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Fri, Jan 23, 2026

12:31am EST

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PORCH PONDERINGS

by NormaJean AKA Writing Queen

Rated: 13+ · Book · Biographical · #2198921

Norma's Wanderings around a small section of Montana

Well, hey there!
Welcome to Roundup, Montana! If it's a nice day, we'll sit a spell on my porch and talk awhile.

A poem captured my attention the other day.

Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget 
Falls drop by drop upon the heart, 
Until, in our own despair,
 Against our will,
 Comes wisdom 
Through the awful grace of God.

Aeschylus

What's on your mind today?

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Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Winter Wonderin' Wanderin'

Jan 18, 2026 at 12:37pm
In response to "Back Again "

Kudos for offering yourself as a test subject. One water slide does not seem like a tourist attraction. Imagine the added maintenance costs and the increased insurance for liability.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jan 18, 2026 at 3:04am
In response to "Back Again "

There are many ways to make a town tourist friendly. Info is key. And a welcoming open attitude. No invitation = no visitors.

I need to do an entry on Roi Et someday. It's a delightful town in an ancient area. The museum is wonderful.

Soldier_Mike

Jan 18, 2026 at 2:09am
In response to "Back Again "

If I'd known you were gonna be here in town... well, probably nothing. You weren't here for fun and were likely not disposed to frivolity after that lumbar puncture.

It's cool that you're helping with some important research, though.

As you may recall, I've visited about the most southeasterly portion of Montana it's possible to visit by road: the town of Alzada. The B&J Convenience Store got a visit - gas for the car and coffee for me - but I didn't really have time to even visit the Stoneville Saloon, which looks like an interesting place. Since museums and such typically headline any Chamber of Commerce's list of reasons to visit, I don't get what the other Norma could possibly be thinking.

As far as alternative funding sources go, I can spare some GPs, but I don't think that's gonna cut it.

1 Like

Wordsmitty ✍️

Jan 1, 2026 at 11:18pm
In response to "Happy New Year! "

I never thought to use headphones to avoid the nuisance fireworks. Have a happy new year, at least until the next fireworks event or town drama.

Soldier_Mike

Jan 1, 2026 at 11:16pm
In response to "Happy New Year! "

Grandma Wilson - the mother of my dad's brother's first wife - used to do puzzles. She had a card table set aside for them and, if I remember rightly, never worked one with less than 1000 pieces.

I can't remember if she saved them somehow, or took them apart to re-work at some later date, but I'm pretty sure they never graced her walls. That's a nice bit of improv regarding the table; it easily could have lead to a most uncomfortable silence and big hiccup in the proceedings.

Spirit words 🦋📜

Dec 28, 2025 at 2:03pm
In response to "Spirit Time"

That's awesome 😎 you All had a wonderful and supportive time together. It's nice to know people still get together like that! I can almost smell the sage! Thanks for sharing your work also, it's a very visual piece of creativity 😁! Happy holidays 🎄🦌!

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 21, 2025 at 12:19am
In response to "Spirit Time"

It's great that you-all gather. Missoula... isn't quite as cozy... my fault, I'm sure.

Lawrence, Kansas... Tulsa, Oklahoma ... all "warmer" imho. But, that was also years ago.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 16, 2025 at 9:36pm
In response to "High Winds "

Around 50 degrees here today. Even a visit by you-know-who who likes to hide behind clouds!

So far, we've missed all the bad weather around us.

Jim

Dec 16, 2025 at 5:39pm
In response to "High Winds "

Love this post of yours! I'd love to live in Montana, but I know my wife wouldn't like the snow you get in the winter. I've been there many times, the first was to meet with my good friend Bill Spencer, he lived in Billings. We drove from there to Idaho Falls for School. December 1973. The last time was 2024, when I went to Kalispell (worked at Hungry Horse Dam) on business. I love your state! I just don't think the winter would be that good for us.

If sounds like you had a nice time being out though. I think we'll visit sometime, Spring, Summer, or early Fall of course!

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 12, 2025 at 6:34pm
In response to "Snow Day"

Warmish here on the other side of the divide; but, we both know how fast that can change.

January 17, 2026 at 11:43pm

#1106238

Back Again

Mercy sakes - it has been a long time. I've been busy, as I am sure everyone is.

The last event I had happened just this last week. I am in the beginning testing for the Michael J. Fox Foundation and their research into Parkinson's disease. I currently do NOT have this problem. But perhaps I may be chosen to be part of their monitoring. We'll see what happens.

I am happy to help in any way to find the reason for this disease. I know of two people that have/had this. One person was decades ago. Another is a friend's husband in town.

I answered a survey I received by email, then was sent a questionnaire. I filled that out. Then I received an interesting test - a smell test. Curious little invention. There was a series of booklets, each having scratch and sniff squares on a number of pages. You had to guess the scent on each square. I mailed that back, and in a few months received another. Then take some timed cognitive tests on the computer. THEN they contacted me about doing this research.

