Holiday events at Redmen Hall

NICE ENDING--As last weekend came to an end, we woke to a very frosty world with temperatures in the lower 20s--brr! In spite of the cold, it was very sunny and dry, so that part of it was good. Forecasters are saying we're in for a couple of blustery days prior to your getting this, so I hope they were wrong and we came through with nothing more than a bit of normal wind and rain. Only time will tell I guess. Sometimes these warnings come and go with little fuss or muss, while other times, we get hit full on, so it's always better to have been prepared.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from November 23-30 are Danny Silverman, Robert Kyle, Nancy Good Garcia, Kevin Palmer, Dominic Jose Diaz, Mike Paulsen, Hank Ferguson, Cole Claussen, Dana Montgomery, Marv Holland, Trace Tarabochia, Terri Slape, Jennifer Hoven, Shane Souvenir, Don Ross and Drake Cook.

Those celebrating anniversaries this week are Mr.and Mrs. Jim Mendoza, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Bacon, Mr. and Mrs. Bud Cowan, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Havens, Mr. and Mrs. Rick Benfit and Mr. and Mrs. Tom Webb. Here's hoping you get to share your special days surrounded by those you love.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE--Redmen Hall will be brimming with music, gifts and holiday spirit galore as their annual Holiday Open House, entitled "Come Home for the Holidays" begins this Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with music by Sunrise Fletcher and Jerry Ledtke. The Hall will be open Saturday for those same hours, but on Sunday, the hours will revert to their usual time of noon to 4 p.m. On hand that day to provide you with his musical talents, will be Andrew Emlen, while folks looking to get the latest book written by local author, Irene Martin, Flight of the Bumble Bee" can get it signed from 1 to 3 p.m. You will find wonderful, unique gift cards and gorgeous glass ornaments by Treasure Collupy and a wide array of books, along with canned salmon and homemade jams as well--a great place to buy some local things and put together a terrific basket of goodies for that loved one of yours! We hope to see you there!

BOOK SIGNING--I went to Redmen Hall last Sunday and got to chat with Karen Bertroch and meet Bryan Penttila, two of the authors that collaborated on the new book, "When Logging Was Logging....100 years of Big Timber in SW Washington." I thoroughly enjoyed looking through this book, as it's the pictures of the people we know, that first catch one's eye. Folks with last names like Wirkkala, Haataja, Rangila, Nelson, Olsen, DeBriae, Florek, Bighill, Ervest, Blankenship, Cothren and more. I can't imagine anyone in our area reading this book and not knowing someone that's mentioned in it, as working in the woods is a way of life around here, and one that many of our family members or our friends have delved into at one time or another and some are still there. Once you take in the pictures, you'll go back and start reading about these hard working individuals and the hardships they've endured, the success they had, the changes since they began and the tragedies that have befallen some of them, this family included. Robert Chamberlain, younger brother of my husband, Bill, was killed while working for Weyerhauser when he was just 18. There are great stories in this book that you probably haven't heard, and terrific history of times long ago. You can get a copy at Redmen Hall this weekend or if you're West of KM, then go to the Appelo Archives Center and get it there. It also makes for a great Christmas gift!

COMING UP--Here's the big weekend, which includes Black Friday. If you take part in this annual event, I do hope you're doing it in our local area and taking advantage of all that we have to offer here, and enjoy the lighting festival that takes place that evening in Cathlamet. All the action begins at 3 p.m., when you'll be enjoying the Festival of Trees at the Bank of the Pacific. You can vote for your favorite and bid on them as well, and then the lights will come on in the courthouse square at 5 p.m. and guess what? Santa will be there! Stroll down the decorated street, and check out the shops, as some will be having specials, like Howie's Coffeehouse, which will be giving out free coffee samples and you'll get to enjoy the newly renovated and decorated Tsuga Art Gallery as well. After all that, head to the Pioneer Church, where they'll be showing the movie Polar Express.

