass. He
couldn’t find it for the... read
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Senior
Scribes... Retirement
Perspectives: Take Your Pick!!!
From Barbara Rolfe, Boise, Idaho - author unknown - You can retire to
Phoenix , Arizona where... 1. You are willing to
park 3
blocks away because you found shade. 2. You’ve
experienced
condensation on your hiney from the hot water in the toilet
bowl.
3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave
town. 4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican
food.
5. You know that “dry heat” is comparable to what hits you in
the
face when you open your... read
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Happy Birthday, Doc!!
By Bob
Robinson
From the Senior Scribes of Darke County - Well… he’s still alive and
kicking, and he assured me that his water-logged ears have been drained
by now. He hasn’t said much about his experience yet, but maybe one of
these days he’ll take a few minutes to write about it. So who am I
talking about? Delbert Blickenstaff, M.D. Retired. The Family
Healthcare icon turned 90 years old on July 3. The... read
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From Lyn
Bliss... Texting
Shortcut Tips for Seniors
I thought you might need help texting your friends. After
all,
the kids have all their little codes... like BFF, ROFL, etc.
So
here are the texting short cuts for seniors (and did you notice how big
the font size is?). For those of you that are not seniors, or
close to it, you will still enjoy these... read
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A
burned biscuit,
Submitted by Al Greiner ~ Author unknown
When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every
now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made
breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago,
my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in
front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all
my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my
day was at school. I don’t remember what I... read
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Carefree
Connection
Tours... Second
Year
Anniversary... Seniors Welcome
Seniors welcome... in celebrating Greenville’s Carefree
Connection Bus Tours 2nd year anniversary! Family owned and
operated by Flory sisters, Angela and Shelly! Jump on board
with
us for an adventurous trip! Enjoy a full day of
traveling
and seeing new and exciting places with no parking worries, no gas
fees, no miles on your car, no scheduling worries and ALL
hassle-free! Sit back... read
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He sent her roses,
Submitted
by Kay Seiler, Greenville, Author unknown
The person who did this was Jack Benny (unverified).... Please read
this - it is absolutely beautiful..... Each year he sent her roses, And
the note would always say, I love you even more this year, Than last
year on this day. My love for you will always grow, With every passing
year.’ She knew this was the last time That the roses would appear. She
thought, he ordered roses In advance before this day... read
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History
Lesson on
Your Social Security Card, Submitted by Kay
Seiler
Not Verified - Just in case some of you young whippersnappers
(&
some older ones) didn’t know this. It’s easy to check out, if you don’t
believe it. Be sure and show it to your family and friends. They need a
little history lesson on what’s what and it doesn’t matter whether you
are Democrat or Republican. Facts are Facts. Social Security Cards up
until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be
used for identification purposes. Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat... read
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Crabby Old Man
A classic - When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing
home in Moosomin, Saskatchewan , it was believed that he had nothing
left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre
possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed
the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the
hospital. One nurse took her copy to... read
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OLD
PERSON PRIDE
- Author unknown, Submitted by Barbara Rolfe, Boise, Idaho
I’m passing this on as I did not want to be the only old person
receiving it. Actually, it’s not a bad thing to be called, as you will
see. Old People are easy to spot at sporting events; during the playing
of the National Anthem. Old People remove their caps and stand at
attention and sing without embarrassment. They know the words
and
believe in them. Old People remember World War II, Pearl Harbor
,
Guadalcanal , Normandy and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the
Korean... read
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God
Made You,
From Ginger Wittwer, Bend, Oregon
A little girl was sitting on her grandfather’s lap as he read her a
bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off
the
book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately
stroking her own cheek, then his again. Finally she spoke up, “Grandpa,
did God make you?”... read
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Dear
Bo$$
From Dan Harless
One day an employee sends a letter to her boss asking for an increase
in her salary !!! Dear Bo$$ In thi$ life, we all
need
$omething mo$t de$perately. I think you $hould be under$tanding of the
need$ of u$ worker$ who have given $o much $upport including $weat and
$ervice to your company. I am $ure you will gue$$ what I mean and
re$pond $oon... read
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Author
unknown... Murphey’s
Other 15 Laws
Submitted by Ginger Wittwer, Bend, Oregon 1. Light travels
faster
than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them
speak. 2. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine
for
doing well. 3. He, who laughs last, thinks slowest.
4. A
day without sunshine is like, well... Night. 5. Change is
inevitable, except from a vending... read
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A
fun fact for each
of our United States
Interesting, but unverified. Author unknown~submitted by Kay Seiler,
Greenville - FACTS THAT YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW. ALABAMA -
Was
the first place to have 9-1-1, started in 1968.
ALASKA - One out of every 64 people has a
pilot’s
license. ARIZONA - Is the only state in
the
continental U.S. that doesn’t follow Daylight Savings Time.
ARKANSAS - Has the only active diamond
mine in the
U.S... read
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5
lessons about the
way we treat people, Author unknown
6.20.11 - Submitted by Pat Turner, Gibsonburg, Ohio - 1. First
Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady. During my second month of college,
our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had
breezed through the questions until I read the last one: “What is the
first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some
kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was
tall, dark-haired and in her 50’s, but how would I know her name?... read
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From Dan
Harless, Bye
- - Bye - - - Things are going to be
changing - -
Whether these changes are good or bad depends in part on how we adapt
to them. But, ready or not, here they come!