Last week I went to Aurora, CO for actual in-person testing. The organization flew me there, provided a hotel and a driver to take me around. I got a per diem for food and whatevers. Then I did bloodwork, 10 tubes, a neurologist exam, more questions then I had a lumbar puncture test.

Ever had that lumbar puncture test done? Well, I have. It's not horribly painful, but no fun nonetheless. But I guess sticking a needle into your spinal column is not a normal event. The doctor performing the test was kind, took great care to do this with as little pain as possible.

I did ask him when was the first lumbar puncture ever performed. He honestly didn't know, but told me he'd look up that history. I did and it was back in 1890 or so. The key is not to sit up immediately, or you'll get a bad headache. That has also happened to me in the past.

Seems there are a few interesting facts about beginning the diagnosis of this disease. Sense of smell is a clue, and acting out dreams or sleep disturbances.

Now that I'm back home, I will change a few things about my diet. I will try to cut back on caffeine. I figure it can't hurt, might help. In many ways.

There is now controversy about a tourism grant idea. The lady in charge of this was at the commissioners meeting yesterday. She is like a bulldog with this concept, and still will not consider the museum being in any way a draw for tourists. So annoying. She wants to build onto the city pool a water slide. The city, last I heard, is not a big fan of the project, due to increased costs like maintenance and insurance.

But this person, whose first name is also Norma, is sure this will be a done deal. $1.5 million. But she only has until January 22 to file the claim. And from what I heard, really she knows nothing about filling out the paperwork or what it all entails as to the immense amount of paperwork going forward.

Another person and I tried to get the museum to be a part of all this. But she shot us down, and then we decided to withdraw our plans. So now we need to find another way to fund a $1.5 million project we had developed.

It should be interesting. But then, life these days is certainly NOT boring.

Comment • View 3 comments

January 1, 2026 at 10:58pm

#1104884

Happy New Year!

Happy new year to all you out there.

It was not too bad last night as fireworks started here in town. I put on headphones and watched the movie "War Horse".

I enjoyed that film again. But this time I paid more attention to the story-telling of the piece. I liked the way the script started in England with a farmer and wife and son. The horse the father bought was to be a work-horse, but is more of a thoroughbred.

So the drama starts with the family. But the horse becomes quite a work-horse, and friend to the son.

Then WWI starts, and the horse is sold to the army with the money helping to save the farm.

So this is when the story gets interesting. WWI of course was horrible. And the horse experiences it in many places.

Finally toward the end, and I'll not give away much of what happens, the horse and son are reunited, through a quite wonderful set of circumstances. And we end up back where it started - at the farm in England.

By the end of the movie, the yahoos in my neighborhood were setting off the most intense fireworks of the night. But soon that quit, as midnight is the end of it all, or so it should be.

Tonight I haven't heard any, so far, and the fireworks stand is gone. So perhaps peace again.

I visited a friend today. She lives alone, except for her cat. Dorothy is my age, but looks 20 years older. We graduated the same year from high school. She, I think, in Montana. Me in Ohio. But we met when I used to volunteer at the senior center doing Meals on Wheels.

Dorothy was in the midst of a smoke break when I arrived. We then sat and talked for a time. She showed me a jigsaw puzzle in the works. She also saves her completed puzzles. They get glued onto her wallpapered walls. Now I have to admit that is something I've never seen before. Dorothy stated she didn't care for the wallpaper, and whoever buys the house after she dies can just do whatever they want to the walls. Not my decorating aesthetic but you do you, Dorothy.

We talked about my last play, and how much she enjoyed one particular scene. It was not in the script, but we covered it well. On stage an actor accidentally messed up a table with props. So the actor playing my boss, screams my character's name. I come stomping out on stage and righted the table, then stomped off again. Sort of in character for a lady's maid, the part I played. Evidently it made a big impression on my friend. She thought it was in the script.

Okay. So we also talked about her no longer doing a Bingo game twice a week, she was the organizer of these games. But after 13 years of doing that, she figured it was time to let someone else take over. Plus there is just too much drama at the senior center now.

There is indeed drama at the center. And it's not good. Claims of mismanagement, blackmailing seniors to pay for something that is donation only, not wanting to comply with state orders. But nothing is happening with shutting them down. Somehow they are managing with donations only to stay afloat. The state is withholding funds until they get their financials in order.

Tomorrow is my day to sit with the county commissioners at their public Friday meeting. I love doing this, and learn a lot about the goings-on in the county. Then I report on this in the local paper. And sometimes it is tough to condense what happens and make it non-political.

But this small town has lots of drama, always something happening to someone that gets everyone all upset. Never a dull moment.

Comment • View 2 comments

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