JOHN DAY — This past week was our time for honoring our veterans. Monday, we had 54 diners seated and over half of them were veterans. On Thursday, we had more than a full house — every seat in the house was occupied and some people went into our card room to sit at a smaller table. It was delightful to hear all the voices chatting together.

Monday, we delivered 51 fresh meals and 49 frozen meals. The number of takeouts did not get on the list as everyone was very busy doing the volunteer work.

Thursday, we delivered 54 fresh meals and 168 frozen meals throughout our community and even to Long Creek, Monument and Dayville. The delivery drivers for this week were Jeanette and Pati, Peggy and Cindy, and Jodi. Thank you all for your service of love for others.

The servers for Monday were a class of fifth-graders. They did a good job serving the meals on trays, filling water and juice glasses and coffee. They picked up dishes, washed the tables and even swept the floor afterwards. The students sat among the diners and chatted and heard stories from vets.

Thursdays servers were a group of high school students, and they also sat among the diners. They served the food, served the drinks, got anything else needed at the tables, and cleaned up afterward and swept the floor. They were quick and out of there in a timely manner. The principal of the school came with the students. It was nice to get to chat with him for a bit.

It was all a great experience and very fulfilling for our center to have this event.

Thursday the 16th we will have our Thanksgiving meal. The following Thursday is Thanksgiving, and we will be closed. It would be nice to get a head count for this meal so we will be sure to have enough food prepared. You can call the kitchen at 541-575-1825 to reserve a spot or come by and sign the list at the desk.

The health inspector came by Thursday morning while everyone was deep in preparation of food for the lunch, and he gave us a 100% rating. Thank you, Jesus.

Instead of having the regular drawings for this week, we had a 50/50 drawing. A volunteer won the pot on Monday and a visitor from Long Creek won the pot on Thursday. It was so gratifying to have these veteran lunches, on the house for vets and spouses. We had male and female veterans.

On our bulletin board and near our desk we have many tips, fliers, ideas and things in general that may help you in your home. We suggest that visitors look and glean what they can and get help if they would like.

Also, our library is always open when our center is open. Our librarian has it so well arranged it is easy to find the kind of book you would like. Also, we have puzzles and CDs and DVDs for your pleasure. No need to check them out. Take what you want and pass it on or bring it back, whichever suits you.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Nov. 16, will be our Thanksgiving meal. The menu will be turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, veggies and ranch dip, and assorted pies.

On Monday, Nov. 20, we will dine on fish and chips, crab slaw, garlic toast and a dessert of cooks’ choice.

Matthew 5:7-9 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

MONUMENT —

I hope y’all remembered to turn your clocks back one hour. I almost forgot! It seems that I have not been keeping up with upcoming events as of late. I guess I just have too much on my mind and trying to just get things done around my place. I am still a bit behind.

I got some potted plants in the ground and my trees that I raised from seeds. I just buried the pots in holes in the ground, so they don’t freeze when the temps go down. I have learned that you can leave young trees in pots and plant them in the dirt for a couple of years so that they will have a stronger root ball. You can take them out later and plant them and they will be good to go. The things you learn on the internet.

Well, our cooks Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell made us beef burritos or tacos, with all the fixings, refried beans, Spanish rice, a green salad, and yellow cornbread cake for our dessert. I liked to pile on the greens and add the thousand island dressing with the salsa and make like a taco salad. It was tasty and it filled me up. We thank our cooks for their hard work.

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

Saturday, Nov. 18, is the trap shoot fundraiser for Rowdy Israel at Brad and Julie Smith’s. Rowdy is the rodeo queen for Spray. She is a student at Dayville and plays sports for the Monument/Dayville team. Please come and support this young lady by joining in the shooting contest. There will be a $100 entrance fee and you must shoot at least three out of the four shoots. There will be a prize, which has a retail value of $600. The prize is a Savage 17 HMR rifle with a scope. There are also second- and third-place prizes as well.

The vendor tables for the Christmas bazaar are all sold out. This event will be Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be door prizes, food and lots of treasures to be purchased. The raffle for the Christmas basket will be drawn on this day. You need not be present to win the raffle.

There will be four Quilts of Valor that will be presented to some veterans. We thank all the brave men and women who have served or are serving in our military.

I have finally put the girls with the boys. It was a lot of work moving all the goats around. I did not have too much trouble, as I thought I would, moving Remi and Yoshi. They just followed me leading Davey and Billy, and I was worried for nothing! Ha. I just have to make sure everyone is secure because the cougar (or cougars, plural) is still out there. In fact, there were multiple sightings of several. Not good, not good at all.

Matthew 12:36-37 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof on the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

PRAIRIE CITY —

Boy howdy, did we ever have a meal to be thankful for today! I was so glad that I made it back from a journey to Burns in time to partake of it when it was served instead of later after refrigeration. Pam and Pam did themselves proud, I tell you. We thank the John Coombs Ranch and Slide Mountain Beef for the meat for this meal. We had a baked potato, a bowl of chili, a bowl of cheddar/broccoli soup, various salads of fruits and vegetables, lots of toppings for the baked potato, and spice cake cupcakes and peaches for dessert. Plus lemonade, coffee, tea, etc. for your drinks. Whew. All this for only $6! What a deal!! Next week will be a traditional turkey dinner. We will not be serving on the 22nd, so you all come to get your serving of pumpkin pie … and other kinds, the menu says. To get you in the mood, there is pumpkin-scented soap in the restrooms … tee-hee.

But before the meal, we had to have the flag salute led by Frances, the gift certificate given away to Gail Kolb donated by the Little Diner, and the blessing by Theresa. Our volunteers included Sharon, Mary, Gwynne, Ginger, Tom, Theresa and Pam. Pam managed to get my bookwork straightened out from last week. Hallelujah!

Then Theresa launched into the trivia for the day, to wit: birthdays — Bram Stoker, Margaret Mitchell and Patti Page. In 1731 Ben Franklin opened the first library in the American colonies. What did Amazon sell when it first started? Books! Tulip bulbs were once a form of currency. Mickey Mouse was originally named Mortimer. Mrs. Disney changed it. (I can only name two other Mortimers: Edgar Bergen’s dummy and the role Cary Grant played in “Arsenic and Old Lace”).

Two good quotes: First, from the runner Jim Ryan, “Motivation is what gets you going. Habit keeps you going.” Second, from Lily Tomlin, “For fast acting relief, try slowing down.” Hardy har har. The trivia question: “The Ten Commandments” was first shown on this day in 1956. The stars were Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner. What other movie did Yul star in? “The King and I,” of course. And the table that answered that got to go first to the serving window. On a side note, I have never seen “The Ten Commandments,” so I would not have known that Yul was in it. (I got back in time to be last in line.)

I got the super-duper dirt from our local nursery and grandson No. 2 helped me unload it out of the pickup and into the three new “raised beds” made out of a bathtub and stock water tanks. And that was the last nice day before the weather changed last week. I was ecstatic to see them all filled up. Thanks, Mary, Hank, Joel and Asher.

Speaking of grandsons, I got one of those scam calls from a young person claiming to be my grandson. The only problem was he couldn’t give me his name so I could send him the money … he hadn’t researched by financial situation before calling!

I Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.