Menno Place surprises me all the time, actually it is the people that run Menno Place that amaze me, case in point – they advertised an open house on Facebook.

I don't have to tell you what Facebook is because you either know it and then you know more than I will ever know , or you say you know but quickly add that your computer has given up and you had no time to fix it or have it fixed, as many living here do say.

Anyhow the result of the ad was was meager - six people were interested to attend the affair and one person promised to come, me.

When I shuffled over to the Primrose to fulfill my obligation to attend, I was let in by a nice young women with a genuine smile on her face, which was more than I expected, I do not know why, since everyone here is friendly. Once inside I was able to hear the end of a speech given by Sharon Simpson, the organizer and promoter, welcoming a crowd of people.

A fine voice nestled itself in my mind – o ye of little faith.

After having a homemade cookie, (Mennonite girls can cook) and a look in the dining room, where I did not notice real linen table cloths, as was rumored one time, I searched the reading table when my eye fell on a new old-German bible at the end of the table.

I opened the bible carefully to Lucas 2 verse 14, reading about the good tidings of Jesus' birth, which always thrills me, known as the angel's song, though recorded in the old German bible as saying, and translated in English says – 'honor to god in the highest, peace on earth, in the people a delight.'

Several groups were now led to the innards of the Primrose building, the flagship of Menno Place, were they were inspecting its living quarters and views.

I quietly started up my walker and drifted off to the playgrounds of our campus with the newly acquired nine holes putting - and grass bowling - greens.

An eight, nine year old girl, visibly bored hung on the bench on the green.

I asked her if she wanted to play the game.

“There is not one to play with,” she answered, but just then two elderly ladies entered who obviously wanted to play, which made unique foursome. I told them that I was new to the game, which did not seem to bother any of my three partners.

The girl won and I high-fived her, which pleased her and amused the ladies so much that they also high-fived the girl and henceforth promoted that act to be part of the game.

We played until the girl was bored of winning and the ladies had enough of the excersize for the afternoon, and I was tired.

As I intended to report to you about my pro- or re- gress as an oldster I am able to share with you finally some concrete news, which is not as hard as the word concrete may imply.

For more than a year I have had some dizzy spells, most did not take long, but some did.

Six years ago after attending a funeral service were afterwards dutch goodies were offered, I grateful accepted more than I should have, seeing that they were richly endowed with sugar and I am diabetic, I landed on the floor of our retirement home on the mountain and was unable to get up. I laid there paralyzed from Friday afternoon till Monday morning, not able to reach the telephone which was about two and a half meters away from where I laid.

I employed a nice lady to clean, wash, vacuum, put order of things, and all things my dear wife used to do and I only did during her illness, well her, Margaret was scheduled to come on Monday morning and was my only hope. Before she arrived I had managed to get to the telephone but forgot the number.

And there she was, she immediately saw that I was dehydrated and filled me with up with water, tea, and anything wet, which made me feel a whole lot better. I needed clean clothes but she could not stuff me in my pants. Margaret is resourceful and called my neighbor and together they managed to forced me into it.

The neighbor took me to the hospital where I remained for a week and then was all better.

There is much more to come but I save it for next week.

Have a great week. Lex.