1. The
Post Office. Get ready to imagine a world without the post
office. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is
probably no way to sustain it long term. Email, Fed Ex, and
UPS
have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post
office alive... read
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From
Linda Brenner, Author Unknown... Getting
old
“Be kind and enjoy today, there may not be tomorrow.” A couple in their
nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup,
the doctor tells them that they’re physically okay, but they might want
to start writing things down to help them remember... Later that night,
while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. ‘Want anything
while I’m in the kitchen?’ he asks. ‘Will you get me a bowl of ice
cream?’... read
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Mollie Breno,
By Delbert
Blickenstaff, Senior Scribe
Mollie was born in England in 1922. Her family lived in London in a
museum area, and as a child she often played in museums. When Mollie
was 17 years old her family’s home was bombed by the Germans. She
joined the British Army and was stationed at Winchester, where she did
office work. Molly met an American soldier at a dance. His name was
Paul Breno, and they were married in 1947. They had four... read
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| Two
Poems
by Author Lois
Wilson,
Greenville, Ohio... read
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From
Judy Bolin, Columbus, Ohio... The
Clothes Line
My wife was after me for a clothes dryer for Christmas. I got
her
the best one I could find and she has been mad with me ever since. My
goodness what kind did you get her? The best clothes line they had. One
that wouldn’t rust, with a large bag of clothes pins. You just can’t
make some women happy. REMEMBER THE BASIC RULES FOR
CLOTHES
LINES? Remember? You have to be a certain age to
appreciate
this. I can hear my mother now... THE
BASIC RULES... read
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Auditor, Judge guests of Senior
Scribes at
Recent Meeting
Heartland Director of Admissions Amy Farmer explains information
regarding Medicare/Medicaid to Senior Scribes at their recent regular
monthly meeting held at Heartland of Greenville. Also present at the
meeting were Darke County... read
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The Final
Years... Retiring
from Greenville Fire Department
and moving on to new horizons
By Robert Rhoades, Senior Scribe - It’s sort of hard to tell when I
started thinking about doing something else. Having spent 25
years of my life, which seemed like an eternity, at one job was a
pretty big task I thought. But I could tell that my body was
starting to fight back. It seemed that I was having an
expansion
in my mid section which was not welcomed at all. I was... read
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40 years of Card Playing,
By
Lyn Bliss, Senior Scribe
“Laughter is the best medicine and we do lots of that!” said Libby Koch
about the afternoons the group spends playing cards and socializing.
For more than 40 years, the group has been playing cards every
Wednesday afternoon at the Greenville VFW. There are three
members of the original group still playing. Ramona Amore is the
youngest of the group at 82. Oldest is Lova... read
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Senior Scribes meet at Heartland
Senior Scribes enjoyed a great breakfast courtesy of Heartland of
Greenville and its admissions director, Amy Farmer, Thursday morning.
Farmer told the group she’d completed, so far, 22 hours of education in
Medicare at the state level, with more coming, and offered her services
as an advisor to the group, plus any other senior citizens in need of
advice on the program... read
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Hog
Log,
By Lyn Bliss, Senior Scribe
He is usually named Phil, this hog... read
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Two feet of snow,
By Phyllis
Mong, Senior Scribe
I plan ahead for the incoming weather. Try to get a few grocery
supplies in the house, even some potato chips, cookies, ice-cream
─ you know, the comfort food that adds calories (which I
don't
need). But, so comforting! Just in case the power goes off and the
stove and microwave are powerless, the night before the storm advisory,
I fill two large thermos bottles with very hot water that I may use... read
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The Early Days,
By Bob Rhoades
January 31, 2011 - My first day as a firefighter was July 2,
1967. We’ll call it the early days. I
heard stories
about the iron firemen, real smoke eaters, guys with leather skin and
lungs to match. I’m not sure how much of that was true, but I
do
know that breathing a lot of that into your lungs hurt a lot after the
fact, like someone was sitting on your chest. A lot of us “new guys”
decided... read
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Senior Scribes Meets at Family
Health
Senior Scribes met recently at Family Health for their regular monthly
meeting. Left to right: Lyn Bliss, Delbert Blickenstaff, Al Bliss,
Marianne Clark, Bill Stevens, Phyllis Mong, Jan Boyer and Al Greiner.
The next regular meeting will be at 10 a.m. February 24…location to be
announced... read
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Senior Scribes host Spring Fling
by Lyn
Bliss, Senior
Scribe
Lighthouse Christian Center was the setting for the Senior Scribes’
Scholarship Fund’s Spring Fling, with a western flair. The Fling was
held as a fundraiser for the Senior Scribes’ Scholarship Program.
Earlier this year, the Scholarship Fund awarded $4,000 in scholarships
to Darke County youth.
Rockin’ Robin provided the music for the
evening... read
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|
A
good laugh, even if
you're NOT over 60!
When I bought my Blackberry I thought about the 30-year business I ran
with 1800 employees, all without a cell phone that plays music, takes
videos, pictures and communicates with Facebook and Twitter. I signed
up under duress for Twitter and Facebook, so my seven kids, their
spouses, 13 grandkids and 2 great grand kids could communicate with me
in the modern way. I figured I could handle something as simple as
Twitter with only... read
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And
then it is Winter
You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of
the passing years.
It seems just yesterday that I was young, just
married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it
seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went.
I know that I lived them all... read
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Strictly American, By Ross
Princiotto
- Apple Pie: It is said that nothing is more American as Apple Pie.
Where did the phrase start? Perhaps it started in our New England
Colonies. There apples are found at any meal. Yes, apple pie with a
slice of cheese is so good, of course, for breakfast. All kinds of pies
were made with tarts or fritters. Check this saying out. “An apple pie
without the cheese is a kiss without the squeeze”... read
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