View From The Bridge 4/22/15

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
4/22/15

SCAM
This past week my computer was attacked by a SCAM. I am passing this on to make you aware because I know two friends who had the same thing happen. I was working on the View last week when the computer screen froze. I could not do could not do anything including shutting it off. There was a phone number and I called it. I listened to instructions for an hour. When we reached the end of the instructions, (which we did at least a half dozen times,) and the final key was to be pressed…nothing would happen. I was totally washed out, told him I was just going to hang up, and shut my computer off manually. He said that I should not do that because the hackers could still get into my computer.

He then said that he could get me out of it for $99.95. I said absolutely not. He then said that he could do it for one year for $49.95. I hung up on him. I then called Its Triangle Phone Company and was told it was a SCAM. Their instructions were to just shut the modem off and everything would be back to normal and it was. Confusion reigned and because I believe that everyone is honest and above board, I am easily blind- sided. (I learned that term from a commercial on TV.)

CONTRACTS
Here is another suggestion to anyone hiring work done around their home. A handshake or just because we are friends does not cut it any longer. Get a written contract or bid on exactly what is to be done and how much it will cost. Both parties should sign it and the date. Just use caution because it is not like the old days any longer.

C.C.P.A.
Last Thursday evening I walked over to the Elementary School for the evening’s performance of the Chouteau County Performing Arts. I sat in my usual spot that is the second row from the front, middle section, and the first seat.

There was a young boy sitting in the middle seat and he was alone. Since we had about 20 minutes to show time, I called to him and asked him to join me. I had questions to ask of him. I asked how old he was. He said he was 11 years old and in the 6th grade. His name is Sean and he is a Fort Benton native.

I asked why he was alone and he said that his parents were working. He rode his bike to the school.  He loves music and plays the saxophone in the school band. (Sean, I hope that I remembered your info correctly.)

Sean, I am sure that the C.C.P.A. Board of Directors are apperceive of your attendance and that you will be an “always patron,” of the Arts programs.

CORRECTION
Last week I reported that the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs had contributed the Las Vegas trip raffle ticket money to the Fort Benton Cancer Support Group. I should have said that the Daffodil revenue went to the Cancer Support instead of the raffle ticket money. This report is just for the records. Sorry about that.

AUTHORS, AUTHORS, AUTHORS
Do you remember a long while ago when I wrote about how fortunate I have been to meet authors at the Visitors Information Center, the Research Center, and actually on the Levee Walking Trail?

Last week was a rough one for me but Sunday made up for it with two happenings. My routine on Sundays is to have dinner at the Senior Center, take a ride to the cemetery, take out the trash for pick-up on Monday morning, and feed the birds.

I was headed across the yard to the house when I was finished with the chores and I heard a voice call, “Muncie.” There was a man on the sidewalk and I walked over to the block fence. He introduced himself as Bob Jefferson and that he was an author with questions about Fort Benton. He has already written and published a book and is writing a second one about his grandmother coming to Fort Benton on a steamboat.

He stopped in to the Senior Center and two women there had ancestors dating way back. They said to ask Muncie about historical questions. (Little did he know how little I retain about history?) That is the reason he knew my name. We sat on the fence until it became too warm and then retreated to the deck.  (All this info for the next story.)

I could answer several of his questions and invited him to come to the Joel Overholser Research Center, JORC, on Tuesday when the historians would be there. Bob said that he would like to have his wife Fran meet me. They live in Washington State and are touring in a motor home. They are both retired teachers.

He went to get her and Fran and I chatted for about a half an hour. I asked her to come to the Center on Tuesday to see our Schwinden Library and JORC. Bob will be excited about the pictures that he is looking for. Hank Armstrong has been a volunteer for years caring for and handling indexing of photos. We will look forward to Bob’s book.

SECOND HAPPENING
I wrote an article not long ago about checking on your neighbor. It was concerning checking your friends or neighbors if you did not see them out and about, their garage door may be open for some time, and anything amiss in their yard.

On Sunday afternoon, while I am visiting with Bob and Fran, on the 14th St. side entrance to the deck, Jim Cummins appears. He was doing a “neighborhood watch” check. He saw Bob in front of the house with what looked like a map. Then Bob disappeared, later reappeared with woman in tow, and disappearing again behind the house. We had a great laugh about that and I felt much protected to think that Jim was so observant. I love that small town feeling with older folks making it more of a retirement community. “Be a good neighbor, your neighbor is there for you”…not State Farm.

IMPORTANT MEETING
The former volunteers at the Visitors Information Center will be meeting at 10:00 a.m. at the VIC next Monday, April 27th. Stacy Bronec will be the co-coordinator this year. I am not certain, because I did not ask her, that the VIC will open the same day as the Museums and the Old Fort at the end of May.

This is an important meeting to sign up for a shift at the Center. It will save Stacy having to make many phone calls to fill vacancies. It is also a great time to meet friends you may not have seen all winter.

