Wednesday, September 13, 2017

View From The Bridge 9/13/17

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
By Muncie
9/13/17

FULL MOON
The full moon was due on Wednesday, September 6th but was not visible because of the overcast sky. However, I did see it last night about 9:00 p.m. on the way home from Great Falls. Now if it was the harvest moon or just orange because of the smoke from the fires is a puzzle. I was not able to find on the weather channel this morning if it was a September Harvest Moon. Whatever the case, it was gorgeous and it was the end of a great day.

CHARLIE RUSSELL
I was fortunate enough to attend the premier showing of the PBS film of his life. It was a great event by PBS broadcasting and the work they did to produce this informative show was exceptional.

I knew very little about the life of Charlie Russell and I now know everything you would want to know about him. His artistic ability far exceeded those of any of his time (or any time) and he will always be known as the best Cowboy Artist of the West. His fame extends all over the world and this area is proud that Charlie chose to live in Great Falls for most of his life.

Many of Charlie’s paintings were shown that I have never seen. You can look forward to October when this production will be seen on PBS.

SMOKE AND MORE SMOKE
Yesterday, Saturday, and today the smoke is the strongest it has been so far in Fort Benton. I just went out for a moment this morning to water plants on my deck and my eyes are still burning. I feel so sorry for all those who have asthma or breathing problems.

In spite of the smoke I will ride along the Levee Walking Trail from the Bluffs to the Golden Age Senior Center. This week the geese and ducks cover the water by the Bluffs Island and it is good to hear them once again. (By the way, does anyone know the name of that island?) I also saw the geese take off one day to go out to feed. That was a beautiful sight.

BLACK FRIDAY PIE DAY
Yes, Friday is Pie Day and I would really enjoy seeing you there. UNFORTUNATELY IT IS THE LAST PIE DAY. Yes, it is true and I just learned about it today when I had dinner at the Center. I picked up a menu for September several days ago but did not read the back page. It was announced there that because of the lack of bakers Pie Day would be discontinued. How bad news is that and it is the saddest news I have ever written about events that are going on?

I thought that it was a tradition in Fort Benton. Randy and I thought about asking the Mayor and Council to make it an ordinance that everyone had to go to Pie Day. This is my joke of the week but it is now not very funny. What we should have done was recruited more pie bakers and pay them big bucks for their service. This decision was not made because lack of participants. It was just a lack of pie bakers and I can understand that. I have often written about how the members of the Senior Center managed to bake pies every month. I feel so guilty because I never baked for this fund raising project. I just enjoyed the fruits of those gracious women’s labor.

So goodbye to Pie Day and the biggest thank you in the world to those pie bakers. You brought many happy pie eaters pleasure once a month for many years. I’ll remember you as long as I live.

TUESDAY NIGHT DINNER
The third Tuesday of each month from now until next May, the Tuesday night dinners begin. If you have never been to one of these affairs now is the time to start.

Chef Betty and her assistant Brenda put on a special treat dinner. Tables are set and special decorations are coordinated with the theme of the month.

There is a limit of 48 diners and you have to R.S.V.P. for a reservation.

Call 622-3601 and someone will put your name or names on the list. (If you find that you cannot attend and you have signed up, please call and cancel.) You will enjoy a great dinner for just $5.00.

BINGO
Games where scheduled to start at the Golden Age Senior Center on Thursday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Last Thursday I showed up at the appointed time but we were not able to play as there were only 5 of Bingo junkies. That included the caller and the person who doles out the prizes.

So all of you who frequented the games at the Center previously, please show up on Thursday. Take the afternoon off and come for the games and the social hours.

The games at the VFW do not start until late October. Those of you who are addicted to playing can get your fix on Thursdays. It is about the only fund raiser the Center now has. The word is “support, support and more support.” See you there!

25 DESSERTS
There will be a fund raiser at the Murphy Neal building Saturday, September 16th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Proceeds go to the Messages from Afghanistan school building. Call Nancy at 868-6210 for tickets or more information.

ABOUT SLEEP
This information was sent to me by a friend and I thought I would share. By the time you are 80 years old you will have slept for 2223,600 hours. That is the equivalent of 26.67 years. (Does that make me 26 years younger?) I do not know what the figures are for those of you who do not sleep well.

Another trivia item is that your brain never turns off or rests your entire life. (I’m sleepy just reading about that.)

RATTLESNAKE REPORT
Pam Lambott went out to her front lawn water faucet last Wednesday and saw a rattler curled up near the faucet. She recruited several helpful neighbors and the snake was dispatched with a shovel.  (Pam lives on Front Street. I reported that a while back my neighbors, the Balls, ran over a rattler in the alley. We live at the other end of town or what my son Randy calls “Out in the country.”

I called Police Chief John Turner for a report on snake sightings since then but since he was “on the road” he did not know the exact number. He did know that there were several more since the last time I checked.  He also said that he just saw a rattler 5 minutes before that had been run over on St. Charles.

So watch your step and if you see one, call 911.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIRE FIGHTERS AND EMT’S.