What if you gave a party and nobody came?

Over the years, folks not of Sierra La Sal have commented to me that it seems we have a lot of fun times in our village. That use to be true.

Lately, however, a person’s worst fears have been realized: What if you gave a party and nobody came? That is the new norm, it seems. 

One such incident happened a couple of weeks ago as Kristl Blankenagel Johnson and family prepared to host a dinner night of murder, mayhem, food, and fun. No one came.

The hosts had gone to a lot of preparation for the evening’s events – but no one came. Well almost no one. A young couple came, ate, and then left.

The only other attendees were an elderly couple (cringe) who came to be able to give you this report of the night’s activities. 

Didn’t matter. Those in attendance went ahead and acted out the murder mystery, trying to identify “who done it” while eating a lovely meal. Sorry you all missed it. 

You have to give Kristl and company credit. They keep trying to get the community involved in fun and games though without much success. But they keep trying.

If you recall in March, they had intended to host a pie (pi) party, but it was cancelled due to a record amount of snow. That in itself is incentive enough to keep trying isn’t it? Stay tuned.

These party animals will be back trying to coax the citizenry of our village into partying. 

I guess the folks in La Sal have just gotten old and infirm. We did use to have some wild and crazy times.

We had a casual basketball and volleyball league. There was the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration that went on all day. And who can forget the Cowboy Olympics with the burning cow pie as the game’s torch?

Aw, good times. Guess they be gone.

Our kids grew up at the community center watching mom and dad play and being involved themselves when they came of age. But those kids are gone – moved to greener pastures.

As one formerly local kid, now a financial planner states, San Juan County’s biggest export is their youth. 

Well, if that wasn’t enough for Kristl, on May 5 she was the contact point for the used-to-be annual dynamite shoot held on her home spread – Rattlesnake Ranch.

It has been on hold as have many activities worldwide due to the pandemic. Now it is back.

Usually, you can hear the kabooming all over town when someone makes a lucky shot and the windows rattle.

This year I think all you could hear was the wind! I wonder, does heavy wind make the dynamite shooting more challenging? This is a big fundraiser for the local volunteer fire department.

Speaking of the local volunteers, underway right now is EMT training. It is nice that there are enough youngish folks who are dedicated to this project. Makes one feel a little safer here away from civilization.

Here is something uptown, or maybe rural USA: La Sal now has a farmers market every week. It is usually held on Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m.

This last week, it was held on Monday evening as many folks weren’t available on Saturday.

A variety of goods are offered, including bedding plants, gourmet soaps, lots of baked goods, and other interesting items. Come on out and join the fun. 

Well, that’s about all the news from Deadwood Northern San Juan County, the senior citizen retirement town. Shuffleboard anyone?

San Juan Record

49 South Main St
PO Box 879
Monticello, UT 84535

Phone: 435.587.2277
Fax: 435.587.3377
news@sjrnews.com
Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday