Holiday season beginning here

NOT BAD--As this work week started we had a mostly nice day, as only a few showers came down here and there. Better yet, by nightfall, it seemed very dry and it was a perfect night for all those trick or treaters and we trust you only got treats and no tricks on Halloween night! As the week progresses, they say we may be in for a week or more of rain every day--ugh! Even snow levels are dropping. Let's hope what we get is just light rain as I'm not ready to face any flooding situations just yet!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from November 3-9 are Brad McNally, Kennan Lindsey, Anna Kuhn, Ryan Vincent, Ginger Moonen, Greg Parke, Nicole Kaattari, Jordyn Kaattari, Jessie Hoven, Marsha Souvenir, Bill Schwarze, Diane Tischer, Carol Carver, Kim Havens, Clayton Moore, James Turner, Skip Irving, Patty Hosley Shanahan, Mike Parker, Elizabeth Davison, Chris Bernard, Linda Palmer Spieth and Denise Fuller. Here's to many more years ahead for each of you!

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Wika, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wegdahl and the Garland Budds. Enjoy your special days!

LADY MULES--The Lady Mules volleyball team has done a sensational job of playing their game and as I write this, are headed into the semi-finals. By the time this comes out in print, they will have already played Wednesday night and I sure hope to read that they have stormed to another win!

ANOTHER MONTH--Holy cow, it's November already, can you believe it? In no time at all it will be Thanksgiving and right after that, we'll be scurrying to get things ready for Christmas! Before the craziness begins, we've got quite a few things coming up in November to keep us busy.

AT THE STORE--For your convenience, the Skamokawa Store Resort will be a collection point to drop off food items for the area's food banks. We'd like to see all the people who truly need food during these desperate times, go home with more than enough to get them through the holidays. Don't forget the paper products and the personal care or baby items, like diapers. Everything is needed.

Hunters, don't forget that you can stop by the store and pick up hot sandwiches or other food items to tide you through your hunting days.

MAKE LEFSE--Starting today (Thursday) you can learn how to make lefse for the holidays; Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Norse Hall on Puget Island from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Sunday there will be lefse and other goodies for sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well as a variety of vendors. Tickets are available at the event for a drawing they are holding.

CHANGE CLOCKS--It's that time of year again, but at least this time we get an extra hour of sleep. Don't forget that we fall back this Saturday night, so set those clocks back an hour before you go to bed. I'm told that the first Sunday in November is our official fall back date from now on.

BALLOTS--Don't foget that Election Day is next Tuesday and you must have your ballot postmarked no later than that day. Why not fill it out and mail your ballot today!

VETERANS' DAY--November 11 is a day to remember all our Vets and honor them for their service to our country. Whether they served years ago or are currently serving, they deserve our gratitude and our respect, as well as our continued prayers for those still serving overseas. I hope that you'll remember them during the holidays by taking the time to make or send Christmas cards to those that are in one of the veterans hospitals in our area. This is a project that kids in school or even in Sunday School could start working on now.

METHODIST CHURCH--Time's a tickin' to rent that table at the Skamokawa United Methodist Church for their annual Harvest Rummage sale on November 12. For just $10, you can rent a table and set up your things to make yourself a little extra Christmas money, so call right away. Patty Ohrberg (849-4323) or Carol McClain (795-3337) are the gals to contact. There will be goodies for sale too, so stop by the church from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and check out the treasures.

NEW BOOK--If you happen to go west on Saturday over KM, stop by the Appelo Archives Center and purchase the new book entitled "100 Years of Big Timber in SW Washington." It's a great addition to your library or it would make a wonderful gift as well. The book will be $5 off that day and you can meet the authors there that day and get the book signed as well, so check that out from noon to 4 p.m.

MUSIC--On the evening of November 12, the Skamokawa Grange will be the site of the group Detour with Kristi Nebel as lead singer. This country swing band will play some great music for you to listen to. Admission is $10 at the door.

The following day, November 13, the Inn at Lucky Mud will be the site of a piano concert by Scott Cossu. He is internationally known as an accomplished pianist, composer and recording artist. His latest CD is called, "Tides Between Us" and is dedicated to the Puget Sound area. Scott currently is signed with a Portland based company, Allegro Music and their label, Alula Visions. To have this pianist in our midst is truly an honor, so we hope you can attend this potluck affair at the Fletchers' in a couple of weeks. There is a $10 admission fee for the piano concert that begins at 2 p.m. Call Sunrise and Jessica Fletcher at 795-8770 for more information.

REUNION MEETING--On November 19 there will be another "Mule Train All School Reunion" meeting, so all those who went to WA-KI-HI are invited to come to this 9:30 a.m. meeting at the Chamber of Commerce in the Julia Butler Hansen house in Cathlamet and help get this endeavor off the ground. It's a big job to plan it all and we need more people's input, so I hope to see you there! If you can't be there, hopefully you can get a list of people in your class and their addresses together so we can get a mailing list going. Spread the word about the reunion next year on August 4!

SAME DAY--Also on that day is the annual Lions Club Walk 'n' Knock food drive, so have those bags of non-perishables ready to be picked up for this all important food drive. As winter approaches, the need is even greater, so they appreciate your generosity. High protein items are always useful, like peanut butter and beans of all varieties and of course, paper products are always appreciated.

REDMEN HALL--The last weekend of November and the first three weekends in December will highlight the local artisans at Redmen Hall as they enjoy their annual Holiday Open House. You can come up and buy those Christmas gifts right here in Skamokawa and not have to travel very far at all! From homemade lotions to socks, from handblown glass to books and from canned fish to cards, you can find it at the hall, and all of these things make for a great Christmas gift for somebody special on your list. If you're looking for a new wreath to decorate your home, there will be some of those available too, and nothing says Christmas like the aroma of cedar boughs and other greenery. During this holiday season, you'll be entertained by musicians, be able to have books signed by their authors and meet some of the artists whose works are featured, so watch for specifics at a later date or call the hall at 795-3007 for more information. If you have homemade items that you'd like to sell, why not see about putting them up at the hall during this festive time. They are always looking for good quality items to display and sell.

FOOTBALL--For most, the football season has come to an end and with four grandsons playing football, I had a tough time keeping up with all the action. In their last games of the season, both Austin Good and Blake Sechler scored touchdowns, and ended their seasons on a win. However, on the down side for the two, Blake had begun football season with a badly broken hand during the summer practices, but got better in time to play his senior year and served as captain, and at his last game, Austin wound up sustaining an injury to his ankle. Bryce Good had some good playing time and ended his season with a win as well. Luke Sechler was on a team that was heading into the finals with a resounding 22-0 win last week.

MORE LETTERS--Please don't forget to write to US Rep. Jaime Herrara Beutler at 750 Anderson Street, Suite B, Vancouver, WA 98661 and tell her that we need to keep our Skamokawa Post Office! I received a letter back from her and she has finally gotten some of our letters but we need more; don't let a post office that has been here since the 1870s get shut down now! Our post office is in a historic building, which they did not take in to consideration, is a part of the Skamokawa Resort complex and even the lease holders are willing to take a reduction in the lease costs to keep it here, so their excuses for getting rid of it are not valid. Our 40 plus businesses in Skamokawa need this post office. Please write today and help support us!

SISTERS VISIT--It was good to hear that cousin Susan Peterson Shook, of Georgia, was able to go to Houston and spend a week visiting with her sister, Donna Bernard of Oklahoma, as they attended some special meetings there together and had a wonderful time.

SYMPATHIES--We'd like to offer our sympathies to the family of Jennie Pearson who passed away last month at the age of 97. Her services will be this Sunday at the Grays River Methodist Church at noon.