View From The Bridge 7/15/15

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
7/15/15

MRS. SORKNESS BIRTHDAY
Two weeks ago I wrote about Mrs. Sorkness’ 90th birthday and would you please send her a card. She taught in Fort Benton for 37 years and had hundreds of students. Her big day is August 1, 2015 and if you have not yet sent a birthday card, this is a reminder to do so. You have about 10 days to mail a card before her birthday so it gets there a little before the big day.

Send the card to her daughter’s home. The address is: Kristiana Rose, 170 E. Duval St., Philadelphia, PA 19144.

YELLOW DOUBLE LINE
It is not very often that I drive on Front St. during the warm months. I see people making a left turn in both directions, crossing the double yellow line. Perhaps you have forgotten or perhaps you did not know the traffic rules. You are not allowed to do that.

It all began several years ago when a friend of mine, (who no longer lives here,) was parked in front of Lehman’s rue Value. She was backing out looking to her right and a vehicle made a left from the other side of the street intending to park in the empty space next to my friend. She backed into the vehicle as it was turning in.

The point of this story is that she had to pay for her own damages because there were no yellow double lines on Front St. I went to the City Council with her to plead her case and yellow lines were painted on the street.

Please be reminded, remind others, and remind your visitors. The person making the left turn across the yellow double lines will get the ticket and be responsible for an accident. I would not like anyone to go through that situation.

Next, I will talk about STOP signs. A STOP sign means to come to a complete stop. At my corner of Main and 14th, there has been a great neglect of stopping. Vehicles just roll around the corner. I realize that you can see if there is oncoming traffic but that is not the way it is supposed to work. STOP, look both ways and be better safe rather than sorry.

Last Friday I had to make two trips to the Museum of the Upper Missouri.  I made a right turn at 18th and know that there is a YIELD sign near the corner. In both trips there were vehicles traveling south around the circle where there is a STOP sign. Both of them did not stop and I had the right of way. Not only did they ignore the STOP sign but I was on their right side. If you remember, the driver on your right as the right-of-way.

An exception to that traffic rule is at 4-way STOP streets. The first to arrive at the corner has the right-of-way.

There were many visitors at the MUM the two times I was there and so I like to think that they were Visitors and did not know Fort Benton traffic patterns. They were lucky that I am so polite, didn’t give chase although I did blow my horn at them. Lot of good it did.

THANK YOU
Bill Widaman wrote last week that he got over 100 calls about his Letter to the Editor. I also received phone calls and personal thank you for writing about Connie Jenkins. It was easy to do since I have this wonderful space in the River Press, sign my name, and have freedom of speech. Connie deserved every word and much more.

The question is now what is she going to do now that she is retired? The only advice that we retired folks can say to her is, “When did you have time to work?”

WALKING AT THE AG
You must know that I love walking and listening to my Talking Books. Now I love it more that I am walking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Ag Museum. What a spectacular facility we have in our town. It is by far, the best museum in Montana.

There are countless exhibits and now each day that I walk I stop and read and examine an exhibit. As I enter the first room I turn to the right past the office, the gift shop and enter the large room. There are huge machines on both sides. Next I hear music and in the far corner is a juke box. Do you remember those machines where you put in a nickel to hear your favorite song? There were juke boxes in all restaurants, ice cream shops, and bars.  If there was room in any of those businesses, couples would dance. (Remember, those were the days before TV, computers, and cell phones.)

ANOTHER EXPERIENCE
Last weekend it was cool enough in the early morning for me to walk on the Walking Trail. On Sunday I walked toward the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center.  This morning, Monday, I walked toward the Sunrise Bluffs and I had what was a very exciting experience.

I walked on Front St. because it had shade. At 17th St. in the curb area, I saw a dead rattlesnake. I called 911 and in a few moments Police Chief Turner arrived. He took the rattles off for me, picked up the dead snake, and threw it into the Missouri.

I asked how many rattlers were reported this year so far and he said 5. He asked that I ask the public not to kill bull snakes. They may frighten you, they may hiss at you, they may rise up, but they will not harm you. A bull snake will eat a rattlesnake. Good job.  (Do you know the difference between a rattler and a bull snake?) If you call 911, the bull snake can be relocated so please do not kill them.

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

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
7/1/15

MRS. SORKNESS
This elementary school teacher and librarian will be celebrating her 90th birthday on August 1st.  She taught in Fort Benton for 37 years and there must be hundreds of her students who remember her.

I was invited to her birthday party in Philadelphia, PA and have been in touch with her son Tom and daughter-in-law Lois. Tom and Lois were in Fort Benton for his 40th class reunion this past weekend and visited me.

