View From The Bridge

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
By Muncie
7/26/17

TALKING BOOKS
This organization has saved my reading life for 38 years. Now it has been put in jeopardy because of drastic cuts to the program.

I received a letter this past week dated June, 2017 from the supervisor of the Talking Books program advising me of the cuts in their budget. Two long time employees were let go and I learned from a phone call that there are 4 employees left in the office.

I have always had wonderful service receiving the books I wanted with a day or two since they are located in Helena. At times they have had to obtain the books I requested from Salt Lake City. They give special attention to every request to accommodate their blind and visually impaired callers.

I am appealing to the other people who use Talking Books to make phone calls to their Representatives, Senators, and even the Governor to cease cutting these important programs.

I have known for many years that funding for  libraries were being cut. Even though I do not frequent our Chouteau County Free Library, (since I cannot read books,) I believe that it is the most important building in Fort Benton.

There is no other way I know of to reach other Talking Books persons (because of privacy issues,) and so I ask you to do some phone calling. Phone numbers are in the phone book and the phone is answered in a timely manner. You will not have to wait or begin by pushing dozens of numbers.  Please do it today. I need my Talking Books. If you do not know anyone who enjoys these books then do it for me.

FARMERS MARKET
It was better attended in spite of the heat. Miss Rainie Halko was busy at her table putting earrings together. She must have that entrepreneur gene. Susanna was there with her Filipino dinner and egg rolls. The Arnst family had just picked produce and I was told that their grandchildren were providing cool lemonade... (I miss the Girls and their baked goods. I have to get up the energy to bake my own banana and zucchini loafs. They will never be as good.)

Randy Morger was there selling seasons tickets to the Chouteau Count Performing Arts. The Hutterites are always there with their produce and fresh bread. Nancy’s Fancy enticed us with coursings and different flavors of bagels. (Next week she promised Danish.) A lemonade stand and an iced drink seem to be doing a good business. Connie Jenkins was selling canoe raffle tickets for the River and Plains. The person having the best time was Dominic, a River Press reporter, who loves Farmer Markets. Dominic will only be with us this summer. He is such an enthusiastic young man and if you have the opportunity to talk to him, do that. It may want you to get up and go with a project you have put aside to do sometime when you have time. (Will you ever have time?).I hope that I haven’t missed anyone...

THE 3RD OF AUGUST
This will be a big day in town. Not only will the 4-Hers be filling every room in town but Shakespeare in the Park and the Taste of Chouteau County will be in Old Fort Park.

The presentation of the Shakespeare in the Park will not be Shakespeare this year but George Bernard Shaw’s “You Never Can Tell.” That sounds very interesting and quite a change in their scheduling.

The Farmers Market will also be in the Park instead of the Levee Park. You should not have any trouble enjoying yourself that evening. So put on a happy face and give everyone you meet a Fort Benton welcome.

THE GREAT ESCAPE
Last year when 9 puppies were up for adoption at the Dedman Foundation, one of them went to Randy’s house to live. Her real name is Cream but I like to call her Creamy, you know to rhyme with Randy, Muncie, and so on.

To get on with the story, Cream does not like it when Randy has somewhere to go for a short time. He had a beautiful wooden fence built to keep her in the year but she manages to get out and search town for him. She would squeeze herself between the wooden fence and the cyclone fence next door and escape.

Last week Ruth Evans called to tell me that she could not reach Randy and Cream was in her house for safe keeping. Randy retrieved her and when he got home, put her in the yard and stood by the door to see if he could figure out how she was getting out of the yard.

Now this is where the story gets interesting. Cream climbed the cyclone fence, like a bear, into the neighbor’s yard to freedom. She also used a lilac tree to boost herself up the fence. It is no longer there and fell to the mighty ax.

Now you say, “Why doesn’t he leave her in the house?”  Well, he does depending on the weather, but she learned to open the screen door. Now that is one smart dog and forever faithful to her master.

AROUND THE CORNER
Next Tuesday will be the 1st of August and I will write about the moon for the August 2nd edition
of the River Press.  I was thrilled at the Farmers Market when a lovely woman came up to me and said that she like my telling about the moon names. That has encouraged me because they say that for every one person’s opinion, it counts for 5,000 others opinions.  Wow, I know that 5,000 people read the River Press.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, THOSE WHO PROTECT US, WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS and FLY THE AMERICAN FLAG ON YOUR FRONT PORCH EVERY DAY.