PRAIRIE CITY — Theresa rang the dinner bell, Ginger led the flag salute and gave the announcements. Theresa asked the blessing and then got down to the trivia for the day. This is National Boy Scout Day, Kite Flying Day, and Laugh and Get Rich Day. (We all wondered how that worked!) Birthdays included Gen. Sherman of Civil War fame, Jules Verne of science-fiction fame, and James Dean. The famous person who died on this day was Mary, Queen of Scots.

Delores said that she had been in the room where Mary was held in England. (Cue “Twilight Zone” theme.) The No. 1 Country song was still “The Ballad of Jed Clampett.” Right on! And “Planet of the Apes” opened in NYC. Now there’s a juxtaposition! The flower NOT to give your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day is the cauliflower. OK. … Our quote is from Milton Berle: “You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think!” The who goes first question was what day was Oregon admitted to the Union. All of us teachers knew that one, so our table got to go first — again. The answer is Feb. 14 of 1859. That is 164 years ago.

So we all trooped over to the serving window shelf and picked up our meal for the day: breakfast! Two little pancakes, two strips of bacon, a sausage patty, scrambled eggs, and biscuits and gravy. Then you could add an orange slice or two to complete your meal. What a deal, as Ben used to say. This meal’s sponsor was Tootie Cernazanu in memory of her late husband, Jim. Then it was announced that she had also unexpectedly passed away. We extend our condolences to the family. Tootie was a good friend of our center.

The volunteers included Carla, Sharon, Mary, Delores, Chris, Theresa, Tom and Pam H. Pam W. was helping out in the kitchen as Pam G. had a medical appointment. That makes four Pams that serve in one capacity or another here.

We got to the first three of the medical appointments on Tuesday. Upshot? Derrol has to have an angiogram so the doctors can determine if there is another blockage before they do an aortic valve replacement. So back to Bend we go for that procedure. I do want to say that the majority of the support staff that I have had to deal with this week have been very helpful and understanding. And so have the doctors. Makes things a lot easier to handle when the “bedside manner” is considerate.

Another snag we had concerned his hearing aid. It needed a new ear mold. That was ordered around Christmas. When it came, it was not correct so had to be returned and another one made. In the meantime, a wire that connects the mold to the microprocessor broke, so he couldn’t use the hearing aid anyway! So all these doctors and staff had to speak very loudly and carefully for him to hear them. Finally got the word today that the new mold is ready and he should be able to use it on the next excursion to the hospital. Whew!

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (KJV)

MONUMENT — The days seem to just all meld together and I can’t seem to keep up as to what day of the week it is. Is it like that for you as well? Don’t even get me started about the weather. It has been erratic and we don’t know what sort of weather we are going to have on a day-to-day basis. The weather people can’t seem to get it right. Their predictions of what kind of weather we are going to have are way off. Thank goodness that the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no shadow of turning with Him! PTL!

Carrie Jewell and Christy Howell made us delicious spaghetti with meatballs, garlic bread, fresh green salad, and cookies with chocolate frosting on them. We all were quite satisfied. We thank our cooks immensely for their efforts.

Our greeters at the table were Bob Cockrell and Sue Cavender. They checked in all the guests, collected and counted up the money. Judy Harris led us in the flag salute and made the announcements. Yours truly prayed the blessing over the meal.

We had quite a crowd of people for our lunch crowd. We had our usual suspects from Spray and a few more from our community of Monument. The free meal ticket was won by Clint Petersen.

There are basketball games going on for the Monument School. If you would like more information on their schedule, please call the school.

There is a raffle going on for the Silent Wave Horse Rescue. The tickets are $1 each or six tickets for $5. The item to be raffled is a BBQ smoker. The drawing will be on the 1st of May.

Please mark your calendar, ladies, for the 22nd of February. That is when we will have our sewing class. We start at 9 a.m. and go until about 2:30 p.m. We share a potluck lunch at noon. I missed our last one. I had to reschedule my doctor’s appointment. I was on hold for a bit and there was not a very convenient time until the gal on the phone said Wednesday in the afternoon. After I had hung up the phone, I realized that that was sewing day! I did not want to call back and deal with another phone call. I plan on being there at the sewing class no matter what! Ha.

I am trying to prepare myself physically and mentally for baby goats soon. If my predictions are true, I am believing that I will have at least four mama goats that will have triplets. Hopefully they will not all be born at the same time and will have a few days of staggering. Oh, dear, I hope I will have everything ready for them! My life will be put on hold for at least three months!

I know that having baby goat kids is going to be lots of work, but it is quite satisfying and rewarding. I did not realize they could be so prolific!

