View From The Bridge 3/25/15

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
3/25/15

SHREDDING TIME
Do you remember the last couple of years of having a shredding truck here for the spring cleanup? It was in conjunction with regular recycling and electronics recycling. I learned too late that there was shredding being done and I missed it.

I called Karen Giles, (Mrs. Recycler,) and she said that the plans had not yet been made for the shredding company to come to Fort Benton. It may be this spring or it may be in the fall.

Karen gave me the phone number for a man named Steve. We played telephone tag for about 2 months before we finally spoke. He did not know the schedule either and said that if I brought my three boxes of papers, he could meet me and do what needed to be done.

I had my Income Tax appointment last week and I phones Steve that I would be in Great Falls. He said to call him when I was finished with my appointment. I was near Albertson’s on the Northwest bypass and he said he would meet me there in about 15 minutes. I asked how I would know him and he said that he would be in a big white truck with a sign on it.

He pulled up in this huge truck and told me to park on the other side. As I went around, there was a huge door at the back. On the other side there was a much smaller door. He pushed a button and the door opened. He took out a large plastic wastepaper type container. Then he pushed another button and a ramp came out. He placed the container on the ramp, dumped my papers from the boxes into the container, and pushed another button. The top of the truck opened and the ramp rose very high in the air, and dumped into the shredder. I could hear it shredding.

What a great experience to see how the system worked first hand. The whole time Steve is smiling as if it were a commercial. What a happy-go-lucky guy he was. He said he enjoyed his job and was happy that I enjoyed the experience. Keep smiling and enjoy every minute of every day. (Do you remember when I used to end the View with that statement?) So, save your papers to be shredded and I will certainly let you know when Steve will be in Fort Benton again.

LOMA FLEA MARKET
I checked with Scotty Peters several months ago, at the Post Office, the date of the Flea Market. When he said March 28th, the weekend before Easter, it seemed like such a long wait. As everything other occasion, the time just flew by.

My daughter, Jennifer, comes up from Great Falls every year not only for the fun of the Flea Market but for the donuts and Indian Tacos. My Sweetheart Wally also loved it because he collected many of his Louis Lamoure books. See you there.

Next thing you know it will be C.C.P.A. on April 16th, the Mullen Road Conference, opening of the Museums and the Old Fort, and Summer Celebration. Time flies when you are having fun!

EASTER
What a gorgeous day, Sunday, was. A week from next Sunday that cute little bunny will be hopping around town just like Santa does. I am sure there is a Santa and sure there is an Easter Bunny but I am absolutely positive there are Angels. I personally know several of them and they have been the best guardians in the world.

So color those eggs, get all your eggs in a basket, plan dinner with family and friends, and may the weather be as great as today.

I believe that Easter is not celebrated today as it was in “the dark ages. Perhaps it is because I did not live in a rural area. I know that we did not have the Park Easter Egg Hunts. (We did not have any parks.) I remember a new outfit and hat to match. I remember not having to do the dishes after dinner but given money for the movie show that we could walk to. We also were given 10 cents, 5 cents for popcorn and 5 cents for a candy bar. I like the rural egg hunt much better than my recollections.

I am going to do some surveying this week and learn about how you spend Easter. I’ll let you know next week.

AROUND TOWN
This is going to be a quiet week for me as there is nothing on my calendar to get me out and about.  Income tax was taken care of last week and that was a big load off my mind.

I chatted with Chris Halko and he is planning his Jimmy Buffet open house for some time after Income Tax Day. We are all missing Pharmacist Erin Hazen. She arrived safely in Minnesota and is settling down to being a farm wife.

I love to talk “farm talk” with women are or were in that life style. I never would have had the strength of those women. Just thinking about making dinner for a crowd at harvest time, scares me. They worked long and hard not only their daily household duties but helping in the field with everything having to do with farming or ranching. The only part I would have enjoyed was having a horse of my own and riding every day. (Actually, I do not think they would have time to do that.)

Now, how did I get off on that subject? I think about it often and this was my opportunity to let those women know how devoted they are. I appreciate you and being a city girl, I had no idea of what you were all about. Note:  that all goes for the farmers and ranchers too.

WALKING
I am still walking at the high school and still have those hallways to myself. I have not yet adjusted to walking the Levee Walking Trail. I’m waiting until it is a little warmer because I would then be walking earlier in the morning. It is nice to know that I will always have the high school to use if the weather gets too hot like it did last summer. At least it was too hot for me.

Spring is here. Do you need the exercise? Have you been doing a lot of sitting and watching TV this past winter?  Just do it!

SENIOR MOMENT
I don’t trip over things. I do random gravity checks!
(I know that these moments are geared toward seniors but just remember someday you will be down that road.”

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.