MONUMENT – Our menu consisted of baked ham, scalloped potatoes, carrots, hot rolls and apple crisp. And 43 people came by to prove how good it was. Our guests were two Health Inspectors from La Grande, Georgeann Williams from Bates/John Day and Dale Martin from Long Creek.

It wasn’t birthday cake time, but Tuesday, March 12 was a good day for birthdays! Jeanne Strange enjoys that day, as do I! I also have a dear friend in Madras who shares the day also. Just a year younger. In fact, just about anybody is younger than me! I didn’t actually thread Betsy Ross’ needle for her, or sharpen George’s hatchet, but Elvis and I are the same age, except Elvis already left the building. Wal-Mart and I, Donald Duck, the Boy Scouts, Western Horseman magazine, some worn-out Navy destroyers and a couple of aircraft carriers, my old schoolmates from Prineville and Mitchell, and Johnny Titus, my nearly-lifelong friend, are all the same age! This year, my favorite number is 73! How old would you be, if you didn’t know how old you are?

My brother, Royce the “Steelhead Stalker,” has ceded this year’s contest to Mary Ella Neal. He thought he’d caught one about two weeks ago, but turned out to be a large sucker. Mary Ella wears her crown with grace and aplomb!

It is supposed to snow up in the Cascades this week and rain below, but there’s got to be one more snowstorm. It’s kind of like a seal of approval, nobody complains much about extra rain or snow, unless it’s too much, or lasts too long – then everyone will gripe about how wet and cold it is, until we start griping about how dry and hot it is, until it’s cold again.