View From The Bridge 10-31-12

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
by Muncie
10-31-12

SOME ENCHANTED EVENING
If you did not attend the Chouteau County Performing Arts evening last Wednesday, an enchanted evening is what you missed.  What a professional performer, what a gentleman and a scholar, and musical genius is pianist Mike Strickland.  The whole evening was filled with beautiful music, both well known and his own very enchanting melodies.  We did not want the concert to end.  My favorite piece of the whole evening was Clair de lune by Debussy. Mike played it because that was his mother’s name and one of his favorites...  What a wonderful tribute it was to his mother.

I would like to adopt Mike.  I told his lovely wife that I wanted to live next door to them.  Why?  So I could listen to him practice, of course, because it was so relaxing just to have the music flowing over you.  I watched a movie once that the main character was seeing a shrink who told him to listen to Braham’s to relax.  

When I was about 8 or 10 years old, there was a boy, who lived down the street, who was an excellent piano student.  I would sit on his front steps and listen to him practice.  I barely can remember what he looked like but I still remember his music. 

The other enchantment of the evening was the honoring of our precious music teacher for 65 years in Fort Benton, Doris Rowe.  She blushed at every compliment said about her and her long career in music.  She and Mike played Nola as a duet and the song that everyone knows how to play, Chopsticks. We all love you Doris and you are one of Fort Benton’s treasures.

MARY ANN
This week many of Fort Benton’s old-timers lost a dear friend.  Mary Ann Hampton is gone from us physically but not from our hearts.  She was such a blessing to our community.  For those of you who knew her gentleness, we shall never forget.  For those of you who did not know her, but only heard about her, it was truly a loss for you.  Women like Mary Ann made a difference in lives of others.  We will miss you Mary Ann and guide us from that far away place you are in called Heaven.

GRAND UNION CELEBRATION
Can you even imagine what Fort Benton looked like 130 years ago?  I have seen pictures of the hotel at different stages of its life however not so clearly as on Backroads of Montana last Saturday night.  Early pictures show chimneys above every room releasing smoke from the fireplaces.  I wonder whose job it was to build fires and keeping them fed with wood.  Were they stoked every evening to keep the room warm all night?  The cooks must have prepared meals on wood stoves.  That is an art in itself.  Did the bedding get changed every night and how did they handle laundry?  Was it a “gathering place,” as it is now?  Perhaps someday in the distant future, we will be able to go back in time.  I am very sure though, that I would want to come back as quickly as possible.  I am too used to my modern conveniences.  How about you?  I am also convinced that it was much harder on women than men way back then.  Let all women now take a moment of silence that we are living today.

POKER TOURNAMENT
If you have never attended a Poker Tournament, do drop by the Grand Union on Friday evening to see how it progresses.  It begins with 40 men and women and they are eliminated one by one until the final table of eight.  It really gets exciting then but about this time, it is after midnight.  We have not reached home until about 2:00 a.m. because we stick it out to the very end.  You can watch poker tournaments on TV but there is nothing like actually being there.  Come on over and sit with me to the excitement of the final card being played.

RED FRIDAY
I am still asking for a sea of red on Fridays.  Now that it requires a coat when you go outside, it is difficult to see if people have red on.  At the “What Women Want Show” a couple of weeks ago, my daughter bought me a pin that said, “Support Our Troops.”  It was attached to a card that was titled Red Friday.  I am going to pass on one paragraph each week and perhaps it will help to make you realize how important it is to support our troops.

“THE REASON? 
Americans who supported our troops used to be called the “silent majority.”  We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for country and home in record-breaking numbers.  We are not organized, boisterous, or overbearing.  Many Americans, like you, all our friends, and me simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops.

IMPORTANT MEETING
Please Folks, try to attend this meeting that will impact Fort Benton.  On Thursday, November 8th at 7:00 p.m. at the Golden Age Senior Center a meeting will be about possible recycling with the United States Department of the Interior and the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center. The core committee working on this project have been to most businesses and organizations, however will return sometime in the next few days with posters.  They will urge you to come to the meeting or to send a representative.  We want your imput and even the smallest suggestion is helpful.  The only dumb question is the one that is not asked.  Put it on your calendar right now and just be there.

