MONUMENT — We had quite a crowd for lunch on Tuesday, April 9th. We actually ran out of some food to be more accurate. I guess we had a full house and of course there were lots of takeouts. So, I will proceed with all the details! Ha.

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

Our cooks, Terry Cade and Christy Howell, made us chicken alfredo, garlic bread, a fresh green salad, chocolate pudding with oreo cookie bits and whipped cream, and canned fruit for our dessert. We had a nice meal and we thank our wonderful cooks for their hard work. We appreciate our lunch on Tuesdays. It is a treat for those of us who cook all the time to be the recipients of cooked food. LOL.

Don’t forget that we are having our wonderful EMT fundraising dinner on Saturday, May 3. There will be two dinner times, one from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and another from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.There will be two dessert auctions as well, one each during the allotted times. The EMTs are looking for volunteers to have desserts for their auctions, it would be much appreciated. The food being served will be Mexican food and you know the chef who is cooking it, Sylvia Cockrell. Sylvia is an excellent cook, so don’t miss out!

We had Rayme Lacey from John Day come join us for lunch. She is your local care coordinator for Community Connection. She helps in the Family Caregiver Support program. This program can help pay for a caregiver to give you some much needed time off. For more information, you may call Rayme at 541-575-2949.

We had a few people from Reimers Tree Service LLC come join us for lunch as well. They are available for tree removal and trimming. They would like to schedule an allotted time if there are several people in the area requiring their services. Their services will be available for Long Creek and Monument. You may call them at 541-620-8463 or at 541-620-1273. They also have an email: russjenreimers@gmail.com

The last trap shoot for the year will be Saturday, May 3. They are looking for someone to run the cook shack for that day. This shoot is for the fundraising for the 4th of July Fireworks in Monument. They also need donations of desserts for their dessert auctions. If you have any questions, please give Julie Smith a call.

Well, it’s countdown time for baby goats to arrive very soon. I already have someone lined up who wants a baby goat. I told them they could not just get one, for it would cry. They said they were going to raise it in the house. To each his own I guess, LOL. His wife has wanted a baby goat for quite some time. I am pretty sure she will not be disappointed in the cuteness. Ha.

A quote from A.W. Tozer: The Christian ideal is not to be happy but to be holy. The holy heart alone can be the habitation of the Holy Spirit.

PRAIRIE CITY —We had a lot of people who couldn’t make it to dinner today for one reason or another. Mine was the illness that is making the rounds in our fair city. It caught me between the church’s back door and my front door, a distance of 60 feet. When I came out of the church door I felt fine. By the time I got to my door, I had a sore throat. Then the bug made its way through the entire gamut of symptoms: hot and cold, aching body, draining sinuses. Yuck – but I’m getting better! I hated to miss all the good weather to do yard work in.

One of our faithful volunteers that was not present today was Tom, who was off doing important handyman jobs for his daughter. Debra took his place at the dishwasher and other stations. Registrar Pam had a family doings in Idaho, so Carla took her place at the desk. I managed to get all the items out for Carla, got my meal, and went home to eat it. It hit the spot!

Sharon and Mary were on tap and did their delivery job. Juan Rubio led the flag salute. The door prize of another lock box went to Del Lake and Carla asked the blessing. I think a lot of people had ‘Spring Fever’ and could not function. The white board only sported the saying: welcome to lunch! And that was as good as it needed to be!

Lunch was a chef salad problem. I could only eat half of it! And that dessert, the butterfinger cake and oh my goodness, to their famous brownies!! (If you ever want to know what to give me, take a hint from that last sentence.) I ate the whole thing. Thanks, ladies. If you think this meal was good, wait until next week’s Easter dinner!! I’m hoping that I will be well by then!!

Well, my brain has gone blank, so I guess I will call this missive over and done with. I Hope you stay well.

3 John 1:2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.