JOHN DAY — Please remember that we have two phone numbers now. Calls about building rentals, sponsoring a meal, donations, health equipment and other general business should go to the office phone, 541-620-5242, or you can email us at JohnDaySeniors@yahoo.com. If you need to request a takeout meal or a home food delivery, you can call the kitchen at 541-575-1825, but otherwise please call the office line so our cooks can focus on their work. Thanks!

Mark your calendar for June 14: We will be having our annual board meeting. This is for everyone to catch up on all the happenings and details of managing our center. It will be at 1 p.m. following lunch. Keep your lunch seat and allow the servers to clean the tables before we begin. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Each Monday the Grant County Jammers bless us with music from 10 a.m. till lunchtime. We truly are blessed by this group and want them to know how much we appreciate their addition to our day each week.

On Monday, May 13, after everyone was checked in at the desk and their names in the drawings, our lunchtime opened with Ron Phillips leading everyone in the salute to our American flag. Darlene did the announcements as Elsie was in Boise for medical service. Our servers were from the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, with Father Christie and the McCosker family.

Pati, Rick, Barb and Joan delivered 57 frozen and 29 fresh meals to residents in our area. These delivery people are special because their hearts care about others. Thank you all for your service of love to others.

There were five meals picked up, 20 in-house diners and 86 meals delivered, which makes 111 meals that went out of our kitchen on this day.

After Father Christie asked the blessing for our meal, we dined on teriyaki chicken with rice and pork eggrolls, and glorified rice dessert. Thanks to Shay and Alesa for this great meal.

Marshall and Graham McCosker added to the morning with singing. Thank you both for your willingness to bless our seniors. You are welcome to come again. We appreciate the children as well as the adult volunteers at our center.

Joe Phippen brought some asparagus to share with those who want some. Thank you, Joe.

One of our beloved regular attendees of our in-house dining has gone on to be with her Heavenly Father. She is known as Yvonne Majors. We miss her every time we meet, but we know she is in a better place than this physical earth can provide. She was, is and will continue to be loved by all of us.

Ben Richardson won the Len’s card, and Vern Pifer won the free meal. Congratulations to both of you.

On Thursday, May 16, after everyone had been signed in for lunch and got their names in the drawings for the day, Vern Pifer led us in the American flag salute. Thank you, Vern.

Peggy and Meloni, Jeff and Jodi, and Dennis and Linda delivered 57 fresh and five frozen meals to residents in our area. Thanks, each one of you, for your service of love for others.

With the 62 delivered meals, 34 takeout meals and 30 in-house diners, we had 126 meals go out of our kitchen this day. Thank you, Shay and Alesa, and all the volunteers that helped you along. Some of these extra people helping in the kitchen are Valeda, Nancy and Chris. Thank all you ladies for your service to our center.

Some of the takeout meals for Thursday were for the geology tour. I sure was dismayed that I did not get to attend this tour. My medical issues got the best of that event. I was told they will try to do a repeat of this tour so I may get another chance to be involved.

Judy volunteered to ask the blessing, and then we went to the window to get our meals, tables 1-6, in that order.

Our servers were from the Methodist Church, and they did a great job. I forgot the name of one of them so please forgive me. Delores has been a server several times, so her name is more familiar.

Ron Phillips won the Chester’s card, and Margie Conley won the free meal. Carol Roe and Darlene Nodine won two special little bud vases.

Tomorrow, May 23, we will dine on pulled barbecue pork sandwich, coleslaw, potato salad, and Jell-O for dessert.

Monday, the 27th, we will be closed due to Memorial Day.

St. John 3:17 God did not send His only begotten Son into this world to condemn it, but that the world, through His Son, might be saved.

MONUMENT —

Our greeters at the table were Bob Cockrell and Sue Cavender. They checked in all the guests, collected and counted up the money. They also filled out the paperwork. Bob led us in the flag salute and made the announcements. Yours truly prayed the blessing over the meal. The free meal ticket was won by Monica Boyer.

Our cooks, Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell, made us fried chicken sandwiches with all the fixings, onion rings, macaroni salad, and chocolate brownies for our dessert. They went all out for us and we all ate with great satisfaction! Ha. We thank our cooks for always making us delicious meals.

It is with great sadness that I must report that Ms. Betty Breeding passed away on Thursday, May 16, at 10 a.m. Ms. Betty had her devoted husband, Max; their son, Dale; their daughter, Janet; and the loving grandchildren and other family members by her side to say good-bye.

