View From The Bridge

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
11/11/15

HELLO AGAIN
I want to extent gratitude to my readers for all your kind thoughts about missing me and the hugs, concern, and love that you have bestowed upon me. There are so many of you out there in River Press land who gave me comfort at a very sad time. My greatest comfort is in the fact that I am not alone in grieving and just a smile of understanding these last few weeks have been what I have been holding onto.

VETERANS DAY
I want to thank all of you Veterans for your service to our country. From WWII to today you have kept our country free. It takes great dedication to do what you do.  I also thank the families of those Veterans for the sacrifice you endured. You are very special people and I am so proud of all of you. God bless you and your families.

I also want to thank our VFW and American Legion for their organizations and what they do for Fort Benton.

See you on The Old Bridge on Wednesday and at the dinner that evening at the Sunrise Bluffs.

THE BIGGEST QUESTION
“What is going on?”  The many people that I speak to, friends, visitors, and strangers, always ask the same question. “What is going on in town? Trust me when I say that I am usually the last to know. I do not do Face Book. In order to correct that situation I have been in touch with the organizations in town to write once a month when their meetings are held. We would like to know some insight into what they have done, what they are doing, and what they are planning on doing.  Do they need help with any particular project and perhaps there is someone out there whose talent could be incorporated?

I asked for help a few months ago with the Veterans Photo Program and I now have two volunteers who are going to help me “catch up.” I have about six photos to post, frame, and hang on the wall. I have bios to type up and many to be corrected. I merely had to ask and I hope that other organizations are successful with volunteers.

So look forward to these new additions to the River Press and then perhaps you will not have to ask, “What is going on?”

AFTER THE FACT
I know that most of the View is after the fact but I feel that I want to tell you my impressions of different events that have taken place the few weeks that I took some time out.

TUESDAY NIGHT DINNER
The last Tuesday night dinner that was held at the Golden Age Senior Center was very enjoyable and filled to capacity. Our entertainment consisted of Ellie Stensland’s daughter-in-law, Julia, and her three children from Ulm. Their ages are 10, 9, and 8 years of age. Perhaps you remember their picture was in the River Press with their names. The children played the piano and sang in harmony. It was an awesome performance and I hope they return soon.

I spoke with Julia afterward and found that they began their piano lessons at 8 years old.  The boys played several duets and their sister played several pieces that I could not play after 8 years of taking lessons.

The amazing fact about these children was as their mother put it, “Taking piano lessons was not an option.” The point is that kids may not want to take lessons but once they enter the world of music they will understand.

C.C.P.A. BOOKLET
Because Connie Jenkins was using her home to put together the booklet for the season and she was a bit shorthanded she asked me to join in on the fun of putting the booklet together.

Folks, do you have any idea what is involved. Do you have any idea the work that is put into that organization? I didn’t have a clue but what an eye opener that day was.

We cut and pasted and cut and pasted. There were phone calls made to verify if the advertisers wanted changes. At the concerts, I get a booklet, go through it about the shows and glance at the advertisers. What would we do without the advertisers and the sponsors?  I know that we clap for them on the night of the convert but from now on I will make an effort to thank them personally.
I know that son Randy Morger, the Master of Ceremonies, talks about the artists but do you read about them in the booklet because reading stays in your mind better than hearing it. These performers are artists whose talent is their livelihood. Get to know them a little better. It makes life so much more interesting to learn about other people’s lives. It’s a whole new world out there.

C.C.P.A. CONCERT
There was a Chouteau County Performing Arts program on October 24th. The Great Falls Symphonic Choir with 100 voices performing gave one of the best concerts we have ever had. Near the end of the show the women came off the stage and lined up in the two aisles.  They sang Amazing Grace and it was the nearest to heaven than I am going to get. It was simply and truly the most heart-warming event ever.

By the time you get this edition of the River Press, it may be too late to hear about the concert the evening of the 11th. Scott Kirby will be performing and I guarantee that you will enjoy that evening immensely. Scott has performed in Fort Benton before and is back by popular demand. According to the booklet he has a whole new show and will still include the rag time piano. Scott is now a watercolor artist as well as song writer.  I certainly hope that you have not missed it. My hope, and it just my opinion, that the auditorium is filled. Having only half the seats or less occupied is not my expectation or acceptable in my opinion. I would like to see all 400 seats filled. Do it the C.C.P.A. Board Members, for Fort Benton’s reputation, and for me, please. It is my dream. See you there!

