Enjoy family time this Christmas season

OFF AND ON--Our weather has been a combination of wet, dry, rainy, snowy, calm, windy and everything else this past week. Forecasters say we may even see a white Christmas. Now wouldn't that be something? Since we are turning our columns in extra early this week, I don't have any idea what showed up for the big holiday, nor was I able to gather any news about anyone's Christmas gatherings. That will all have to wait until next week. All I know is that it was slushy the other day and a few flakes even fell in West Valley before turning to rain, so if it does snow here, it wouldn't surprise me. Portland and Kalama and other areas got a snowy surprise this past Sunday, so anything is possible. Let's just hope we were all prepared for it if it did turn out to be a white Christmas. I hope you had a great one!

SPECIAL DAYS-- Those celebrating birthdays this coming week are Kyla Gribskov, Duncan Cruickshank, Lee Tischer, Donald Cooper, Nancy McCoy, Tony Danker, Michael Baccellieri, Kohl Bergseng, John Hoven, Charlene Montgomery, Greg Bain, Trynity Mendez, Brooke Luthi, Mary Gustafson, Bob Stewart, Jim Blain and my brother, Frank Pedersen.

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Mr. and Mrs. Danny Eaton, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Thacker, Mr. and Mrs. Orville Lindsey, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Jungers and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bigler. Happy days to one and all.

BIG NIGHT--Next Monday night we will see another year come to an end. This year has sailed on by. It looks like the Mayan calendar will be going into its next cycle, so rather than the world coming to an end, it's going to be another new beginning. If you're out and about ringing in the new year, please remember to have a designated driver to ensure that you and your vehicle get home safe and sound. Don't start the new year with a wrecked car or a hefty ticket!

BIG DINNER--Once again we will see a whirlwind of activities and events in our local community as this new year begins. One of the big ones is happening at the Skamokawa Grange Hall just five weeks into the new year on February 9- the Valentine Diamond Dinner put on annually by the Wahkiakum Fair Board. You can buy your tickets now at the Bank of the Pacific or from fair board members. This year the diamond part of the gift basket will be a beautiful diamond bracelet. The cost for the filet mignon dinner, complete with dessert and a glass of wine, is $25. The cost includes one raffle ticket for the bracelet. However, more tickets will be sold at the dinner so all diners will have an opportunity to up their odds of winning. Only those attending the dinner will be able to buy raffle tickets for the gift basket. Buy your dinner ticket today and come to enjoy a great dinner and fun evening at the hall.

ON THE CALENDAR-- Also occurring at the Skamokawa Grange Hall later in the new year will be the Wahkiakum Dollar for Scholars Car Show on June 1. Past years have had a great turnout of awesome cars! There's music, food, trout pond for the kids, awesome raffles and more, so consider heading this way to check that out. It is run in conjunction with the annual Sturgeon Derby that takes place in the neighboring fairgrounds area. If you'd like to be a sponsor, contact me or Lee Tischer. We'd love to have you on board! All sponsors donating $200 in cash or prizes will get their name on this year's shirt as well as on posters hung in the hall. Then at the end of that month, June 28-30, the Smoky Water Follies will be taking place with lots of music, skits and comedy coming from talented local folks. If you're musically inclined or like to act, give me a call. We're always looking for fresh faces!

The Skamokawa Grangers will be hosting another Vendor's Market at Skamokawa Vista Park this year on July 27 and we're always looking for more vendors to join us. We'll be taking ideas from those interested on how to make things an even bigger success, so give me a call and let me know what you think!

In August, the Fair Dance will be taking place at the Grange Hall and then on September 14, the annual Friends of Skamokawa Wine Tasting and Auction will occur. It's always a great event with lots of auction items to bid on, both live and silent.

Finally, mark December 14 down on your calendar for the free community spaghetti dinner at the hall, just like we had a few weeks ago!

These are just a few of the things going on at the Grange Hall, but there's going to be plenty of things going on in our county. Watch for flyers around town and spread the word to all your friends and family! Remember, almost all these groups are looking for help in one way or another, so if you could donate either time or some gift or supply item, it would be greatly appreciated.

FIRST GRANGE MEETING--The Skamokawa Grangers want to invite you to become a member of the Skamokawa Grange. All are invited to attend our first meeting of the new year on January 14. Potluck begins at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting begins at seven p.m.

CHECK CALENDARS--It's come to my attention that whole groups of names that were previously listed on the Lion's Club calendar are no longer there. Please check and see if you or your family members names need to be added again, and if so, contact Carol McClain at 795-3337 or another Lion's Club member about this oversight. Also, if your name is misspelled or has changed or you want to add a name for next year, they'd like to hear from you.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS--If you only make one resolution this new year, I hope you'll consider making this very short one: be kind. Just by following those two words of civility, we can avoid a lot friction, hard feelings and general discontent in our lives. With a little luck, we'll see more smiling faces and acts of kindness throughout the land. We won't solve all of our economic problems or political unrest, but we can live in a place where we are respectful of one another, help one another and are a little more willing to bend a bit and get along. At the end of a day, one should have caused more laughter than tears, more smiles than frowns.

So, with that, I'll say good-bye 2012 and happy new year to one & all!