Reflective Moments

By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Reaction was swift to column about $2.06 OAS raise

Thanks to the swiftness of e-mail communication, in the space of mere hours I went from being “awesome” and “brilliant” to being an “entitled” person accepting and living on “welfare.”

It all started back a few weeks ago when I wrote a tongue-in-cheek but technically serious column bemoaning the $2.06 raise on the latest old age security cheque.

Reader responses were quick to materialize. I was congratulated at the grocery store, at a social function and via e-mail. The general consensus was agreement with my own feelings on this tiny amount, being told by one reader that “chintzy” was a too generous way to describe the raise in pension for recipients 65 years and over.

One reader suggested awesomeness and brilliance in the same note. I blushed but accepted her comments with gratefulness. Another said she had a conversation with her youngest son on the topic of how she would spend her own extra $2.06. She didn’t reveal what she decided but I imagined her buying a small coffee and joining her friends to carry on with the topic.

It was inevitable that PM Trudeau would be blamed for our circumstances, with one reader talking about large raises for politicians and noting “it is a sad world we live in” when politicians get thousands more and seniors only get $2.06. Mr. Trudeau’s ears must have been ringing as another reader complained about his gov ernment’s waste of money.

One reader was concerned about the quality of existing political parties and wondered if I would be willing to work towards organizing a new party forged from citizens of like mind coming together. Housemate had a laugh at that and I responded with a thank you for the offer but declining because of my aging abilities.

And then came the one that said I had no reason to be outraged at the tiny

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

I am very grateful for my monthly cheque even though I regularly use a bit of my own style of humour to chat about the raises and how younger seniors don’t receive equal treatment.

Readers’ comments on this column came from Moose Jaw and Regina as well as points in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. The topic was obviously one that resonated with a good number of readers — both positive and negative.

Thunder Creek Model Train Show at the WDM March 18 & 19

Visitors with amazed with the craftsmanship and attention to detail in the exhibits

The Western Development Museum (WDM) is excited to welcome back their annual Thunder Creek Model Train Show that will be taking place on Saturday & Sunday, Mar. 18 & 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“We’ve been able to host their model train show here and we’re just thrilled. It’s usually a very busy and wonderful event and we have invited exhibitors from all the prairie provinces to come and attend with their displays,” WDM Education/Public programs coordinator Karla Rasmussen said.

Because the model railroaders are al ways changing up things and making new additions to the models, Rasmussen en courages everyone to come back because there’s always something new to see.

To complement the Model Train Show, the WDM also has real life-size railroad artifacts in the building that tie in nicely with the show. Rasmussen says, “It’s a great way to kind of bring that to life in a different way.”

She encourages everyone to enjoy the craftsmanship and attention to detail that the model railroaders put into their ex hibits. The creativity is astounding with all kinds of original landscapes made by hand, as well as some curious additions

Two more weeks until MJWF annual fish fry; tickets going fast

Saddman Zaman - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com

The wildly popular Moose Jaw Wildlife Federation (MJWF) annual fish fry is only a couple weeks away, with two sittings each night - Friday & Saturday, Mar. 17 & 18 at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

“There’s a lot of people who are excited about [the annual fish fry], with regulars and new people already purchasing tickets for it,” MJWF President Todd Smith said. Tickets are selling out fast, with only about a hundred tickets left to purchase.

Each year, MJWF serves northern pike, and this year is no different; the northern pike are caught fresh and filleted and sent down here. Along with the salad, beans and buns, the fried fish dinner is sure to please your craving for a fresh fish fry.

The event this year will accommodate about 600 people throughout the two days of sittings.

People can sit down and have supper or if they prefer takeout, we can arrange takeout as well,” Smith said.

The event itself is a fundraiser with all money collected going to support the

MJWF’s educational programs throughout the year.

Tickets for the fish fry are priced at $30 pp, and can be purchased by contacting Doreen @306-692-4148 or Sandra @306-692-8848 in advance. Everyone is welcome!

-Helping to Grow Your Future-

NewTec Irrigation & AG is proud to be a locally owned business in Saskatchewan. The company started as Dairlyland Agro back in 1985 and still has the original owners today. We are a full line irrigation and service operation with offices in Outlook, SK and Lethbridge, AB.

We carry irrigation hose reels and pivots with intelligent pivot controls and monitoring systems. Pivot injection system for fertilizer/chemicals, ground piping amd pumps also available.

We stock a full range of pivot parts to support our line of pivots. We also carry a wide selection of parts to repair or upgrade most other brands of pivots.

Sumaiya Beevi,

From The Kitchen

By Joyce Walter - Moose Jaw Express

Old Purity Flour cookbook offers recipes for Lent

The 1923 Purity Flour Cookbook offered several recipes to be used during the observance of the season of Lent.

“Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting and alms-giving, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending at sundown on Holy Thursday.”

This week’s recipes are three from the Purity Flour book.

• • •

CHEESE OMELET

3 eggs

1 oz. butter salt and pepper

1 tbsp. grated parmesan or Gruyere a little mustard

Add the grated cheese and mustard to the beaten egg yolks. Add stiffly beaten egg whites and salt and pepper.

Melt butter in hot pan and pour in egg mixture. Cook until set and eggs are slightly dry. A little milk may be added if some is still available. Carefully fold in half and then in half again. Transfer to plates and sprinkle some more cheese on top. Serve while warm. The inside of the omelet should be soft and creamy.

• • •

MACARONI WITH TOMATOES

1 tsp. minced onion

1 tbsp. bacon fat

1 tbsp. Purity flour

1 1/2 cupsful stewed tomatoes

1/2 tsp. salt

1 pint boiled macaroni

Cook the onion in the fat until slightly browned. Add the flour and gradually the broken up tomatoes and salt to make a sauce.

Stir in the macaroni and heat through.

One-half cup of grated cheese is a pleasant and nutritious addition.

• • •

FRIED HOMINY

Take any remains of cold hominy porridge and cut in slices about 1 inch thickness.

Flour slices well on both sides. Make some butter or clarified fat very hot in a frying pan. Put in a few slices of hominy at a time and fry until nicely browned on both sides.

Drain well on paper and serve very hot.

Fried hominy may be served as a separate course or as an accompaniment to kidneys or fish. The slices may be egged and bread-crumbed if preferred.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel. net