Tuesday, August 18, 2009

View From The Bridge 8/19/2009

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
by Muncie Morger
8-19-09

VISITORS INFORMATION CENTER
Heard at the Center…”You are so lucky you live here.”

ICE CREAM SOCIAL
On Friday the 21st of August at 2:00 p.m., the Golden Age Senior Center is having an old fashioned home-made ice cream party. This event is one of a few they hold that help support the Center so give them your support. It looks as though it is going to be very warm by the end of the week so a dish of homemade ice cream sounds soooooooo good. You know, you can bring your children and grandchildren. It is not just for Seniors Citizens, it is open to the public.

TASTE OF CHOUTEAU COUNTY
The last two weeks, since the first scheduled “Taste” was to take place, have just flown by. The food providers are now all in readiness to give us another great eating experience. The menus have been printed in the River Press so I will not go into that and what a choice your taste buds will enjoy. I will urge you to be there (just a reminder that it will be between the Fire Hall and the Grand Union.) Actually, I do not have to do much urging because this is a very well attended event. Fort Benton has had such a great eventful summer! Haven’t we had a great ’09 with all the entertaining events including all sports events at the high school, the swimming pool, happenings at the Chouteau County Free Library, Chouteau County Performing Arts, Summer Celebration, Farmer’s Market, The Old West Trio in the park and on patio of Grand Union, Shakespeare in the Park, the Fair, weddings and personal family get-togethers (I know that I have forgotten some of them.) There is never a dull moment and you certainly cannot be bored. If you are, just give me a call and I will “un-bore” you with things to do. Of course, it may be volunteering.

THE FAIR
All is fair at the Fair. All the food you could possibly want, all the entertainment, all the getting together with friends and family, and all in all a wonderful weekend. Even the weather did not put a damper on the festivities. We covered all the exhibits and would like to see a little more participation in the food categories. I am just as guilty. Every year I promise myself that I will enter and time just gets away. I promise for next year, how about you?

I viewed all the animal exhibits (the cattle, the chickens, the pigs, and the sheep) with my grandson Grayson. The Petting Zoo and the Aussie Show were always crowded with children. The Pig Wrestling was a riot, the Rodeo was spectacular and the Derby (one child called it the Bumper Cars,) was one of the very best. A few years ago there was a Derby in which a car was bumped and rolled over (do you remember that one?) It is though so enjoyable to watch a show where someone is not going to get into an accident or hurt. It is just loads of fun and you can be happy that you are not in the arena being bumped around. To all the names mentioned at the Derby, we are so grateful that you take the time to do what you do. We do not ever want to end our Chouteau County Fair and you do a superb job of keeping it going.

SHONI’S CANOE
A couple of weeks ago you read the story about a canoe that was built by the inmates of the prison at Deer Lodge. Shoni and Ron said when they returned from their trip down the Missouri, they would send a picture of the canoe. The pictures arrived this past week. I hope you enjoy them. Shoni and Ron’s adventures will be forthcoming.














RARE BIRD
Another of my errors (I’m doing that a lot lately) was a few weeks ago when I reported on the rare bird seen by Wayne Loving that I did not tell you that you could only see the picture on this blog. It could not be printed in the River Press because it was in color. If you are interested in the pictures, you can go back on the blog to past issues and view them. They are so intriguing and I was told that the Great Falls Tribune picked up the story.

FOOTBALL FEVER
With the first football game (an away game) scheduled for Saturday the 29th of August, I am trying to work up a way to get to the games that are a distance away and those that would result in driving home when it is dark. The school system cannot provide us with a bus because if it does it for the boy’s games, then it has to be furnished for the girl’s games. Many times they are being played at the same time. I am trying to get the Community Bus but there are rules and regulations there too. Handicapped and Senior Citizens have first priority. The football games are all within the distance limit. The limit of persons on the community bus is thirteen (13.) The bus fee is donation only, which is not a problem but availability of the driver is. What I need from you fans is a commitment to use this service. Please call me at 622-3217 (after 1:00 p.m.) by Sunday the 23rd. I will have more details by the next River Press issue as to what the final plans are. It may be a week to week advisory as the schedule of the games is not very reliable because of referee shortages.

FINAL ANALYSIS
These are the last two lines of the analysis and they cannot be one without the other. “You are, in the final analysis, it’s all between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” Mother Theresa. If you would like a copy, let me know and I will run one off for you. God has blessed America, Montana, and Fort Benton.