Wild Horse Roundup

By Curtis Schrimp

August 15, 2003

Last Thursday afternoon I went out to get in our van to go to Hugo, I looked west and a fire was just starting on the edge of the highway and in seconds it was a big blaze. The wind was in the east, so it blew away from the Post Office and school. I told Jim Lafferty and he called 911 and the fire laddies were there fast. It burned around Bergman’s trailer house north of the highway, but didn’t touch it, but got the snow fence and out in Ernie Hammers pasture. Fast action by the firemen, and maintainer guys with shovels kept it from being worse. I had to go and meet Kirsti’s plane so all I done was report it.

Marty and I went to Denver Thursday evening to meet Kirsti’s plane and her schedule had gotten all changed so she was about two hours later than it should have been. They sent her to Copenhagen to Chicago, then Denver. It was completely different, but she got here safe. It was 3:00 a.m. before we went to bed.

We had a pleasant surprise Friday when Richard Bucklin of Greeley stopped here. He is part of the family of Bucklin’s of Karval. He was at the fair in Hugo and he rode his motorcycle that he hauls behind his motor home. He reads my column and wanted to meet me. I know some of his family in baseball days.

I was told that Ina Collett who is in the hospital is showing some improvement, which is good news. I hope and pray that it won’t be long before she is back in her own home.

Kirsti brought a video that her mother took of Free Willy (Keiko) the whale swimming below their house while people in boats were feeding him.

We went to the fair and rodeo in Hugo Saturday. They had a great parade and what makes it good for me is the VFW veteran’s band. They are good and play some good songs. It was all new to Kirsti except on the 17^th of May they have a parade. It is their Independence Day. She enjoyed the rodeo and when the barrel racing was on I told her that her mother used to do that and it was a little hard to imagine her doing that. Our grandson, Nathan and wife Bernice met us in Hugo and are spending the weekend. Kirsti brought pictures of her trip to Vienna, Austria. Beautiful.

I see Bill Skinner’s brothers are down this weekend. One of them has been here all week.

When we got home Thursday night or rather Friday morning a big surprise waited for us as we had 0.20 inches of rain. That is the most rain we have had since the 26^th of June when we had 0.31 inches. We could sure use a shower.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Nancy Bogenhagen and family in the tragic loss of her son.

Kristi Borns of Eads, but who works in Hugo at K.C. Electric showed me pictures of their new house that has been set up in Hugo. She said it will probably be a month before they move in. It will be nice to stop that drive she and Gary make every day.

It seems that we are always getting a surprise and today (Sunday) was one of the biggest when Maxine Shaver came to our door. She is an old friend who lived here many years and was active in club and such. It is nice to be remembered. She lives in Arizona and had been visiting different places back east. She was on her way to Denver now.