A Flory Reunion

The Flory family will soon be meeting for their annual summer reunion/picnic. We will gather at the little park in Bridgewater that has been our rendezvous spot for a number of years now. We will all be a year older which is great for the children, alright for the middle year folks, and possibly problem laden for those above 65. Two of the older sisters require some oxygen and my wife Lib, has some “back” associated issues that will be addressed by surgery in late Fall. Though the baby sister of the original family, it is her turn to be "in charge" and host.
Already we're assembling the items and planning for this occasion.

It will take some time to set the tables for the expected family, arrange the food for easy access, greet the family as it arrives, and give the necessary introductions and invocation. Afterwards we will catch up with a year’s absence, especially with those who are some distance or are one or two generations removed from the original family. For a few it will a little daunting to meet so many they are supposed to be kin to. For we older folk, it will be a joy
just to know that we have made it through another year. How we will relish the telling of
our aches,pains, and the rare maladies our physicians have pulled us through. The oldest children, new grandparents themselves, are learning the nuances of this patter. We will recount the exploits of our children and grandchildren. Our grandchildren will resemble those of Garrison Keillor's "Lake Wobegone". They will surely be above average!!

Most likely we’ll have 30-40 for a 12:30 lunch. There’ll be the traditional assortment
of meats and drinks. The weather prognostication is for a hot day near 100 degrees. Too hot for a really good gathering, but maybe a cold front will move through or clouds cover us and make it more comfortable. At least the gurgling of the river nearby may create the illusion of coolness.

Among our family we have teachers, at least one physician, business and sales folk, transport expert, former farmers and a large group of retirees or near there. Most of us are “church” folk, meaning we attend at our local congregations. After all, Walter and Emma Flory, who begat this large clan were pillars in the Church of the Brethren, first at Garber’s and later at the Dayton, Virginia CoB.

I particularly look forward to this gathering because my stuation is SO different this year. My two successful hip replacements from the beginning of the year have made it possible for me to move almost as easily and pain free as seven years ago. It’s hard to remember how different it was from the debilitating effects of osteo arthritis which really made me an “old” man. Many who remembered me walking slowly and painfully with a walker or cane are going to be surprised at the change in me. I’m truly grateful for the skill of my surgeon and the prayers of my family and friends.

Church of the Brethren Annual Conference/Prospect Point

For the next several days our Church of the Brethren will convene at Grand Rapids, Michigan for our Annual Conference. There is the possibility that some small remnant of the India missionaries who are also computer savvy will be in attendance. I’m trying to reach those who stayed for some time at Prospect Point in Landour, Mussoorie and who just may know a little of its history and background. Some of the families who lived there were: the Shulls, (two families), the Brooks, the Blickenstaffs, the Cunninghams, the Bollingers , and possibly the Alleys. I’m the oldest of the Kinzie family who stayed there about 1942-44 and 1949-1951 .

I’m particularly interested in its early history before its use by the Church of the Brethren.Who built it, when, and why. It was a beautiful residence with an unparalleled view of the Dune Valley from the front yard to the majestic snows of the high Himalayas from the side yard. If you can contribute some history about this place....or a tale or two of something you remembered there, please write me at wkinzie@gmail.com. Would very much appreciate it.
Blessings, Bill Kinzie

My Hip Replacement...last installation

A month yesterday I was groggily coming out of anesthesia from my second hip replacement. I knew that it would take a month to recuperate.

Here I am at a month plus one day. This morning I walked five laps around the house with no support and after sitting awhile have been walking around without a cane. Yes, my left leg is considerably weaker than the right, but I can now put weight on it and there is little pain.

This past Fall I certainly had a different perspective on the rest of my life...that shortly I would be confined to a wheel chair and that any sort of walking would always be accompanied by considerable pain and discomfort...that the inevitable spiral downward was irrevocable.

After the first hip joint was replaced in January I was truly amazed at how
rapidly the recovery was. That I might be whole again was just another operation....which I had.

I’m now off the coumadin and pressure hose. My left leg muscles are gaining
strength each day. In two months I’m hoping to report that I can walk several hundred yards to a half mile with or without a cane, preferably without!

I literally have my life back. I thank my Lord for allowing me this new hope. I appreciate the skill of Dr. Jessup, my surgeon, and the encouragement of my close family and friends.

It has not been a grueling recovery; the two nights in the hospital were the most uncomfortable, but it was all bearable and doable. If you’re an older person suffering from arthritis in your hips and you’re in good health otherwise, this is a wonderful way to get a new lease on life. I’m truly grateful!

The Other Hip Replaced..

Well, here we go again. It is the eve of my second hip replacement operation. This time tomorrow I’ll be groggy and in recovery if every thing goes according to schedule.

Today we’ll watch our grandson play a baseball game. Think he will be pitching at least part of the game. It promises to be humidly hot at 1:00 pm when he plays.

If you’re arriving at this blog for the first time, or are remotely interested in what a hip procedure is like just back up three or more entries on my blog for a day by day account. It should work out similarly...if there is something excitingly different I may write a new entry. Thanks for reading! Bill K.

Sounds of the Mountain

Camp Bethel near Troutville, Virginia hosts Sounds of the Mountains this time of the year and Lib and I make it a point to attend. It's a growing regional event dedicated to the art of "story telling" and includes some musical groups who play blue grass or Appalachian music. Camp Bethel is in the Blue Ridge mountains and its rustic ambiance is almost a perfect venue for this weekend event.