FALL BACK
It is that time of year again. I have one clock that I do not change.  It is too heavy and I have to take it to the World of Time to have it changed.  I have not wanted to do that for several years and so I am just going to have to remember that it is an hour ahead.  However, it is better to be too early for an appointment than too late.  It is just a matter of a little concentration that I do not have much of these days.  Whatever!  I wish you a fun Halloween, a thankful Thanksgiving, and lots of luck with your Christmas shopping.  Remember to shop local.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR TROOPS.  WEAR RED ON FRIDAY.

View From The Bridge 11/23/2011

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
11/23/11

FREE DINNER SUNDAY
The Thrivent Financial for Lutheran’s Organization is the sponsoring a dinner at the Golden Age Senior Center on Sunday, November 27th at 1:00 p.m. This Organization does philanthropy work and has chosen Fort Benton Golden Age for this free dinner.

It is strictly “word of mouth,” get it out to the Community, kind of invitation. Because it is a non-profit organization and it is a free dinner, there will be no other advertising. I made 9 phone calls this morning to research Thrivent Financial for Lutheran’s. Four calls were made to Wisconsin where I left three messages on answering machines. The fourth number hung up on me before I could explain what I wanted. I have no further information why they choose Fort Benton. Perhaps I will know by Sunday.

This dinner has nothing to do with the dinner on Thanksgiving Day at the Community Bible Church dinner. The Thrivent Financial for Lutheran’s Organization dinner is on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Come and join your friends and neighbors to enjoy dinner and conversation. It is a social event to visit with friends and neighbors you did not visit on Thanksgiving Day. Spread the word to family, friends, neighbors, and see you there.

TRINDLE FUND RAISER
Once again, the people of Fort Benton have shown love and generosity to a family in need. In that category fell the Trindles’. There were approximately 300 people at the Fund Raiser last Saturday afternoon and evening. Those who donated and those who bought at the silent auction and live auction were very generous. The “Boot,” the 50/50, the raffle for meat, and the Half-a-Card game were added means of fund raising. It was not only successful but a fun evening for everyone.

A serious illness can break a family financially. It is traumatic enough to go through such a procedure but to have to be concerned with “where does the money come from,” makes it seem as though you can never recover. We never know when something like that will invade our family. You just never know and that is where the generous thoughts enter our minds. Our family may be next… be it flood, fire, an accident, or an endless list or tragedies. Right now, we have a family that we can help and Fort Benton came through again.

We may never have had to ask for help, however somewhere down the road, we may have to. That is were a wonderful community like Fort Benton comes in with open hearts. Our merchants are the greatest people ever. They are called on countless times and never fail to donate generously. As the announcer said Saturday evening, “Be sure to thank them.” They deserve all the blessings that can be bestowed upon them.

POKER TOURNAMENT
Another fun evening was spent last Friday at the Grand Union Hotel. The Poker Tournament was a reminder of days gone by when the men of Fort Benton had little other to do evenings but play cards. Women were not allowed to watch much less play. Things certainly have changed. One thing I did notice was there were many young men. They are very aggressive and daring players. It was fun to watch them.

There were a few women playing and one actually came in the top “5.” There were also two women dealers. I visited with one of the women dealers who lives in Chester. I was curious about what her life involved besides dealing cards. She said that she was an accountant and enjoyed dealing occasionally. She fascinated me with what I knew about dealing. I have a friend who tried to learn to be a dealer but could not keep up. You have to be very quick, observant, and focused. You have to keep track of all the players’ cards and how much they bet. I would not last five minutes as far as remembering even my name.

It was a fun evening and everyone seemed to be having a good time. The weather did not keep anyone away as all forty players showed up. A favorite saying around these days is, “Well, there is always next year.”

THANKSGIVING
If you were asked, for one thing that you are thankful for, what would it be? I will not go to the obvious. My one thing would be that I am thankful to be living in Fort Benton. Our economy is looking up, there are the best caring people that live here, and its beauty is wonderful to behold. We are so blessed.

PARAPROSDOKIAN
A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.

BUY AMERICAN
As you do your Christmas Shopping in the next few weeks, be sure to check your labels to see where the products are made. Let’s put our unemployed back to work. You have only 4 weeks and a few days to finish (or start,) your shopping. Do I have to remind you?

I had a very young person tell me the other day how quickly the time is flying by. I always reply with, “As you get older, it goes faster and faster.”

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND EVERYONE WHO NEEDS BLESSING.