Tom, Lois and I firmed up plans to have birthday cards sent to Mrs. Sorkness at her granddaughter’s house. Tom and Lois will do interrupting of the River Press delivery, (that she reads faithfully,) and the Fort Benton site at their end of the line.

Do it now before you forget and I will remind you again in two weeks. Her granddaughter’s name is Kristiana Rose and her address is 170 E. Duval St., Philadelphia, PA 19144.

IMPOSSIBLE
It cannot be July 1st. I believe I bought a calendar that was on fast time. One day blends into the next. The full moons keep rolling around. The days are getting shorter and now this hot spell to contend with. I would have to check back on the Views to see if I complained about the cold weather. I do remember saying that it was nice to go out without a sweater or jacket. So what else is there to talk about and if one more person says to me, “Is it hot enough for you,” I am going to scream. YES! It is too hot enough for me. (I have determined that half the people like hot weather and half do not.)

SUMMER CELEBRATION
I enjoyed the Celebration more this year than ever until Saturday afternoon about 2:00 p.m. when I could no longer handle the heat. On Friday I volunteered at the Library Book Sale, ate a delicious lunch at the 1st Security Bank, enjoyed entertainment by the City Band and Bridges Home, to the library for the City Bank Concert, had ice cream at the U.S. Bank, supper at the Pot Luck at Old Fort Park, watched the Pie and Chair Auction, and then headed homeward.

I want to back up to the “A Bag of Books for $1” at the Library. There was a couple from Canada, a more than 200 or 300 drive, who told me an interesting story. This was their 5th year at the Book Sale and they come to Fort Benton just for the sale. They said they loved our town and that we had the greatest library and best book sale ever. The husband was a history buff and we had a great conversation about Fort Benton history. I hope I am able to see them next year.

Back track to the City Band Concert at the library. I sat next to a woman whose husband played in the band. They live in Great Falls and they volunteer their time to come to Fort Benton for two days and other times that the City Bank performs. I do not know their names but I hope that somehow they get the message of thank you. Those huge “Kudos” also go to all the members of the City Band. Your performances are so enjoyable as you play all familiar songs. (I also loved Cindy Lenington’s (mother of the leader of the band Eric Lenington,) performance. Go Cindy. I have only attended school performances and you never did your wiggle-jiggle thing there. It was great and your grandkids are adorable.

On Saturday I was at the Park for breakfast with my daughter Jennifer from Great Falls, next Art on the Levee, and we scooted down Front Street to the Pioneer Lodge for the High Heeled Race  

Three very brave, courageous, beautiful women showed up and obviously won the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes. We have not yet figured out where the men were hiding. I just want them to know that they were cowardly, ashamed to be men who always met a challenge, and did not have wives who threatened them with divorce, into running the race. Just know that although we looked forward to seeing you, we actually knew you would not show up. It was a fund raiser and perhaps you will show next year.

Next was the Grand Parade and I found a way to watch it from inside a building. (I missed being outside and getting a few Tootsie Rolls.) Oh well, it made my dentist happy.

It was sad to see the Honor Guard Marine Corps detachment march by. My Sweetheart, Wally always rode in the tuck with the Iwo Jima cut-out and threw candy. We missed him very much.

It was about this time that I had to give it up... The heat was too much and I went home to a house that does not have a.c. but it was out of the sun. It was 103 degrees. By this time some of the food vendors had moved to the 14th St. Square and my daughter walked over and got my supper.

At 6:45 I headed for the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center to hear the talk on Governor Meagher. I could not stay because the air conditioning was not functioning. I returned home and waited until 9:45 to walk over for the Fireworks Display.

It was a fantastic show with many red, white, and blue colors that filled the sky. My comments on the “Waterfall Display” are these. It was beautiful BUT it was not Niagara Falls. It was more like Shonkin Creek Falls. It was wonderful, do not get me wrong. However; it was sort of like icicles and should have been the final display instead of the first. ..If I were president!

I know there was a great deal of planning into the “Waterfall Display.” I truly appreciate the work that goes into one of my favorite times of the year “The Fireworks.” Thank you to those of you who responded to the donation request letter and to the volunteers who wore vests and carried pails to collect for donations.

Today, Monday, work begins on the 2016 Celebration. It will be a special one as it will be 40 years since the first. If there is a reader who remembers that occasion, please contact me.

50+ HOME SCHOOLED
My mother taught me more logic. “If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.”

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, OUR POLICE FORCES and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS (Remember…there is still a war going on and all of our Troops need support. Do you think about them every day when you are eating a warm meal, sleeping in a comfortable bed, and not worrying that you might drive over a car bomb?