MONUMENT — Our cooks Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell made us a big meal of sloppy Joes, tater tot fries, fresh green salad, and a couple of different desserts to choose from. I chose to have pumpkin cake for my dessert. As always, it was a delicious meal and we thank our awesome cooks!

Our greeters at the table were Bob Cockrell and Sue Cavender. They checked in our 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.

We had a few guests from Spray attend our lunch; glad they could come. Carolyn Peterson was the winner of the free meal ticket for this week.

We had a group of young ladies who wanted to do a presentation for us. They were representing the SkillsUSA team from the Monument School. They were Bethany Wilburn, Evie Shultz, JinBo Chiochetti, Maddi Grassl and Dixie Jenkins. They presented to us their project of restoring headstones in three different towns. The young ladies did a wonderful job with their presentation, and we wish them the best of luck at the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference.

We extend our condolences to Ruth Hamilton, who lost her husband, Mike. He passed away on Monday, Feb. 20. We pray that the Lord will just comfort her and give her total peace that surpasses all understanding during this sad time.

We pray that Linda Blakeslee will recover quickly from her foot surgery. Apparently, the rods that were put in her foot many years ago broke and were causing her great pain. Hmm, I thought those titanium rods were really strong and unbreakable? May the Lord bless her recovery and heal her body that she may enjoy the summer with all mobility.

We thank the Joyce Miller Owens Foundation and Bruce Hansen again for all their generous contributions to the Monument Senior Center, and to our community for their immense support. We are truly indebted to them. We have a picture of George Ray Jr., Hilary Miller and Bruce Hansen hanging on our wall as a commemoration and reminder to us all for their wonderful support of our community! We are truly thankful and grateful for them.

The weather here in beautiful Monument got super-cold overnight. Yes, it went down to the single-digit category. BRR! The snow that we had that melted and made a muddy mess came back again. It was not much, but it still was enough to cover the ground completely.

I have not had any itch to start any planting of seeds. One thing at a time, slow and steady. I still need to deal with the coming birth of baby kid goats. I still have a lot of prepping to do. We bought a shed from a neighbor, and I am hoping and planning to put the new babies in there with a heat lamp. That way they can stay warm and I won’t have to worry about cleaning up a mess.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

JOHN DAY — Linda Stoltz and everyone at our senior center is thankful for all the books, puzzles and magazines that have been coming in to stock on the shelves of our library. Linda does a great job in organizing all the shelves and labeling everything and making it beautiful and inviting for all who enter and even pass by. Jack and Denice Seebart and Delores Bagett have brought many books over time, and Linda is so grateful for everyone and everything that have helped the library to blossom. Thank you all.

On Monday, Feb. 20, work began at our center to repair and improve our heating system. Wouldn’t you know it that the snow and freezing temperatures started on Tuesday, which made it very difficult for the men to work on the outside of the building. Even with all the hampering weather, they managed to do the most needed, to continue, on the inside. We can already feel the difference in the rooms joining the main hall. Work is not completed yet, but will be in a few days.

Someone has stepped up to manage bingo for us so as soon as we get 15 people to play for sure, we will begin. The bingo game will be on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. If you are interested in playing bingo, you may call 541-792-0202 to get your name on the list.

The bridge players have had a drop in the number of people to play but they have managed to keep one table going so far. If you have an interest in playing bridge, you can call the number above and the message will be given to the bridge players so they can contact you.

There will be a hall board meeting on Monday, Feb. 27, right after lunch.

On Monday, Feb. 20, Dave Pasko and Darlene Nodine were at the desk to greet everyone entering the room to make sure everyone was signed in and their names in the daily drawings. Dave handled the 50/50 basket and led our flag salute.

Minnie and Flora and Carolyn Stout and Chris Robbins were our servers, and all went very smoothly. Thanks, ladies, for your service. We dined on baby lima beans with ham, bacon and pork loin, fried potatoes with onions, peppers and mushrooms, cornbread and peach cobbler. Thanks to our great cooks, Shay and Darla.

Fifty-nine fresh meals and 38 frozen meals were delivered throughout our community by Mike and Pati Davis, Steven Bam from the Hospital Auxiliary, and Millie and Flora. Thanks to all of you for your service of love.

Billie Bullard is still desiring phone calls and cards in the mail as she cannot get out to see anyone anymore. She was very excited when a few of us went to see her one day. She chatted for over an hour. She needed to catch us up on all she has been missing. Her phone number is on the desk if you would like to be a part of bringing a smile to her face.

