Sunday, October 14, 2007
Why Me, Lord?
St. George, Utah is a very unique city surrounded by mountains, hills and cliffs of all colors. Local rocks are used generously on houses, walls and landscaping for a most pleasant effect. A spring somewhere in the red cliffs flows down into town, forming a beautiful pond surrounded by cattails, reminding me of the fresh water pond that suddenly developed on our farm at Carey. This fast-flowing supply of water irrigates lawns and gardens all over the valley. No wonder the Mormons decided to settle here, raising cotton and tobacco and whatever garden produce they needed. Every few blocks along the main thoroughfares stands a large, modern church building with a sign: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as well as an older building called a tabernacle. According to the phone book, there are also other denominations, but none was seen on our jaunts about town.
Our reason for being in this neck of the woods was the Huntsman World Senior Games, an annual event that draws thousands of older folks from around the globe. This year 54 countries were represented in a multitude of sports. Some of the ladies on our basketball team were also entered in tennis and other games. Latvia brought two gaggles of gals and showed us some new moves on the court that were quite interesting.
Only two teams were entered in the 70-year-old division, including everyone between 70 and 80. Albuquerque’s Canyon Nets and the Silver Slammers from River Ridge, Louisiana played each other three times, plus some practice games with two younger teams, which were all great fun. They had two women taller than me, and I’m considerably taller than the other players on our team, so we got clobbered repeatedly, but with wonderful sportsmanship. What a fun way to make new friends! I hope we will see them again in Santa Fe’s tourney next month.
To top off my exciting three days of travel and play, I got to spend time with two of my three “adopted sons” from teenage years, Clifford and PeeWee Kell. When their younger brother, Mike, was just a baby, I started keeping them occasionally, and they soon grew to be just like family. PeeWee is employed with the St. George water works, soon to retire; Cliff and wife Bonnie live in Las Vegas, as does Mike, who was not able to come to the games. They will always be a special chapter in my book of fond memories.
For pictures of this event, go to: www.dancingrabbits.com/tootie/page1.htm
Today I keep singing the Kris Kristopherson song, “Why Me, Lord. . .What have I ever done to deserve even one of the pleasures I’ve known?”
Cora Gail Trent
cgtrent@att.net
www.cgtrent.com
Our reason for being in this neck of the woods was the Huntsman World Senior Games, an annual event that draws thousands of older folks from around the globe. This year 54 countries were represented in a multitude of sports. Some of the ladies on our basketball team were also entered in tennis and other games. Latvia brought two gaggles of gals and showed us some new moves on the court that were quite interesting.
Only two teams were entered in the 70-year-old division, including everyone between 70 and 80. Albuquerque’s Canyon Nets and the Silver Slammers from River Ridge, Louisiana played each other three times, plus some practice games with two younger teams, which were all great fun. They had two women taller than me, and I’m considerably taller than the other players on our team, so we got clobbered repeatedly, but with wonderful sportsmanship. What a fun way to make new friends! I hope we will see them again in Santa Fe’s tourney next month.
To top off my exciting three days of travel and play, I got to spend time with two of my three “adopted sons” from teenage years, Clifford and PeeWee Kell. When their younger brother, Mike, was just a baby, I started keeping them occasionally, and they soon grew to be just like family. PeeWee is employed with the St. George water works, soon to retire; Cliff and wife Bonnie live in Las Vegas, as does Mike, who was not able to come to the games. They will always be a special chapter in my book of fond memories.
For pictures of this event, go to: www.dancingrabbits.com/tootie/page1.htm
Today I keep singing the Kris Kristopherson song, “Why Me, Lord. . .What have I ever done to deserve even one of the pleasures I’ve known?”
Cora Gail Trent
cgtrent@att.net
www.cgtrent.com
