Are you ready for some football?

JUST RIGHT--Once we got over a wild couple of days last week with thunder and lightning and pouring down rain, it wasn't too bad, albeit a bit muggy now and then. This week started out with some rain threats but forecasters can't quite make up their minds about that, so who knows what we'll really see coming by the end of the week. Please don't be fooled by the rain we had, as there is still a burn ban in effect and fines have been doled out for illegal camp fires or trash fires recently, so when in doubt, call authorities.

FAIR IS DONE--Once again the Wahkiakum County Fair is over; for the 106th time! While there was a bit of drizzle a couple of mornings, it wasn't anything major and the weather was just great for the rest of the day. I heard several kids tell their folks that they like taking part in this fair a lot better than some of the bigger ones, so it just goes to show, bigger is not always better. On top of that, the big honcho of all fairs was there and said we were the best small fair he'd gone through, and even gave a coveted award to the Youth Building Superintendents for its wonderful displays and especially the terrific interaction between the adults and youth. Carol Ervest and Amber Eaton are really to be commended for their great work in that building. Having the "top dogs" put their stamp of approval on our fair is really an honor.

Beings I'm in the T-building during fair time, I have to say, we have a couple of super Superintendents with Sandy Hart and Barbara Rose chalking up a whole lot of hours and a lot of work over their many years of service, so a special hats off to those two for all their dedication! We are lucky to have many devoted workers at the fairgrounds so kudos to all of you who work your hardest to see to it that we have a great fair!

A hearty congratulations to Queen Abbie Eaton and the rest of her court for doing such a great job in raising money for our fair; that was awesome! Let's hope we see this kind of hard work and dedication from the new group of girls next year!

GRANGE SUPPORT--As president of the Skamokawa Grange #425, I would like to thank all those who stopped by our booth at the fair and bought tickets for our wonderful, $300 gift basket/table which we will be giving away in December. The "basket" started out as a complete dinner for the holidays with a few added on items. It then got a little bigger with coupons and gift cards. Then it got bigger as we added gifts for Mom, Dad and the kids. Then it got a little bigger with items for your tree and some odds and ends people like to have at holiday time, like some special candies and nuts. Then came a few things for the kitchen to make Mom happier, like maybe a coffee pot, or a blender, and this year it's a triple crock pot server and a brand new roasting pan, so it winds up being way more than "just a basket" of things!

We're happy to thank Lance and Shannon Britt of the Skamokawa Resort for their donation of one of their specialty sweat-shirts so you can stay warm and cozy during the winter hours and also to Logan Britt of the Duck Inn for giving us a gift certificate, so you can treat yourself out after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. So, we thank all those who have donated something to this great gift, and we hope nothing messes up our big dinner in December so you can come on down and eat dinner with us for free and buy a few more tickets and hear if you're the lucky winner! There will also be several smaller items being given away that evening, so if you don't win the big one maybe you'll win something else. Thanks again for your support!

GRANGE MEETING--Speaking of the grange, the next meeting of the Skamokawa Grange #425 will be held Monday, Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m., potluck with the meeting to be held at 7 p.m. at their hall at 18 Fairgrounds Road.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from Aug. 21-27 are Becky Ledtke, Riley Emlen-Petterson, Kay Walters, Mike Vincent, LouAnn Hedges, Greg Parker, John Gustafson, Chip Perkins, Kathy Perkins, Cindy Faubion, Linda DeBraie, Kathy Durrah, Dolly Hartley, Linda Ougendal, Audrey Hedman, Bob Wegdahl Jr., Larry Havens, Bobbie Leingang, Darrell Trotter, Nicholas Keithley, Cathy Stuart, Kelly Nettles Recupero, Shannon Ellison, Wayne Bell and Sean Pedersen.

Those celebrating their anniversary this week are Mr. and Mrs. John McKinley, Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Cruickshank, Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Brown, Lesley and Larry Horman and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Doumit. Here's to wonderful celebrations for all of you!

COMING RIGHT UP--The Wooden Boat Festival and the Buzzards Breath Chili Cook-off is next weekend.

I see where there was a bit of a discrepancy between the two ads and one article that I saw for the chili cook-off. However, I was told that the poster is the correct version of events, so I hope that's the one you're all going by. Don't forget, there is music, a beer garden, a yellow ducky race and other contests going on to keep you entertained throughout the longer hours that are posted, but as far as the availability of the chili, there's a much shorter window of opportunity to get some so don't be late. It's free to enter the contest and it's $7 to do the tasting. If in doubt about any of the events, contact the Chamber at 795-9996 for the complete (correct) info.