We will miss Ms. Betty. She was always kind, loving, and generous to me and my family. We all will miss her terribly. We pray for the Lord’s peace and comfort for Mr. Max and her family.

Her service will be held in Lexington, Oregon, at the Lexington Cemetery on Thursday, May 23, at 1 p.m. There will also be a service and potluck lunch for her here in Monument. That date is possibly Saturday, May 25, at the Monument Senior/Community Center. Please check the Monument Senior/Community Center Facebook page for confirmation.

Jeannie Strange was the lucky winner of the $10 off gift certificate for a haircut. And the last announcement for the day was that the Monument School will have their spring music program on Wednesday, May 29, at 6 p.m.

Well, it looks like the grass is growing super high, the mosquitoes are out, the weather is getting warmer, and summer is now officially here — that is, in my book, anyway! LOL. My arms, hands, and face look like I have a tan. I need to find time to go dig around my storage area for my tank tops.

My bottle babies are getting really big, and they are getting stronger. Next year, I am going to have my hubby build me a self-feed bottle holder so that all the little kids can line up and feed themselves. It is time-consuming feeding them one at a time. Although I do think it makes them bond better with me, so there are advantages and disadvantages.

One of the youngest babies — his name is Cap — is cute, annoying at times (why? because when I am trying to refill a milk bottle and have my back turned, he is butting me in my butt!), and he knows his name. Actually, all of them know their names and they come running and answering with their little “baa baa” sound when called. Seriously, they are pretty smart. They all want to be cuddled, sit on my lap and snooze. They are pretty funny. They try to fight over my lap space and my son’s. Sometimes, they push someone else off so they can have the privilege of what we call “goat loafing” (having their front legs tucked under them like a cat). LOL.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may know what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

PRAIRIE CITY —

Boy, did you ever miss a fantastic meal today! I was a little concerned when I saw that the menu listed chicken fajitas as the entree. I cannot usually eat Mexican fare. But let me tell you, I ate all of my entree today! It was so good! Our table agreed that the cooks could make that particular dish more often! And you could have your choice of it being served as a salad or a wrap.

And that wasn’t all you got, either. On the other food-to-eat table was mixed fruit (strawberries, blueberries, grapes, apples), cantaloupe pieces, cottage cheese, orange Jell-O with fruit, corn chips and a chocolate cupcake with fancy frosting for dessert. Thanks to our fabulous cooks, Pam and Pam, for this delicious repast. And thanks to Linda Rockhill for helping when Pam No. 2 had to be gone for a city meeting at noon.

Our volunteers today included Sharon, Mary, Gwynne, Teresa and Tom. Del led the flag salute, and the gift certificate donated by Katrina’s Barber Shop went to Debra Rubio. Ginger asked the blessing.

Our trivia today was about a famous composer who lived from 1833 to 1897 and wrote a familiar song. Tom had the first verse on the white board, and of course I knew who it was. (Sorry about that, ahem.) Johannes Brahms wrote Brahms’ Lullaby, and you know it as “Lullaby and good night,” etc. His birthday was May 7.

But our table did not get to go first because today was Norman Harwood’s birthday, and after we sang “Happy Birthday” to him, his table got to go first to get the chicken fajita. A couple of his friends showed up really late, but they got to have some, too.

Due to circumstances beyond the control of some of our riders, the fossil beds excursion has been postponed for a while. So you may still have an opportunity to join us …

I know that you have an opportunity to come on June 5 to hear Jane Kirkpatrick at 10:30 give a talk entitled “Thoughts on Resilience.” And those of you who want to stay and have dinner with us on that day will not have to pay if you are 60 years old or over. As an extra added attraction, there will be a drawing that will give away 25 of her books. You don’t even have to purchase a ticket! This is all thanks to the Roundhouse Foundation, so PTL!

I think I forgot to mention last week that the entree was in memory of John Coombs and sponsored by the Ricco Family (Russell, Muffet, Catherine and Brenda).

If I did mention it, oh, well … that’s what old age does for you — short-term memory loss. (I’d hate to diagram that sentence!) You know what I mean. Grab a piece of paper and head across the room and wonder halfway across where you were going with it. So you retreat to where you started and it usually will come to you where you were going. Now to remember it …

Mark 14:9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.