Happy Memorial Day to one and all

GETTING BETTER--Our weekend saw us getting pretty soaked from time to time but during the afternoon hours, we had some pretty decent dry spells, so it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. The same goes for the work week as we had off and on showers as it began, but we also had some dry spells, so it's our usual Spring time weather, in which we find the shower/sun combo making our lawns grow like crazy so the person in charge of mowing your lawn is definitely keeping busy. By the time you read this, we're supposed to be a little warmer but showers may be here and there, so we hope you've got both your sun screen and your umbrella handy as the good weather will depend on where you are and when you're there!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from May 22-28 are M.J. McClain, Bryson Havens, Mitch Moonen, Kyle C. Parker, Don Anderson, Johnnie Peterson, Bonnie Bigler, Tim Hoven, Julie Black, Jeff Vik, Lois Nelson, Patti LaBerge, Bobby McNally, Penny Bond, Kelly Hammond, Rochelle Cothren, Linda Holland Toste, Tiernan Cochran, Arnie Good, Donna Healy Palmer, Mary Jo Brown, and Katrina Pedersen Freeman. May all of you have wonderful birthdays this coming week!

Celebrating their anniversaries this week are Bill and Linda Mahitka, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Cochran, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Danker, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Mendez.We hope all of you have terrific anniversary celebrations this week.

LIONS CLUB--The Wahkiakum Lions Club is once again selling sliced unsweetened stawberrys in a bucket, as their Eighth Annual Strawberry Sales event takes place until June 9, when it comes to an end. So, put in your order now, with a 14-lb. bucket costing $30 and you can get the bargain bucket of 50-lbs. for $50. Just fill out the form which should be located here in this paper and mail it in by the deadline or you can call Carol McClain at 795-3337 or call 849-4003 and they can answer any questions you may have. Pick up date is June 14, and you have your choice of getting them from either the Wahkiakum High School parking lot, or the Skamokawa Grange parking lot from 10 to noon. Don't delay, order today!

THREE DAY WEEKEND--As you must know by now, this weekend is a holiday weekend as Monday, May 26, is Memorial Day, so there are always a million things planned over this holiday, so we hope it's nice for sure. Whatever you opt to do, we hope you keep in mind that traffic will be a little heavier in certain areas, so driving defensively is going to be imperative and giving yourself plenty of time to get to your destination takes "hurrying" out of the equation, and preparing for the worst scenarios, can help ensure that you will have the best one possible. Enjoy yourself whatever you do!

AMERICAN LEGION--One of the events happening this weekend in our area, is the American Legion Breakfast that takes place at their hall in Deep River. This is a great opportunity to have a great breakfast at a reasonable price and all the monies raised go to a great cause as well. That's this Saturday, May 24.

WELL WISHES--We were sorry to hear that fellow columnist, Trudy Fredrickson's husband, has had some serious health issues lately and we hope he has stablized by now and is doing better. I was happy to hear from Betty Koziel, our Skamokawa flower lady, as she's been in and out of hospitals for awhile, but she says she's doing much better now and so that was great news. Our other flower gal, Danny Silverman's helper, Dena Friddle, is finally getting better after four months in ICU, so she's been through a lot this year and we wish her a full recovery real soon.

NEXT WEEKEND--After this weekend, it's car show time in Skamokawa! On May 31, the rumbling of hot rods will be heard as the Dollars For Scholars association puts on their annual Rods and Reels event. We will definitely be praying for nice weather that day as it's way more fun to stroll amongst the cars and visit with everybody while enjoying the music and food as well. As always, the prize tables are looking great and a big thank-you goes out to all of you who are willing to help out and donate things each year. Our local businesses take a big hit each year as everyone asks for donations, so please be sure to patronize those businesses that are willing to help out our kids' scholarship funds each year!

BEFORE LONG--As you can see, the days are flying by and we are going to be into our last week of May in just a few days, so parents with seniors don't have too much more time to plan for that big graduation party, or for those last good-byes before this latest batch of graduates head off to further their eduation or get a job and move out on their own. It's an exciting, yet scary time for these young men and young women who will now be away from the comfort of their little school and community and the close-knit group of family and friends that they have leaned on all these years. However, this new and exciting chapter in their lives will bring many great changes and will be as enriching as they choose to make it, so I wish them all the best as they accept their diplomas on June 13.

OUT OF THE PAST--This week back in 1944, it was nice all week long with one really hot day on May 27. The Everests celebrated granddaughter, Donna Healy's birthday on May 22 at her folks' place (Leon and Marian Healy) as she turned four, while two days later, they all went back there and celebrated Carol (Everest) Pedersen's birthday, Marian's sister. Wahkiakum High School held their graduation on May 22 and the Everests thought it was a very nice affair. Glenn Patton of Cathlamet was awarded a $50 Shadle scholarship that week from WSU at the ceremonies held on May 24. It seems some locals boys, like Wilbur Jacobsen and Al Bussoni and others were all headed out to San Diego on May 26 (Navy I am guessing.)

Back in 1949, the week was mostly nice with a couple of really hot days with only one cloudy one at the end of the week. On one of those very hot days, which was Wednesday, May 25, Peder and Betty Pedersen welcomed a baby boy into the family. They named him Ray Jonas. That week marked the 15th birthday of Dionne Quintuplets: Annette, Emilie, Yvonne, Cecile and Marie, who were said to be very normal, unspoiled girls in spite of being so famous.

In 1954, the weather seemed to take turns between being nice or nasty all week long. Carol Pedersen turned 38 that week. That week the engagement of Ralph Pedersen and Peggy Austin was announced, with Ralph boarding a plane just a few days later as he headed to Alaska to go fishing. All this according to Grandma Elsie Everest's diaries.