Nancy's Notes

My older brothers are six and four years older than me, and I am five years older than my next brother, and then a fourth brother is 11 years younger than me. We love him and decided to keep him, even though he was an “oops.

Growing up “country bumkin” style, Part 2 When we moved out to the farm, 3-1/2 miles east of Goessel—I was one-year old—our house had running water at the kitchen sink and a big clawfoot bathtub on the second floor, but no other plumbing.

Some people were gifted with an amazing capacity of a memory bank. My dad has an incredible memory. He can tell stories of his childhood, and he’s about to turn 96. A number of years ago, I helped him publish his memories in a book for our family, and I was amazed at the details he remembers.

Watching the evening news and the latest reports on the war in Ukraine is both heart-wrenching and gut-wrenching. Such overwhelming evil has taken over that country, where civilians are being targeted, whether they are young or old, men, women or children.

We sure do love our animals. They become members of our family, especially if they are indoor pets that are used to getting a lot of attention. At least that’s how Charley has us trained. She’s been on a kick lately that she wants to play fetch with her spikey ball everytime one of us is around.

I didn’t think I would ever meet a slice of pie that I didn’t like. But I did, just recently, at the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale in Hutchinson. Actually, I need to amend that statement to say: I didn’t think I would ever meet a slice of pie at the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale that I didn’t like.

Grace Notes The Kansas Jayhawks sure made us The Kansas Jayhawks sure made us proud as they put up a fight to the finish, bringing home the National Championship for the sixth time, second for Coach Bill Self. This was no “ordinary” ballgame.

This story is just delightful, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. This is about 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, a second-grader who lives in Boise, Idaho, who wrote about a Christmas adventure which he titled, “The Adventures of Dillon Helbig’s Crismis.” He signed it, “by Dillon His Self.”

Speaking of genetics... Last week I shared the story of identical twin sisters who married identical twin brothers and have now each had baby boys that are so genetically similar, the cousins are more like brothers.

I love it when a story in the news just makes you go, “Huh?” When a story is so crazy unbelievable that you just have to read it again. This would be one of those stories.