Psalms 119:18 Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law.

JOHN DAY — Valentine’s Day will be over by the time you read this, so here is hope that all your Valentine’s Days were loving, sweet and honorable. That said, now we look forward to the next week, so here is the recap of last week and what is in store for next week.

Monday, Jan. 6, Darlene Nodine and Dave Pasko greeted the 17 in-house diners to see that they all got signed in and their names in the drawings. Thanks, Darlene and Dave.

Gloria Kulis led us in the flag salute and Dale Stennett asked the blessing. Our servers were from the hospital auxiliary, including Joyce Nodine, Linda Ladd and Chris Robbins. Thanks to all three of you.

Our center delivered 65 fresh meals and 42 frozen meals to shut-ins in our community. The drivers that did the deliveries were Mike and Pati Davis (it is so nice Pati could join Mike as her arm is somewhat better), Joyce Nodine, Linda Ladd and Shirley (oops, I didn’t write your last name down, sorry). Thanks to all of you for your service of love.

As Joyce, Linda and Chris helped serve drinks and other needed items, we dined on Reuben casserole, veggies, cucumber salad and dessert after Dale asked the blessing.

The sad announcement about Tootie Cernazanu passing away caught everyone in shock. Her family has always been great supporters of our senior center. We will all be thinking of her often. Her family is devastated and will be having a life celebration at our center on Feb. 18 at 1 p.m. The service will be at the Nazarene Church at 11 a.m. on the 18th, just before the celebration. Also, viewing at Driskill’s will be from 1 to 4 on Friday.

Our jar of pull tabs does have some more tabs piling up in it, again. Thanks to all who helped fill it up for Janette to take to McDonald House last week.

Our card for Billy Bullard is still in the works, so be sure to sign one of the little cards that are prepared for you to write on, to be placed on the brightly colored card prepared for all of them.

One of our delivery drivers was told that Ruth Harris, the former community newspaper editor, was in the hospital and later that day we were told she was in ICU. Send her your love in any way you have the ability to do so. All of us humans like to be remembered.

Dale Stennett won the Len’s card and Ron Smith won the free meal in our drawings.

Some 124 meals went out from our kitchen today. Thanks, Shay and Darla, for a job well done.

Without our great cooks and all our volunteers, we could not make all this possible. Thanks to each and every one of you that participated in this success.

Thursday, Feb. 9, Carol Roe and Judy Thomas greeted all 30 in-house diners and the ones who came to pick up the four to-go meals. Carol and Judy made sure each person signed in for lunch as well as got their names in the drawings. Thanks, Carol and Judy.

Chris Robbins led our flag salute. Peggy Molner and Cindy Combs, Bonnie and Frances Kocis, and Pati and Mike Davis delivered 68 fresh lunches into our community to many shut-ins. These shut-ins are so grateful to see each delivery person and thankful to get the food. Can you imagine how it feels to be alone and cannot get out on your own, to see someone that brings you food? My, what a blessing you drivers are. Thank you all so much for your service of love.

After Elsie asked the blessing it was our Valentine meal, and we dined on baked chicken and stuffing, broccoli with cheese sauce, and cake or cookies or pudding, while our servers from the Cornerstone Church, including Julie Larson, Valerie Mann, Pete and Andrea Martinez, Pati Davis and Chris Robbins, served drinks and other important needs to make the meal so pleasant. Our Valentine meal was sponsored by Carol Roe in memory of her husband, Dewayne Roe. Thanks, Carol.

Our heating system should be repaired in the next week or two. It will be so nice to be warm in every room.

Carol Roe won the Chester’s Card and Michael Bowe won the free meal. Congratulations, you two.

Some 102 meals went out of our kitchen this day. Thanks, Shay and Darla, for a job well done.

Ray, a fellow who brings dozens of eggs to our center for anyone who can use them, brought a large box of Zane Grey hardback western books some time back. For these our librarian Linda Stoltz was very grateful. At the Thursday Christmas meal, Allison McKosker and her three children donated books. It was a pleasure for Linda to see young ones interested in this kind of activity.

It is such a pleasure to walk into a room that is clean, neat and beautifully decorated. Linda Stoltz, our librarian, does this activity, too. She does a great job. We are all impressed with her. Thank you, Linda, for supporting all of us.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 16, we will dine on pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, veggies and applesauce and tapioca pudding. A great menu sponsored by the Carrie Young Memorial. On Monday, Feb. 20, our lunch will be ham and beans, fried potatoes and onions, cornbread and cookies for dessert. Another great-sounding meal.

We hope to see all of you next week.

Colossians 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.