“The Lee Joseph and Anna ‘Gertrude’ Hensgens-Monlezun Special Collection!”
‘The Original Facility!’
This was originally a porch as the home had no indoor facility all those centuries ago! The room was eventually enclosed hence the step down from the original master bedroom! There was the claw tub that is presently in the upstairs bathroom and a small sink by the small window! The crucifix has always been in this room and I added the ‘whittle’ lamp and shelf for real use! The medicine cabinet holds the original thermometers of both kind (!), bottles of Carbonated Petroleum Jelly, Merthiolate (35 cents!), Campho-Phenique liquid, Swan Heavy Mineral Oil and the ever ready Mercurochrome solution (23 cents)!! O, and Vicks Vaporub!! Remember its wafting through the room of the ill?! Footnote: None of the above medicinals for ingesting or rubbings just remembrances!! There were no expiration dates B.C. so heed this notation!!
The left fluorescent light starts to hum after being on awhile…just grab the cover, jiggle and it stops! For gosh sake, don’t anyone fix it…remember, it’s about remembrances!!
Mom’s crochet needle and thread are cupped in a handmade basket which I have seen hanging around for years! Anyone can hang curtains but here the window ‘treatment’ is a weave of home linens, a lace collar, crochet lace oval placemats and pieces of lace trim found hither and tither! Daddy’s shaving gear, Mom’s hair pens, ‘Christ Knocking at the Door’ fan and pin cushion are all gathered! There is a jar of buttons; the circular tie wall rack came with the home in 1904.
One of the favorites of many is this little room with vintage clothing. There are shirts worn by the four older children as infants, a longer baby gown and a very vintage dress and gown of my mother! The little twin vintage dresses were made by my paternal great-grandmother, Aspazie Miller-Broussard from Cameron Parish! They are of rice sacks with little hook ties and were made for my sister, the fifth child, second daughter who shares them with you! Veronica Gertrude’s 10-month baby photo dress has returned to this room with her whittle pink jacket for warmth! They are beautiful and perfect here to
We as infants and small children were dressed in this room where it was warm, we were cleansed, all was safe and secure!
NOTATION ~
The Retreatants hardly emerge from this room and the line backs up. Others go to the other facility where they have to read what Daddy wrote to his older daughters…our marching orders for living in his home for us for those good ole college days!!! And, that line backs up; shoot, we may need to reopen the Upstairs facility!! There’s great stuff up there as well!