As I mentioned in an earlier post, we stopped in Hannibal, MO, on our return trip from the Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event in Cincinnati; it was held at the Popular Woodworking magazine offices (the next one will be held in Greenville, SC). We rested overnight, and in the morning we visited some of the sights in Hannibal, a wonderful town on the Mississippi River.
We stopped at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, to buy postcards for our granddaughters. They had requested these specifically, to send to their pen pals in the U.S. and overseas. We left the Museum with a couple of DVDs (Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn), and T-shirts for the girls.
During our stay at the hotel Sandy read a story in the visitors paper about Ila May Dimmitt, 90 years old, and Owner, Show Me Antiques & Gifts.
The interesting thing about Ila, it turned out, was that, at 90 years old, she still goes into her antique store every single day of the week, without fail, and works a full day. After the Museum, we had to find Ila.
We spent a while with Ila, in her antiques shop. We can only hope that at 90 we are still as young, and with a memory to match Ila’s. When she learned we were from St Joseph, MO, she shared memories from her younger years; about coming to “St Jo” with her family, and pitching a tent in Krug Park (today, one is likely to be arrested if camping; it is forbidden to camp out at the park). Ila also recounted visiting her grandmother at the hospital during their visits. And on, and on. It was fascinating to watch her face as memories came back, one after another. Literally, she was transported back to those younger days; it was wonderful to have an opportunity to spend a little time with Ila May, in her shop.
Show Me Antiques & Gifts:
(from Google Maps-Street View)
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