View From The Bridge 12/21/16

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
By Muncie
12/21/16

MERRY CHRISTMAS
I wish you a very happy Christmas Day. It is all about family and be sure that they all know how much you love them. You never know that it may be an important time in their lives that they should know that.

For those of you who will not be with family, make a few phone calls and catch up with what your family and friends are doing. Time flies so quickly that I didn’t realize that I had not talked to cousins and friends for a year. That is way too long a time. (I’ll make it a New Year’s resolution to call them every month.)

In a few days it will be all over except paying the Visa bills. What will be the next event that will take over the TV advertising? Could it possibly be stories about people who do good deeds and are kind?

CABIN FEVER
Have you got it or were you able to get out last week to do anything? Not me. The cold ruined my whole social calendar. I missed both Christmas Concerts last week because I didn’t want to go out in the cold. I thought about those cute little K to 4th graders who had to go out. The High School students seem to adjust well to the cold as I have seen some of them with shorts on.

On Thursday, Bingo at the Senior Center was canceled. I went somewhere and although I covered my windshield I did not plug the truck in. The truck refused to start Friday morning and besides I had some kind of a bug that kept me down for three (3) days.

I missed Wreaths Across America on Saturday. Diane Jones had called me and said she did not want me to go to the cemetery because it was too cold but that I could attend the program at the Sunrise Bluffs at 11:00 a.m. I couldn’t manage that either and I wanted to hear the essays that the students wrote. This was something new for the essay reading because the last couple of years they were read at the cemetery and it was difficult to hear them.

I have something to do every day this week and I think that will take care of the cabin fever. The temperature will be in the 30”s and that is fine with me.

Another cheery thing is that the days begin getting longer on the Tuesday the 20th. On checking a calendar on the internet, I saw that the 20th was 1 minute longer than the day before. By New Year’s Eve the day will be 8 minutes longer. Now, doesn’t that make your day?

WEATHER CHANNEL
With all this cold weather I have been watching the Weather Channel for temperatures and possible snow warnings. I first check the Fort Benton site, thanks to John Good Agency, and then the national weather station on TV.

I have seen some great snows about odd weather happenings. What I found so interesting were the pictures that people took, for instance, of odd cloud formations. They all have names and some are seldom seen. If you remember a few months back I told you about a man here in town that saw an upside down rainbow. He did not get a picture of it. So, if you see something unusual in the sky, take a picture of it and turn it in to the weather channel that you watch on TV.  It may be a once in a lifetime picture. I do not have a smart phone or a great camera that I can take pictures with but I would like to see someone else do it. It may end up on s National TV Weather Station.

BELL RINGERS
Weren’t the newly formed Bell Ringers a joy to listen to at the Christmas Concert a few weeks ago? They will be playing at the Christmas Eve service at the Methodist Church and everyone is invited to attend. Check your River Press for the time. That should make for a wonderful evening of Christmas spirit. Thank you Choir for your time practicing and performing for the community.  You are all Angels.

GOD BLESS AMERICA
We need these blessing more than ever now. May we soon have peace on earth?

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS 
How brave these men and women are. They are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect their country. Would you be willing to do that?

GOD BLESS THOSE WHO PROTECT US
Yes, I know that there are good and bad in everything. We lose too many good officers that are being killed of duty. I have strong feelings for their families. What must it be like to have your loved one leave for work and never come home again? Yes, I know that could happen with any family but an officer has committed his life to protecting us. They need all the blessings they can get.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
Frankly, I do not see much support for our troops in Fort Benton. I do not see many of the 300 Support Our Troops t-shirts worn on Fridays. I do not see many American Flags hanging on homes nor do I see green lights on porches.

If you think that I am scolding you here, I am. You are all basically comfortable. You do not have bombs blowing up around you perhaps destroying you home. You do not have to leave your home and travel to God knows where. You have plenty of food and water. You are warm and sit in front of your TV in the evening and watch the war. Doesn’t it mean anything to you? Do you ever think about those beautiful young men and women who are dying every day? Have you ever been in the Service of our Country? Have you ever had someone close to you that were in the Service or are now in the Service? Just think about it and get out and do something to support our Troops.