Jeanette Julsrud is still collecting pull tabs from vegetable and fruit cans and soda cans, so bring them in and help fill the jar on the desk and she will see that the Ronald McDonald House gets them. Thanks.

If you have Cool Whip bowls or cottage cheese containers you can part with, we could sure use them for our cupboard so folks could take food home that they do not want to waste at lunchtime. Thanks.

Darlene Nodine won the Len’s card and Ron Phillips won the free meal. Elsie won the 50/50 pot. Congratulations to all of us.

Some 118 meals went out from our kitchen today. Thanks go to Shay and Darla for preparing from start to finish and leaving the kitchen presentable.

Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

On Thursday, Feb. 23, Judy Thomas and Darlene Nodine were at the desk to greet everyone coming in to make sure they were signed in and their names were in the drawings for the day. Elsie gathered information for announcements and other information to share. Dave Pasko monitored the 50/50 basket.

Judy Thomas led the flag salute. Jeanette Julsrud and Peggy Molnar were the servers today. They both pitched in as the servers on the schedule could not be here. Thanks, Jeanette and Peggy. We dined on honey mustard chicken (yum), rice (so good), veggies (all colors of carrots and so tasty), and lemon pudding with whipped cream on top (very pretty).

Sixty-five fresh meals were delivered to shut-ins by Rick LaMountain, Peggy Molnar and Jeanette Julsrud. Thanks to all of you for your service of love.

A box of COVID tests, in a great denim bag with a few other goodies, was offered to each one who desired one. Thanks to whoever it was who brought them in.

The Elks Lodge is serving a free meal to the community on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. The menu is not known, so check it out, have good fellowship and a great meal.

Kent Alexander won the Chester’s card and Rick LaMountain won the free meal. Judy Thomas won the 50/50 pot.

Ninety-five meals went out from our kitchen today. Once again a big thanks to Shay and Darla for a great job.

Tomorrow, Thursday, March 2, the menu is: chicken fricassee, rice, croissants and fruit, and birthday cake. The meal is sponsored by Driskill Memorial Chapel.

On Monday, March 6, the menu will be creamy tomato tortellini soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, relish tray, and lemon-sour cream pound cake for dessert.

Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

PRAIRIE CITY — Happy George Washington’s birthday. Any idea how old he would be? 291. Only us old people remember the “good ol’ days” when his and Abe’s birthdays were celebrated individually instead of being lumped together with all the presidents. I remember one year that my grandmother made a little cherry tree for the occasion. Tom put on his Abe Lincoln costume for the day. (He actually had it on last week, too.) He read a lot of quotes from Mr. Lincoln before the meal. I think he was one of the few men who became president that had a very humble beginning, i.e. being born in a log cabin and then living in the White House.

This month had some notable “Days”: Sticky Bun Day, Sword Swallowers Day (!) and Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. That’s for the postmen, UPS and FedEx people! But today is the best. It is Be Humble Day. Were you? (Tee hee!)

Today was our day to honor those who had a birthday in February. The only one in the building was our own Jimmy Lunzman, so he got the $10 gift certificate donated by Huffman’s Market. I heard through the grapevine that he had a good time at his parties a couple weeks ago.

Well, back to business. Sharon Thissel led the flag salute and Tom asked the blessing. Our volunteer helpers/drivers/deliverers included Mary, Sharon, Gwynne, Carla, Chris, Theresa, Tom and Pam. Thank you so much for your service. Cooks Pam and Pam fixed fish and chips, coleslaw, fruit and served birthday cake brought in by Driskill Memorial Chapel. Thanks so much for this gift for our monthly birthday celebration.

So … the heart valve procedure was a success. Now to recover. The sleep apnea people called twice about that! But it won’t be until late March. And the place where it is done is on a road that is undergoing deconstruction in Bend. Hmmm. Maybe they won’t be making noise at night. They gave us a Rx for a sleeping pill. One sleeping pill. And the directions are to only take half of it. Glad I didn’t have to buy a whole bottle of them. One cost $10!

Our contractor has been working in the basement to make things better for him and us down there. You know that when you deconstruct things, interesting items sometimes appear. Between the subfloor and the ceiling in the basement was a space to store items, apparently. Several small boxes with this and that in them. But the trove turned out to be a bundle of 1979 newspapers. A few Blue Mountain Eagles, a few Oregonians, and a bunch of Oregon Journals. Anyway, there is a lot of trivia — info — old news in them which will be popping up in this space off and on. So stay tuned. Here’s the first one: Roger’s Market in Prairie City had an ad for bananas: 6 lbs. $1. Chester’s had bananas at 12 cents a pound. Which is the better deal?

Acts 8:35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.