PRAIRIE CITY — Our great cooks Pam and Pam fixed a great Valentine’s Day meal for us to enjoy on this cool, clear day. We had pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, a dinner roll, and a special Valentine dessert. Looks kinda like a chocolate torte with lots of pink frosting. Mmmm, goooood. The sponsor of this repast was Tootie Lundbom in memory of her parents Don and Blanche Lundbom.

Chris led the flag salute and Theresa asked the blessing. The door prize for today was a free meal and it went to Chris Ketchum. Our cadre of faithful volunteers included Sharon, Mary, Gwynne, Theresa, Chris, Tom, Pam, and Ginger.

We thank you for your service.

Those born on this day included Galileo, C.L. Tiffany and Susan B. Anthony. Among those who died on this date were Nat King Cole and Ethel Merman. (Now, there’s a pair to draw to!) Mark Twain: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” Will Rogers: “What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds.” (Boy, do those quotes go together!) Now for a few conundrums: Why isn’t there mouse-flavored cat food? What happened to Preparation A-G? Why is a man who invests your money called a broker? The trivia question for first in line was when was the Prairie City Post Office established? Aug. 8, 1870. Jules Le Bret was the first postmaster. That’s 153 years ago. Not very long, considering the next item …

In history: In 1971, after 1,200 years, Great Britain abandoned the pence and shilling. (So was it so many shillings to a pence or so many pence to a shilling?) In stories I’ve read, they talk about items costing so many guineas. Are they the same as pounds? Ah, the English. My Polish daughter-in-love has a few things against the English language. The following is an example: English is weird. It can be understood through tough, thorough thought, though. (Ahem.) I attempted to try to learn to speak Polish. Couldn’t get past the alphabet …

So the medical circuit hit all the stops this week. Derrol had his angiogram in Bend. Then we had our dental appointments in John Day, followed by the trip to the Miracle Ear lady for me in Burns. Back to John Day for the toenail people, then to Baker for eyelash removal. Next week he gets an aortic valve replaced. Talk about the $6 Million Man! The heart surgeon explained how he was going to put in the new valve, but not how he was going to get the old, defective one out. Hmmm. Still waiting on a date for the sleep apnea test.

Hope it doesn’t get scheduled the same day as the valve procedure!

Managed to get a few singers committed to the Easter Ensemble. They have their music. Now the challenge is to find a rehearsal time when we all are in the county! Details, details …

Ps. 102:13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.

MONUMENT — Our cooks Terry Cade and Christy Howell prepared for us a delicious meal of pork roast, scalloped potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, a fresh green salad, and strawberry shortcake with whipped cream for our lunch on Tuesday. It was very yummy and my favorites were the fluffy dinner rolls and the strawberry shortcake. We thank our cooks with immense gratitude.

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

Mary Gilbert and her little class of students came over from the Monument School to put on each of the tables little Valentine’s cards and a big greeting card for the centerpiece. The wonderful students lovingly colored these little cards to help make people smile when they sat down for lunch. We thank Mary and her students for coming out and beautifying our community with their handwritten and colored cards!

We celebrated Max Breeding’s birthday by singing to him. He turned 89 years young on Valentine’s Day. We hope that he had a wonderful birthday and that we get to celebrate many more with him and his wife, Ms. Betty.

We want to welcome some newly moved-in members of our community, Tom and Theresa. Tom and Theresa bought Mary Carl’s old place and came in to join us for lunch. We hope that they will enjoy living out here in God’s country, and may the Lord bless their home.

It’s been super-cold in the mornings and after the sun goes down. During the day, however, it has been nice and sunny. It is deceivingly sunny. When I say deceivingly sunny, I mean that it looks like it is so warm because it is sunny outside, but it is not warm. You still have to wear your winter clothes. I guess some people may go outside wearing just a shirt and shorts, but not me!

The ground has been real wet and muddy during the day and then it freezes at night. I was having a discussion with a friend about maybe planting some lemongrass in the dirt, then cut it down for the next winter. I was thinking of burying it with more dirt and then pile on some fresh chicken poop to keep it warm during the cold winter. I wonder if that would work and it would not freeze? I will have to sacrifice a couple of my lemongrass bulbs. Hmm.

I am trying my best now to quickly get ready for my baby goat kids that should be born soon. I hope I will be mentally prepared for that occasion. I guess one must do what ya gotta do! Maybe I will get some blue-eyed babies this year. I put Fern and Yuki with Scotty. Fern and Yuki have blue eyes. I’m excited and I’m not, if you know what I mean. The babies are cute, but I am not looking forward to all the work involved.