I was particularly interested in seeing and hearing the The Wright Kids , a family group of four siblings from around six years of age to sixteen. They have already attained some national attention and since they play stringed instruments and came from nearby Franklin County had aroused my curiosity. They were most professional in their performance individually and together and should be around as professional entertainers as long as they can maintain their unique niche in the business.

And then the cloudburst happened! It was just after lunch and the afternoon program had just gotten underway when it began to rain. At first it was just the ordinary pitter patter of raindrops falling on the roof of the auditorium building. The first story tellers did theirs to this accompaniment. Then as if in a huge orchestral crescendo the patter turned into a thunderous roar which came in waves and lasted perhaps over an hour. It was soon obvious that this was not the usual rainstorm and Camp Bethel is not designed to deal well with such inundations. The first sign that there was something to be concerned about was that many of the vendors were moving their tables away from the walls. Next there was an announcement for owners of  RUV's to meet with the camp manager. Rising waters were posing a threat. The rain continued for some time. Then
there was the announcement that flooding had become critical enough to close the road that leads out to the main road...that it would be at least two hours before the water would be low enough for people to leave.
The Wright Kids must have been on the premises before lunch or we would probably have missed hearing them.

After their very fine presentation there was a supper break..thanks to vendors who provide ample meals so people don't have to leave the premises for food. Finally, around 7:00 pm the camp manager announced that
due to the efforts of a farm family close to the camp the road was now open but that VDOT had said
"at your own risk". Lib and I opted to leave; it was the time we had planned to leave anyhow to return to our place in Midlothian by 10:00 pm.

As we drove through the camp grounds we could see rivulets crossing the road at several places. Some were the size of small creeks. Near the entrance to the camp ground the road was inundated by ponds of water  inches deep   that one prayed was just that, inches deep. A brown rushing stream of water ran under the bridge that lead over to the main highway. As there were a few cars coming into the facility I was comforted that the bridge was structurally sound and crossed over.

We followed the storm home, but it was always ahead of us. Just as we drove into Chesterfield County I saw one lightning flash just on the far horizon. At home I checked out this weather event on the news and wasn't surprised at the extent of the flash flooding that had occurred in many places all over the region. An ordinary excursion to attend a favorite  event became an adventure  to remember!

Har Ki Dun

I wrote this for my writers club. Thought my India and international readers who might visit Mussoorie would be interested.


There is a beautiful vale to the northwest of Mussoorie called Har Ki Dun “The Valley of the Gods”. I have never been there, but came to know of it through Jill Jornson, a NGO architect designing a school building for a nearby Himalayan village. She was attending the well known Landour Language School and blogging of her adventures there during the 2007-8 years. By this time it was easy to troll for information about Mussoorie on the Net and this is how I encountered her. That she wrote almost poetically of her spiritual journey had me coming back to learn more about her and why and how she had arrived at this place in time.

On one of her entries she described a trip to Har-ki-dun. She was a photographer with professional abilities and took some fine pictures during her trek. One in particular was of a wooden mountain cabin taken near sunset where a golden misty light seemed to envelope the whole scene. The cabin was on a knoll and surrounded on each side by towering peaks bathed in this same beautiful light. It was not part of a village but perched in its own splendor almost as if it were a destination. When I Googled Harkidun pictures, others had sometimes taken this same shot, but none so dramatic and colorful as hers.

It is not easy to get there. First there is a drive from Dehra Dun to Taluka, possibly taking a half day or better as one passes Kempty Falls and would surely stop there to enjoy their beauty. At Taluka is a rest house for those who journey on. Next morning motorized transportation is exchanged for real trekking by foot. It takes about seven hours to the next village which is Osla.. My impression is that it takes about the same time to actually reach Harkidun the next day.

Ir’s still relatively new as a Himalayan destination fot it requires some arduous hiking to get there. It is not on the way to a climbing destination so is a place valued for its aesthetic qualities alone. Even though there are habitations in the valley they are few and far between. The vistas are overwhelming, of a mountain stream gushing over huge boulders and great snow capped mountains at the end of the valley, beckoning for several more days of hiking if the resources are available.

In the Spring many varieties of flowers bloom there. Thus Harkidun is also sometimes known as the “Valley of Flowers”. If you can’t go there in person you may do as I do...visit there via “YouTube” on the Web. Wealthy healthy young people who enjoy this kind of adventure are arriving there, taking pictures or movies of this remote valley and posting them on line. For spiritually sensitive souls it must be a special place where great natural mountain beauty whispers of God’s presence.

Here are three "YouTube" links to Har-ki-dun:

Harkidun 1

Harkidun 2

Harkidun 3

Six weeks since the hip replacement....

It/s been six weeks since I had my hip replacement operation. Family and friends are pleasantly surprised at my current status. I get around well with a cane or a walker and have significantly lengthened the distance I can manage with neither (at least a hundred yards inside on level carpet),Yes, my left hip still screeches at me, wanting equal treatment which we plan on sometime soon this spring or summer. It has made a significant improvement in my life outlook and I’m truly grateful for being able to have this procedure.

Thursday I hope to get together with some string friends and read through
Schubert's Quintet for two violins, viola, and two cellos. That should be GREAT fun!!