View From The Bridge 12/8/10

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
by Muncie
12/8/10

WINTER WONDERLAND
To those of you River Press Readers who live in warm states, I wish you could have seen Fort Benton day. It was very cold, (I know you do not miss that,) but it looked like the movies, “White Christmas, Dr. Zhivago, and Call of the Wild.” The trees all over town looked so beautiful with their branches frozen. The sun was shining directly down Front Street and it was a sparkling winter sight.

The Sunrise Bluffs had a spaghetti dinner for the community at 1:00 p.m. today (Sunday.) We were on our way home from the Bluffs on Front Street when we saw how the rain had frozen on the trees. I hurried home to get my camera. I wanted to take a picture of the willow tree across from the Freeze, (you know the one I mean.) I ended up taking a dozen pictures because so many trees looked like a Christmas card. I would not wish the weather we have been having on you Snowbirds but I do wish you could have been here today.

Weather is not much of a subject these days. We all just wish it would go away. We have not seen a Chinook at all and the snow continues to cover the vehicles and the sidewalks almost every day, sometimes twice a day. It is dark by 4:30 p.m. especially when the sun has not shown its face. The cold is tolerable if the sun is shining. Could you Snowbirds possibly send some warm winds our way?

SUNRISE BLUFFS
I mentioned above that the Bluffs had a spaghetti dinner for the community today. They provided the spaghetti dinner and we contributed by bringing salads and desserts. We helped ourselves to the salads first and they were all very pleasing to the palate. We were served our dinners and afterward enjoyed coffee and dessert of which there were many that satisfied our sweet tooth. It is very comfortable at the Bluffs and many of the residents stopped at our table to chat with us.

We used to go to the Bluffs often when our friends Ken and Bonnie Morrow played dance music once a month. Bonnie played the piano and Ken accompanied with his drums. With Ken gone, we do not see much of Bonnie. If she reads the River Press, we would like her to know that we miss Ken very much and we miss seeing her. Life takes such strange turns and we that are left behind must simply adjust. Sometimes it is very difficult to adjust.

BASKETBALL
At last, the season has arrived. There will be a tournament in Fort Benton on Friday evening, the 10th, and Saturday, the 11th. All Girls games are at 3:00p.m. and 6:00p.m and the Boys are at 4:30p.m. and 7:30p.m. The next game will be on the 16th in Big Sandy and the following day, the 17th, the team will play Augusta here at home count. There will be away games on the 18th and 20th at Centerville and Box Elder respectfully and then we will have to wait until the New Year (January 6th,) for the next game and that will be with Geraldine.

I really had not gotten, so called, into basketball until I moved to Fort Benton. I really love the game, and we very seldom missed a game until the schedules were changed. We then had to pick and choose which games we were going to…the boys or the girls. I am happy to see that both teams play on the same days this year. We will not have to decide which games to attend.

WINTER CELEBRATION
Wasn’t that a fun time. The Vendor’s must have to work all year to prepare the inventory that they bring to Fort Benton. The really neat thing is the about 95% are “Made in Montana,” products. Let’s keep our money in Fort Benton, Chouteau County and Montana. Check your labels to make sure that is where your purchases are coming from.

The Winter Celebration Committee put together a great program and I know that a good time was had by all. I do not have a report on the success the vendors had at this time but I hope that the weather did not stop too many people from getting out to enjoy the many events going on.

It was probably the worse road conditions so far not only for the ice on the roads but the fog that kept traffic at about 35 m.p.h. One of the vendors told me that it took her 1 ½ hrs. to travel from Great Falls to Fort Benton. Kim Pimperton said it took her ½ hr. to drive from Carter to Fort Benton. That is twice as long as it usually takes.

Actually, it was the same story last year if you remember. Perhaps next year the odds will be in the Celebrations favor and it will be a very pleasant day. Good luck with that thought.

SO LONG FOR NOW
This is the busiest time of year for everyone. Please take your time and enjoy the season. Remember to squeeze in a good deed and make a phone call to someone you have been thinking about.

GOD BLESS AMERICA