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

JOHN DAY — Linda Stoltz, our librarian, wishes to say thank you to people who donate books or puzzles or magazines or anything else. All the items in the library are for you and others who like to read or do puzzles. Take and use them, share them with others, return them or come back for more. Linda has worked hard to get the best plan to assist you as you enjoy our center and her library. Judy Thomas found a stack of jigsaw puzzles and donated them to the library. Thanks, Judy, for helping to keep our library stocked. A lady named Pat brings books in occasionally and takes some to read and jigsaw puzzles as well. Thanks, Pat, for sharing and using our library. Bryan and Becki Lynch donated quite a few western and mystery books. Thanks, you two, for sharing with the library and using it.

Saturday, Feb. 18, we said goodbye to Tootie Cernazanu as she departed us on her way to everlasting life. Many people shared in this day, meeting up with the family and seeing folks that they don’t see often. It was a very pleasant day. The friends who did the work need commended with all their time and efforts and caring about each detail of the day, right up to the end. I also am grateful to have been blessed to work with such a caring group and to see their dedication to see a job well done to the end. Thanks to all of you that were involved.

On Monday, Feb. 20, work will begin on getting our heating and cooling system for the building working properly. This has been a long time in the making and many of us are excited to finally see it happening. By the end of the week it will be all done.

On Monday, Feb. 13, Dave Pasko and Janet Binger were at the desk to greet 12 in-house diners and several meal pickups (the number of pickups did not get on the notes. I was in Boise for a doctor’s appointment and celebrating my youngest daughter’s birthday on Valentine’s Day, so I was not here) and see that each person got their names in the drawings for the day. Dale Stinnett led the flag salute, and David Pasko did the announcing.

Mary Wampler, Kathy Radinovich and Chris Robbins were the servers this day. Lunch consisted of smothered burritos, Spanish rice, salad, chips and salsa, and muffins for dessert. Thanks to each of you servers for doing a great job to make this lunch great.

Sixty-two fresh meals and 49 frozen meals were delivered to shut-ins throughout the community by Deana Steach, Jimmy Maple, Mike and Pati Davis, Shirley Mana and Bonnie Kocis. Thanks to all you drivers for your service of love.

Some 123 meals went out from our kitchen this day, not counting any takeouts we had.

Sharon Scott won the Len’s card, and Dave Pasko won the free meal. Congratulations to both of you.

Bonnie Kocis made the Valentine bags that were on each place at each table. Thank you, Bonnie, for your efforts of love for everyone.

Thursday, Feb. 16, Judy Thomas and Carol Roe were at the desk, greeting the 19 in-house diners and the 10 meal pickups and seeing that each one was signed in and got their names in the daily drawings. Elsie got all the information from the kitchen and noted things needed announcing.

We have been looking for a good bell to ring to get everyone’s attention as we start the announcements. We found a couple that do not ring too loud and want a louder one, so Yvonne Majors found her old cowbell and brought it. It is just what we ordered. It is like the one our volunteers used years ago and up to the COVID-19 break.

Ron Phillips led the flag salute, and Sherry Feiger and Delores Belden of the Methodist Church were the servers.  Sherry asked the blessing for the meal, which was pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, veggies, applesauce and tapioca pudding. I never had eaten baked sweet potatoes before. Thanks, Shay and Darla, for a great meal once again.

Bonnie Kocis and Shirley Mana, Dennis and Linda Dickenson, and Rick LaMountain delivered 65 fresh meals around the community. Thanks to you all for your service of love.

So far, we have a couple ladies who are interested in assisting with the business of bingo. We will start a list of people who want to play bingo, and as soon as we have 10 or more who sign up to play, we will start having bingo on Tuesday afternoons at 1 pm.

The Best Western donated a large bag of liquid eggs for our kitchen. Shay was very happy about that, so thank you, Best Western folks, for your donation.

Margie Wagner won the Chester’s card and Judy Thomas won the free meal. Ninety-four meals were sent out of our kitchen today. Thank you, Shay and Darla, for all your work from beginning to end.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 23, lunch will be honey mustard chicken, rice, veggies and brownies.

Monday, Feb. 27, is pizza and salad with pineapple upside-down cake for dessert.

Isaiah 41:13 For I the Lord Thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. (We just have to trust HIM to keep HIS word.)