View From The Bridge

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
7/1/15

MRS. SORKNESS
This elementary school teacher and librarian will be celebrating her 90th birthday on August 1st.  She taught in Fort Benton for 37 years and there must be hundreds of her students who remember her.

I was invited to her birthday party in Philadelphia, PA and have been in touch with her son Tom and daughter-in-law Lois. Tom and Lois were in Fort Benton for his 40th class reunion this past weekend and visited me.

Tom, Lois and I firmed up plans to have birthday cards sent to Mrs. Sorkness at her granddaughter’s house. Tom and Lois will do interrupting of the River Press delivery, (that she reads faithfully,) and the Fort Benton site at their end of the line.

Do it now before you forget and I will remind you again in two weeks. Her granddaughter’s name is Kristiana Rose and her address is 170 E. Duval St., Philadelphia, PA 19144.

IMPOSSIBLE
It cannot be July 1st. I believe I bought a calendar that was on fast time. One day blends into the next. The full moons keep rolling around. The days are getting shorter and now this hot spell to contend with. I would have to check back on the Views to see if I complained about the cold weather. I do remember saying that it was nice to go out without a sweater or jacket. So what else is there to talk about and if one more person says to me, “Is it hot enough for you,” I am going to scream. YES! It is too hot enough for me. (I have determined that half the people like hot weather and half do not.)

SUMMER CELEBRATION
I enjoyed the Celebration more this year than ever until Saturday afternoon about 2:00 p.m. when I could no longer handle the heat. On Friday I volunteered at the Library Book Sale, ate a delicious lunch at the 1st Security Bank, enjoyed entertainment by the City Band and Bridges Home, to the library for the City Bank Concert, had ice cream at the U.S. Bank, supper at the Pot Luck at Old Fort Park, watched the Pie and Chair Auction, and then headed homeward.

I want to back up to the “A Bag of Books for $1” at the Library. There was a couple from Canada, a more than 200 or 300 drive, who told me an interesting story. This was their 5th year at the Book Sale and they come to Fort Benton just for the sale. They said they loved our town and that we had the greatest library and best book sale ever. The husband was a history buff and we had a great conversation about Fort Benton history. I hope I am able to see them next year.

Back track to the City Band Concert at the library. I sat next to a woman whose husband played in the band. They live in Great Falls and they volunteer their time to come to Fort Benton for two days and other times that the City Bank performs. I do not know their names but I hope that somehow they get the message of thank you. Those huge “Kudos” also go to all the members of the City Band. Your performances are so enjoyable as you play all familiar songs. (I also loved Cindy Lenington’s (mother of the leader of the band Eric Lenington,) performance. Go Cindy. I have only attended school performances and you never did your wiggle-jiggle thing there. It was great and your grandkids are adorable.

On Saturday I was at the Park for breakfast with my daughter Jennifer from Great Falls, next Art on the Levee, and we scooted down Front Street to the Pioneer Lodge for the High Heeled Race  

Three very brave, courageous, beautiful women showed up and obviously won the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes. We have not yet figured out where the men were hiding. I just want them to know that they were cowardly, ashamed to be men who always met a challenge, and did not have wives who threatened them with divorce, into running the race. Just know that although we looked forward to seeing you, we actually knew you would not show up. It was a fund raiser and perhaps you will show next year.

Next was the Grand Parade and I found a way to watch it from inside a building. (I missed being outside and getting a few Tootsie Rolls.) Oh well, it made my dentist happy.

It was sad to see the Honor Guard Marine Corps detachment march by. My Sweetheart, Wally always rode in the tuck with the Iwo Jima cut-out and threw candy. We missed him very much.

It was about this time that I had to give it up... The heat was too much and I went home to a house that does not have a.c. but it was out of the sun. It was 103 degrees. By this time some of the food vendors had moved to the 14th St. Square and my daughter walked over and got my supper.

At 6:45 I headed for the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center to hear the talk on Governor Meagher. I could not stay because the air conditioning was not functioning. I returned home and waited until 9:45 to walk over for the Fireworks Display.

It was a fantastic show with many red, white, and blue colors that filled the sky. My comments on the “Waterfall Display” are these. It was beautiful BUT it was not Niagara Falls. It was more like Shonkin Creek Falls. It was wonderful, do not get me wrong. However; it was sort of like icicles and should have been the final display instead of the first. ..If I were president!

I know there was a great deal of planning into the “Waterfall Display.” I truly appreciate the work that goes into one of my favorite times of the year “The Fireworks.” Thank you to those of you who responded to the donation request letter and to the volunteers who wore vests and carried pails to collect for donations.

Today, Monday, work begins on the 2016 Celebration. It will be a special one as it will be 40 years since the first. If there is a reader who remembers that occasion, please contact me.

50+ HOME SCHOOLED
My mother taught me more logic. “If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.”

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, OUR POLICE FORCES and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS (Remember…there is still a war going on and all of our Troops need support. Do you think about them every day when you are eating a warm meal, sleeping in a comfortable bed, and not worrying that you might drive over a car bomb?