If you have not volunteered at the VIC, consider it. It is so enjoyable and interesting. You will meet Visitors from all over the world and everyone has a story. Just do it and see you at the meeting.

SENIOR MOMENT
“If God had wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees.”

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

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
10/15/14

FALL
We are well into fall now and Mother Nature did not do her usual as in the past couple of years. Summer went directly into winter and winter into summer last year. The falling leaves were a sight to behold as they fell continuously. The trees on my boulevard were bare last week while others on the block are now ridding themselves of leaves.

Just a reminder that leaves will be picked up the week of the 20th of October. That only gives you a few days to rake them to the curb or edge of your property. It has been said over and over that leaves are not to be put in the street. If you see a friend or neighbor who has not gotten the word, please tell them kindly that activity is not acceptable. Of course, this depends on who your friend or neighbor is. No hard feelings should enter the picture so use your judgment as to what to do.  Community pride ranks high on the list.

It is official now as an ad was in the River Press last week. The big Fall Cleanup will be on the24th, 25th and 26th. If you cannot connect with that weekend, the cleanup will be the following weekend also.

COLUMBUS DAY
Columbus does not get enough credit for what he accomplished. He was a very brave man at a time when people thought you would fall off the edge of the world. I only knew today it was Columbus Day because I stopped at the bank and the post office and they were closed.

Cheers to you Columbus.  I will be thinking of you all day. I know it is on my calendar and I write important dates there too. I forget to look at it and I miss many important activities.  

I checked the internet and found that there are 22 cities named Columbus and 10 Townships. Of course you all know about Columbus, Montana. According to those figures, not every state has a city named Columbus.

I’ll bet that all the people in Canada know that today Monday the 13th is Columbus Day.  Well, perhaps not because it is Canada’s Thanksgiving Day. I can smell that turkey and pumpkin pie from here. I wish I could get up there for dinner tonight without a passport.

Hope you enjoyed “Columbus Day.”

BILLY SWENSGARD
The Committee for the Dedication of the Memorial Tables would like you to know a month ahead of time about the schedule. The dedication will be on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in the MontanaVeteran’s Memorial Park.

Afterward, there will be refreshments, conversation, and stories about Billy at the Golden Age (Senior Center.) At 5:30 p.m. we will proceed to the Sunrise Bluffs for the annual Veteran’s Day dinner.

We will also draw for the raffle that was started months ago to raise the money for the memorial tables. The prizes are an American Flag that flew over the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., a beautiful Red, White and Blue Quilt, a Red, White and Blue table runner, and two patriotic wreaths made from barbed wire.

Please put on your calendar for Tuesday November 11th. All Veterans will be honored that day so make an effort to celebrate with us. We, the general public, have total respect and love for those who fought for our country. There are very few ways we can show our support and this day is one of them. As these wars and protective measures go on and on, there will be many more Veterans. GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS. As an after thought, wear your “Support Our Troops,”  t-shirts that day.

Think about Billy Swensgard on Sunday, the 19th, as it is his birth date.  He was only 20 years old when he was killed in Vietnam.

C.C.P.A.
Just another reminder, a week and a half ahead of time, that Saturday the 25th, it will be Rockin’ and Rollin’ at the Ag Center at 7:00 p.m. David Bennett and the Memphis Boys will be entertaining. David is not only noted for his pumpin” piano but he sings as well.  You won’t want to miss this one. It is going to be one of the best yet.

FULL MOON
I did not get to see the moonrise of the Full Harvest Moon. By the time I shut off the lights, there was still heavy cloud cover. I did see it the next night but it was not orange.  Oh well, perhaps next year.

LEAF PICKUP
The week of the 20th, that starts next Monday, will start the leaf pickup. Let’s hope that it doesn’t rain and make it difficult to pick up. Not that I do not like rain but it would make things a little sloppy.

The following weekend will be the big “Clean Up” time. Do not wait until the last minute because you will always forget something and perhaps not get rid of it. Then you wait until the next weekend and then before you know it you have to wait until next spring. In the meanwhile, the STUFF just hangs around, getting in the way, and a general nuisance.  Oh well, when will I get organized? Come join the crowd!

AUTHORS
There was a Book Reading on Monday the 6th, at the Chouteau County Library. Fort Benton welcomed two new authors who moved to town about six months ago. A month or so ago, Margy Berstein had a reading of her book titled “The Poet & The Wolf.” The reading was at the Lark & Laurel and I and several other friends were not able to attend.  (I wish that she could repeat that reading.)

“A Shipment of Arms” by N. B. Miller was read on Monday the 6th. It was very interesting and I could have listened to him for hours. They say that most people enjoy having someone read to them.

The nice surprise about these readings was that both authors donate the proceeds to the Library. Ask at the Library for details.

Enjoy each and every minute while this beautiful weather hangs on.