Verse of a favorite hymn: “O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home.”

Harvey Hollis celebrated his 100th birthday with his daughter, Joyce, and children, and great grandchildren and some of his former his country neighbors. We were so pleased to see how he could tell stories and explain the black and white photos in the beautiful album that his granddaughter, Sandy, from Manhattan, Kansas, had made with the bunches of photos that her cousin, Jimmy Offill, had given to her from his mother, Dorothy (Hollis) Offill. Saturday, Harvey had another party with his son, Phillip’s, children. I even discovered that his granddaughter knows my sister, Virgyln, of Manhattan well enough that she calls her by her Kansas name, “Grammy”

The Eads gym was packed Thursday night with parents, grandparents and lots of friends to watch and hear the wonderful Elementary School Christmas concert. It was directed by Mrs. Monica Uhland, for whom parents and families are so grateful that she chooses to be our music education teacher. Our youth need the fine arts in the form of music and graphic arts that will help them to be more well-rounded, refined, and to give them some “cultural experiences.” Excuse me for preaching … actually, I wish we had more of the arts like instrumental band, strings band, and choral music.

Verna Ebright’s daughter, Karen and Mike Brandt, hosted a wonderful 80^th birthday party at the Prairie Pines Assisted Living Center December 2. There were many friends from many towns and many relatives who came to enjoy greeting Verna and others at this great party for a wonderful lady and friend of many people. She was especially happy to have her grandchildren and great grandchild here to visit and meet her friends.

Readers, if you can take time to drive around town to see the beautifully lighted homes, it is worth your time. However, you may need caution on Rittgers street because Karl Eikenberg has such a fabulous display of blinking and moving lights in their new home in the former Alvin Siefkas residence. I heard that he said the put up three times more lights in his former Greeley home. Oh, and the lights are synchronized with the music of Radio 88.1 FM. Things are “rocking and rolling” in Haswell. Saturday night they had a potluck meal and Jolly Santa Claus came to please the children and adults too. Sunday, they had a good turnout of people to play Bingo. I wanted to be there but I went to sing and visit at the Cheyenne Wells Nursing Home.

The Lord blessed us with one day that was not so windy cold last week on Tuesday for Charles Howard’s funeral. I asked the Director of Nursing, Doris Gibbs, “What is the connection between Charlie and Mr. Keefe, the former Kit Carson Superintendent?” Doris said, “When Gerald retired, he asked if “there was someone who didn’t have family that he could visit in the Cheyenne Wells Nursing Home?” He visited Charlie for four years.” Isn’t that beautiful? May I suggest to you, readers, that you may choose to share your life more in some ways with people who are “alone” also?

Teri Castle-Simmons and Tonya Lane arranged a Bingo game with envelopes of cash prizes drawn from a box. Auxiliary members, Alice Glover, Madonna Pollreis, Loretta Seibel, Charlotte Phillips, Linda and Bill Trosper, and I went to help the residents. Bill was helped by Betty Holthus, who drew out the big prize of $20.

Thank you, to the people who donated the money. The residents will get to shop for gifts Sunday afternoon with their “bingo money” in the hallways at vendor tables.

Another little bazaar was in the Cobblestone meeting room, arranged by Raina (Kleisen) Lynch Saturday morning.

Senior citizens braved the cold wind to go to the Sage meal Wednesday and the brunch on Thursday. It was such a nice time to visit. We who sat at a table with Don and Esther McCoin enjoyed hearing more about World War II and the honor flight to Washington D.C. The Center tables are covered with red cloths with a pretty green snow tipped ceramic tree as a centerpiece. The Center was used recently for the bank’s Christmas party.

Kelly Lujan and Linda Oswald Harper blessed me with holiday greetings this week. I like (love) the memories of my former students.

We were pleased to see Celena Lessenden’s classmates, Shelby (Weeks) Bennett and Colby and Jodi (Michael) Stolzenberger, who drove to Pueblo West for my niece, Celena and Eli Clark’s baby shower last Saturday.

The movie, “Wonder” will be showing at the Plains Theatre for two full weeks, that means daily December 11-14 this week, and Wonder will be shown December 17-21 with a matinee at 1:00 p.m. December 21. Then December 15-17 is the movie “The Star.” It is animated, with music about the birth of Jesus from the perspective of animals. One of my friends saw these movies and told me that they are really good. Hopefully many adults and youth around whole area will go to see these movies. There will be one more Christmas matinee, Saturday, December 16 at 1:00 p.m. followed by a drawing of gifts. Lamar Theatre is also playing The Star this week at 6:45 p.m. each day, and Wonder will be coming soon.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!