Tuesday, January 24, 2017

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
1/25/17

C.C.P.A.
Nest Monday evening there will be a Chouteau County Performing Arts program.  I think I have written enough about it and if you are in doubt check your River Press. It is going to be a special one if you enjoy Nat King Cole songs. I will see you there.

C.C.P.A. BOARD
They will spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the yearly Consortium in Great Falls. The public is invited on Saturday to spend the day at the Civic Center. There will be show casing all day with musical artists and other acts that would like to come to your town to perform. There are many programs that are equal to Broadway shows.

I know several people from Fort Benton who attend these showcase performances in Great Falls. Jot the dates in your calendar. Don’t miss it.

PAIN IN THE NECK
I have had a pain in my neck this past week and I heard on the grapevine that there is a virus going around town. I do not know if this is true because I do not know of any way to check it out.

However, I have just discovered why I have it again tonight. I had gotten rid of it after suffering excruciating pain for several days. (Just kidding folks, I exaggerate a lot.)

It is this computer that hates me. I have an armoire to keep my computer housed.  There is no room to stretch my legs because there is a board across the bottom. I have to bend forward to read my work and immediately my neck knew it. I’ll have to keep this short and sweet which may please some and not please my family or friends. That is my joke of the week.

A NEW FRIEND
The last two Sundays I went to the Sunrise Bluffs for dinner. I was seated with a lovely lady whose name is Elizabeth Friesz. She told me the most wonderful stories. The first week she talked about how she rode her horse 5 miles to a one room schoolhouse and 5 miles back home. I could have listened to her historic recollections all day.

The second week she talked about the garden that her folks raised that was 1 acre in size. (That is a whole lot of garden to weed and maintain.) It was filled with vegetables that were canned for winter. What was left over was open to friends and neighbors to completely deplete

Her parents also canned beef, pork, and fish. There was a lot of canning going on.

Elizabeth had all this windfall food during the depression. I was a city girl and had none of those advantages. We received food from the government that consisted of flour, cheese, oranges, and I really do not remember if there was any kind of meat.

I have always envied farm kids. They always seemed so healthy, strong, and very well able to take care of themselves.

If any readers want to tell me their stories of the “good old days” please get my attention somehow.

A MONTH SINCE CHRISTMAS
Does that seem possible to you? There are only two more months until spring.  About everyone I talk with says they are sick of cold and snow already. I agree. We have had enough and unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it.

Actually, let us be grateful that we have not had the weather that some states have had. Some of them have never had snow before and are not prepared for the cleanup.

I think that you are tired of hearing my views on the weather and so from now on I am not going to say a word about it.

BASKETBALL
Finally made it to our first game of the season last Friday and both the boys and girls winning was such a bonus. I don’t know who that 8th grader was who scored with five (5) 3 pointers. It was very exciting. I am so proud of our teams and all the other sports.  Even though I do not write about them often, it isn’t that I do not read everything about their accomplishments every week in the River Press. Just keep on doing your best and know that we are all behind you now and we will always profit by your creed. (Does anyone remember what the creed is? We went through this one year a long while ago about what is our creed. I would have to do a lot of research to remember so if any of you know please let me know.)

SPEECH AND DRAMA
I was able to attend the Speech and Drama program at the Elementary school last Tuesday evening. There are only 6 participants. I would like to see more in this wonderful program because of what it can do for you in your future.

I know that you do not realize that someday you will be called upon to give a speech. Speech and Drama gives you the tools to do that without hesitation and you would do a tremendous job of it.

I never had the opportunity to take a speech class. I have tried for years to stop saying “yeah” and saying “yes.” I also want to cut out “so” and “ah”.

At one time when I moved to Montana I entered a displaced homemakers class in Great Falls. The class was for job placement. A video was taken of me applying for a job. I said “ah” a hundred times. What a good speech class would have done for me then.

So you students who are in that program keep up the good work. Someday you will be so grateful that you took it.

AMERICAN FLAGS
I have a friend who has an American Flag but has no way of installing the holder.  Is there a member of the military, the VFW, or the American Legion who can do that for her? Just call me at 622-3217 and volunteer.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, THOSE WHO PROTECT US and WEAR RED on FRIDAYS.