PORCH PONDERINGS

Day Nine of The Bard's Hall Contest

Day Nine of The Bard's Hall Contest finds me in the house looking at the porch. It's a sunny day but the wind is a gale and the temperature is in the 40's. I'll just watch for awhile. This time of year it'll warm up fast thankfully.

As I am typing, a delivery comes. Drywall supplies for the remodeling project arrive. My house is beginning to resemble a hardware store. I try not to fret, and know that soon all will be put to rights. But it is impossible to keep anything clean and tidy. And soon drywall dust will be flying. And if you've never lived with that, well, think of a sandstorm. Instead of grains of sand this storm is like baby powder. All over your house. Yep, that is coming,

Bad news for Roundup last night. The Chamber of Commerce has cancelled the 4th of July parade. Now this is a big deal here in town. The parade usually is a 2 day event, lasts for at least 45 minutes and is a big attraction for all the area. It had been reduced to a one day parade several weeks earlier. Okay, fine. And the big fireworks display and the big concerts were cancelled. Unfortunate but we'll do it again next year. But the parade? Oh come on folks. At least let us have the parade! So they said we could do a Main Street Cruise and everyone drive down Main Street at the same time as the parade. I got to thinking. Isn't that the same as a parade?? Hmmm.... maybe we could throw out hand sanitizer and masks to the onlookers instead of candy.

My friend just arrived with her weekly delivery of fresh eggs. She couldn't believe that someone would deliver drywall sheets to your home. And these drywall sheets are 12 feet long and lying on my dining floor. Ten of them. But they will. And they will carry them in your home, with help. So we talked a bit and solved her problems and my problems and all the problems of Musselshell County and all the problems of the world. Then off she sped to deliver more eggs to the rest of her customers. She lives near a small town called Musselshell. On her farm she raises chickens, a big garden for produce to sell at a farmer's market in Billings each summer, sheep, and cattle. I think she does the eggs to have a reason to come into Roundup to talk to people.

I belong to a community theater group in Musselshell. We put on a play each September. There is a community center there that used to be the school. They have a few fundraisers during the year and the play is the biggest one. The play group is a lot of fun and rehearsals start usually after July 4th. A comedy is most likely to be chosen and parts are assigned by the powers that be. This year I hope to be called again and be in the play. Such fun! I was in community theater in Ohio and enjoyed all parts putting on plays. The creativity it allows you not to mention the mental stimulation of learning your lines is something I enjoy immensely. Since my brain surgery it is even more important to challenge the brain every chance I get.

Enjoy the long days of the beginning of summer! Here in Montana the light is starting around 4:30 AM and lingers until 10 PM. I'm not far enough North to see the Northern Lights, but sure do love the Summer Light!




Queen Norma Jean