FOOTBALL--Are you ready for some Mule football? I hope so as it won't be very long until the red and black, Mule attack will be hitting the field, with practices already going on and the first game is scheduled for home against Toutle Lake on Sept. 5. The Friday night games with the Varsity team start at 7 p.m. The Monday night games for the JV team will start at 6 p.m. and they will start by playing in Toutle Lake on Sept. 8. Here's to a great season for the boys this year!

MADE IT HOME--It was great to see grandson, Austin Good at the fair last week as he had been in Alaska working and learning about fishing and the processing part of that trade this summer. While he had to adjust to a pretty rigorous work schedule at first, he soon learned how to deal with that and made new skills, new friends and came to enjoy the work as well. On the same day, cousin Lainie Ferguson came by with her Mom, Brenda, and I learned she had just gotten home from Spain after a wonderful experience, so these traveling cousins seemed to have spent their summer well. Austin will be entering college in Ellensburg this month, while Lainie doesn't have to check into the University of Washington until next month. I have no doubt that both of them will do well in these next few years while furthering their education.

FOS--Time is flying by and the annual Wine Tasting and Auction event will be taking place at the Skamokawa Grange Hall as the Friends of Skamokawa host a wonderful evening of fun while raising money for the continuing maintenance of the historic Redmen Hall. I hope you'll consider donating something for their live or silent auction as it is tax deductible and the money raised really goes for a very good cause. Mark Sept. 13 down on your calendar as it will be a wonderful, exciting and enjoyable evening for all. Contact the hall at 795-3007 for more information about the event or to donate something. They are open Thursday through Sunday, noon to four, so you can drop off your items in the next couple of weeks.

GETTING BETTER--I'd like to thank all the people who have been saying their prayers and thinking good thoughts on behalf of my sister-in-law, Peggy Pedersen, as she is doing better but could certainly stand a few more well wishes going her way. She was recently moved from SW Medical to the Salmon Creek facility and I talked to her Monday evening and she is much better and hopes to be home real soon. We found out that one should not take pneumonia lightly as it can lead to some serious issues if not treated promptly.

OUT OF THE PAST--During this same week in 1944, the week began nice and hot and then it rained a couple of days before turning hot again. Ralph B. (Pedersen) had a bad cough so his Grandma Elsie took him to the doctor to get a shot. A few days later he was feeling much better and he and his brother, Frank, headed out to the Sellards' family to play. On Aug. 24, the Hughes family welcomed a baby girl into their family. Carol (Everest) Pedersen returned home from Alaska that week with one year old David, who was now walking all over.

Back in 1949, it was cloudy a couple of days while the others were hot. At a Monday candlelight service there was a double ring ceremony when Miss Mary Ann Quarles became the bride of Allen T. Wood at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church on Puget Island. Officiating the service was Rev. Charles Cotton who was pastor of the St. Stevens Episcopal Church in Longview. Parents of the bride were Mrs. Ford Quarles of Seaside, Ore., and the groom's parents were Mr. and Mrs. C. I. Wood of P.Is. It was a sad time that week as Leonard Larson, 48, passed away suddenly one Tueday morning. He had been fishing in Astoria and wasn't feeling well, so other fishermen came to his aid and helped him get in his nets, and then, feeling a little better, drove his boat to Long Beach and went to the hospital there. He passed away shortly after arriving. He was survived by his widow, Esther and stepson Roger Below and three brothers: Charles, Gearhard and Henry and three sisters: Helga Turner, Carla Larson and Lillie Caldwell and his mother, Mary Larson of Cathlamet. His services were held on Friday, Aug. 26.

In 1964, it was hot for the first five days but the last two days were rainy. Skamokawa girl, Sharon Bunn was named Queen of the Wahkiakum County Fair that Saturday night, Aug. 22, at the "Wind Up" dance by Clinton Smith who was chairman of the Queen contest. It was the first time someone from Skamokawa had taken the crown since her sister, Marjorie had taken it years earlier. She was crowned that evening by the previous year's Queen, Mary Ann Brusco, and her court included Bonnie Wendelin and Kathy Watkins who would be reigning over the fair that coming week. The Queen's Ball would take place at the Skamokawa Grange Hall that Saturday night with Gust Anderson's band providing the music, while the night before, the Stiletto's Orchestra performed at the hall.

All this according to Grandma Elsie Everest's diaries.