THE MOON
Were you able to view the eclipse of the moon last month with it also being closest to the earth? I really enjoyed it because I won’t be around for the next one.

The November moon is called the Full Beaver Moon or the Frosty Moon. It is the time to set the beaver traps before the swamps freeze over to ensure a good supply of beaver hats at that time. The beavers are also actively preparing for winter according to the Alumax.  The full moon will be on Wednesday, November 25th the day before Thanksgiving.

Last night, Saturday the 7th, on our way home from Great Falls about 8:00 p.m. I asked my driver to stop at the top of the hill just off the highway. What a thrill my vision beheld.  It looked as if the stars were going to fall to the ground. The sky was completely filled with stars and I could see the Milky Way.

I went to a Planetarium many years ago and when the speaker turned out the lights everyone gasped at the sight of the stars. He said, “You know that you have this show almost every night if you just go outside.” Since I live on a corner I have too many street lights on two sides of the house and across the street to view the sky. I’ll bet that all of you ranchers and farmers have great views of the sky.

I have heard that on these Smart Phones you can be made aware of when the Northern Lights can be seen. I am not smart enough for a Smart Phone.

FOR OUR VETERANS
A while back, Diane Jones and I did a program to “SUPPOST OUR TROOPS,” by wearing red on Friday. I learned of the program from the internet. We sold 300 t-shirts and I thought that I would see more of them in the summertime when we did not have to wear sweaters or coats. I would like you to renew your commitment to wear your shirts or red on Fridays. You know Folks, those troops are still over there and they are dying for your country. The least you can do is wear red on Fridays.

NEW SUPPORT THE TROOPS
In the last two weeks I saw this commercial repeatedly to Support our Troops. The program to put a green light on your front porch is a simple one. It is very impressive when it shows a block of homes with green lights lighted on their porches.

Let’s make this program work. I tried to urge the American Flag on each home several years ago so we could become the “American Flag City of Montana” but that went over like teaching me Latin or Greek. The “Support the Troops” shirts at least interested 300 people. That was very encouraging. So spread the word about the green bulbs and let us see every house in Fort Benton supporting the Troops.

PIE DAY
I have always felt that it did no harm for “happenings” to be mention in several sections of the River Press. Pie Day at the Golden Age Senior Center will be on Friday, the 13th at 1:00 p.m. with a Bake Sale.

Please note that there is a time change again. It started back many years ago when Pie Day was at 10:00 a.m. In order to attract more customers, the time was changed to 2:00 p.m. which for many of us was a better time. It was a pleasant break in a busy day to enjoy a great piece of homemade pie and tea or coffee. Time flew by and Pie Day was not being supported very well. In order to boost sales, a bake sale was added and the time was changed to11:00, then again it was changed to 1:00, then 12:30 and now back again to 1:00.

I would like everyone to meet on Friday and discuss the time changes with the powers in charge. I would like what is best for the Center but I would also like what is best for those who participate.

You readers can also check out the Golden Age Center section of the River Press for schedules. Remember that anyone can have a very good lunch/dinner at the Center from Monday through Saturday at noon. The Sunday dinner is a 1:00 p.m.  My favorite is Meal on Wheels that are delivered to my home. There again is another example of volunteer work to deliver those meals. All the work done at the Center is volunteer and a thankless job. I am declaring here that I appreciate the demanding job that the Board has. Go Seniors!

MISSOURI RIVER MEDICAL CENTER
Have you all signed up for the Community Dinner that the MRMC is hosting for the community on Thursday November 19th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.? You have to R.S.V.P. so just do it now by calling Bryan at the hospital. This is your opportunity to ask all those questions you have for our new C.E.O. Louie King. Put in your 2 cents worth of pros and cons. Talk with the Board of Directors as to their decisions on grants and financing. I know that it will be a very informative evening. See you there.

50’s HOME SCHOOLED
Back to my old days now with - My Mother taught me WISDOM. “When you get to be my age, you will understand.”

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR TROOPS, OUR POLICE FORCES and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.