BASKETS GALORE--I hope you've purchased a ticket or two for the wonderful Christmas basket being given away by the Skamokawa Grange and Skamokawa Fire Dept., as it's just loaded with goodies! Not only will you have everything you want for dinner, but extras as well, which include three gift certificates plus gifts for mom, dad, the kids and the family and a hand blown glass ornament for your tree, so everybody gets something. While this $200 basket is a great deal, don't despair if your name isn't called as the winner, as there are several other smaller gift baskets that will be given away as well, so you do have a few chances to come away with a nice gift for just a dollar. You can purchase your tickets for the basket at the Bank of the Pacific or at the Skamokawa Store ahead of time, or buy them the night of the dinner. The winner will be drawn on December 10 at our free community dinner that evening at the Skamokawa Grange Hall, where I hear Santa may be able to pop in and pass out some goodies before he gets super busy at the North Pole, so we hope to see you there!

THE END--Yes, it's true....Skamokawa Pete's Duck Inn has finally closed its doors. It's a place with a million memories, good and bad, happy and sad, but I hope that when it reopens next year, we'll be able to make new memories, in a new building and once again be able to enjoy this place that is such a central hub to our town. In the days ahead we'll keep you posted on all the latest, as while we're sad to see this era end, we're excited to see the next one begin!

ACROSS THE CREEK--Head to Astoria and take in their fifth year of Scrooged in Astoria at the ASOC Playhouse at 129 West Bond Street in Uniontown Astoria, behind the Pig 'n' Pancake restaurant. It opens December 1 and runs through December 18, Thursday through Sat. evenings at 7:30 p.m. and there will be two Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. on December 11 and 18, with doors opening a half hour prior to the show. Seating is limited so call their box office at 503-325-6104. Tickets are $15 and $18 with senior and child rates available.

SURVIVAL GEAR--I learned something from the pros on something most of us do wrong when it comes to surviving cold weather, so I thought I would pass it along. We know what we should be wearing, like clothes made from synthetics, and definitely not cotton, as it's cold, stays wet and is dangerous to wear. We also know we should have our clothes layered but what are they forgetting? It's their underwear! One big mistake in trying to stay warm and dry in freezing conditions is our use of cotton underwear under all those layers. So there's your tip for staying warm and dry: do not wear any cotton clothes, beginning with that first layer you put on. And now you know what else you could buy for that person on your list that likes to ski, sled or snowboard!

DOES ANYBODY KNOW?--Here's a question coming from Ray Peek--he said that a when he was a kid, there was a parts shop on the site of what is now the new fire hall. While some folks knew of people who once had a repair shop back there, like Mr.Lawson, Mr. Nepsund and possibly the Snyders, the person that Ray was asking about was a guy who got around on a cart at the shop with no legs. Does anybody know who that would be? If you know, please give me a call.

KEEP SENDING LETTTERS--If you are in the Skamokawa area, you should have gotten a letter about the post office with the Skamokawa Grange Letterhead on it and it had some very good tips about what to say when writing a letter to our representatives. One of the Post Offices own directives is quite interesting, as 101(b) of Title 39 (US Code) says that " The Postal Service shall provide a maximum degree of effective and regular postal services to rural areas, communities and small towns where post offices are not self-sustaining. No small post office shall be closed solely for operating at a deficit, it being the specific intent of the Congress that effective postal services be insured to residents of both urban and rural communities."

So, armed with that information, and the rest of the letter, please write more letters and mail them today as our 60 day window of getting our word out there and trying to block our post office from closing, is running out. A big thank you goes to Kathleen Morgain for putting together this letter and to our anonymous mailer for footing the bill. Please, write again today!

TURKEY DAY--It's Thanksgiving tomorrow and I hope I get to hear from several of you about how you spent your holiday. I heard that some folks were going to work in soup kitchens or churches to help with the serving of their turkey dinners for the less fortunate, so that was very nice. We commend those that take time to do for others. Of course, sometimes our plans are detoured by the weather, but hopefully we won't have to change our plans too much this year, as that's never fun. We have had to finish off our turkey dinner on the grill or on the propane stove due to power outages in the past, so while I hope we don't have to do that this year, it won't hurt to have an alternative cooking method ready, just in case. In the meantime, here's hoping you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday everybody!