Bingo at fairgrounds Saturday, 6 p.m.

NOT NICE--As all the flooded fields and roadways, rock slides, fallen trees and outages can attest to, it was not nice out there this past week! As always, flooded fields and roadways weren't too bad in some areas, while other spots were really bad, so if one needed to be out and about, then you needed to be driving with extreme care. Our neighbors had a close call with a tree that came down off the "rock wall" just west of Skamokawa, so those trees that fall with no warning are really a hazard and a reminder that all this wonderful greenery can turn deadly in an instant.

Our forecast continues to change daily and it appears that we may have a dry weekend, so we can hope that holds true. They also say that along with those clearing skies, that we will get much colder temperatures, so you might want to take some precautions if the temps opt to take a sudden nose dive.

Currently, forecasters are saying that a wind storm may be coming our way so I'll be turning my column in early, just in case, as my lights are already blinking!

PREPPED?--This latest storm also gave us another heads up when it comes to how prepared we were for it; how did you do? I know some folks who got an unwelcome surprise as the runoff from the torrential rain totals meant carving out "canyons" down rock driveways and water flowed into people's basements that had never flooded before and access to homes in some areas was also cut off, so some of those things were not only unpleasant, but very damaging and costly as well. Some of the newer folks were definitely caught by surprise, so I felt bad for them as it's often hard to imagine how quickly things can happen.

Beings this is just the beginning of the rainy/stormy/unpredictable nasty season, if you found yourself in need of more flashlights/flood lights, batteries, boots, sandbags, pumps, generator, etc., now's the time to buy them. It's hard to prepare for every situation but these times are even harder when you haven't made any prepartions.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from Nov. 18-24 are Tanner Collupy, Linda Ashe, Jim Price, Beth Corbin, Susan Prestegard, Gunner Blix, Carol Werthman, Larry Holland, Kyle Parker Jr., Michell Rose, Toni Below, Kayli Quigley, Tari Peterson, Cheryl Parker, Trent Francis, Rae Anne Wilson, Sharon Deaton, Sandy Everman, Kadi Allen, Danella Murray, RT Miller, Erik Pedersen and Annie Pedersen.

Those celebrating anniversaries this coming week are Mr. and Mrs. Danny Ashe, Ryan and Lisa Nortrup, Carl and Ruth Linquist, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Tomlinson, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Garrett, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Stone, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Widmann, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Sorenson and Virgil and Lisa Cothren. May you all have wonderful birthday and anniversary celebrations this coming week.

COLLECTING FOOD--The Interstate Bank in Cathlamet would love to have you drop off some canned/non-perishable food items for their current food drive. I know there have been a couple other food drives already, but with the holidays coming up, I'm sure there is always a need for extra at this time of year, so if you can help out in anyway, that would be great.

BINGO ON SATURDAY--It's "Turkey Bingo" so head to the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds in Skamokawa this Saturday, Nov. 20 and have a great time for very little money. You will get three cards for just $10 and you can play them all night long, so that's not a bad deal, as you could win all kinds of neat prizes. If you've got a few more bucks to spend, buy some raffle tickets and try to win one of those prizes and of course, there's always the "big raffle" prize, so come and see what that is! Doors open at 5 p.m. and the games begin at 6 p.m., but you can always show up a little later and still play. Who knows, you might just win yourself that turkey for your upcoming holiday feast!

BIG DAY COMING UP--Next Thursday is Thanksgiving and I hope you've made your reservations for a wonderful dinner, either at your local eatery for their wonderful specials or you're letting your family know you'll be showing up for their turkey dinner! My plans are to enjoy letting someone else do the cooking and all the fuss and muss this year, so I'm looking forward to that. I will miss getting together with everybody but between the weather issues and my "lack of oomph," it was time to take a break and let someone else do the cooking. By letting someone else cook, I'm also keeping people employed and donating to a worthy cause, as they'll be donating to "Shop with a Cop" this year. As I see it, it's a triple win!

We will probably have early deadlines next week and I know some of you that live further away don't get your paper as early as the locals do, so to those of you who are far away, "Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!"

LOTS HAPPENING--We all know what happens right after Thanksgiving around here don't we? Well, for starters, the Friends of Skamokawa will show off the historic Redmen Hall with their "Deck the Hall" event, so be sure to check that out as it begins Nov. 26. If you're looking for that unique gift made by local artisans or books by local authors, here's your chance to shop and support the locals. For that hard to buy for person, you could also give a FOS membership to them. If you'd like to be a vendor, I believe you've still got time to sign up, but call 360-795-3007 right away.

In Cathlamet, we've got the annual "Tree Lighting Celebration" going on and that happens on Saturday, Nov. 27 with the Christmas caroling beginning at 4:30 p.m. When Santa shows up at 5 p.m., the tree will be lit up in all its glory in front of the courthouse. At the Community Center, the kids can get pictures taken with Santa and get a gift bag, too. Sounds like fun. Several shops on Main Street will be open late with holiday specials, so this would be a great time to shop local and not only support them, but have a lot of fun doing it.

TREES GOING UP--It's also that time when Christmas gift trees go up around our area stores, where you pick a star off the tree and buy the gifts listed on it for those in need. These trees will be showing up November 22 and will be up until Dec. 13, but the gifts need to be returned to the place where you got your star, and should be returned no later than Dec. 13. An earlier post said you had until Dec. 17, but be sure and check with those involved. Monetary donations can be made at the Bank of the Pacific.

If you need to get your name on the list of those in need of gifts for your kids this year, you should probably contact the head of the Star Program at 360-431-5232 and they can direct you on what you need to do.

MUSEUM--As you're probably aware of by now, the Wahkiakum County Historical Society has closed the museum in Cathlamet to the public for the winter. However, if you were able to contact the curator ahead of time to make an appointment to see the museum, that could most likely be arranged. Call 360-849-4353. The exception would be the couple of weeks around Christmas so that everyone can enjoy the holidays.

Every winter there are a handful of members working on various projects that need to get done there, so we applaud those who have given so generously of their time. If you're one who works well with others and would like to lend a hand, contact the above number. If you'd like to volunteer at the museum as a docent, come spring time when they reopen, again, please let them know by calling the number listed above.

This is also another place that a gift of a membership or a monetary donation in their name could be made for that hard to buy for person on your Christmas list. You can also send them a Christmas gift yourself, and beings they had a short season this year, all donations are truly welcomed. Mail to: WCHS, 65 River Street, Cathlamet WA 98612.

OUT OF THE PAST--Back in 1946, this week began with very cold temperatures and snow in the hills. A few days later, there was some snow out in the valleys but none in Cathlamet, and then it sure turned rainy and cold. However, up a little further north in Seattle, the city was digging out from one of the heaviest snowfalls in November in the past 25 years! Depending on where you were exactly, you had 6-10 inches worth and with temperatures diving down into the low 20s, it wasn't going anywhere. However, with those colder temperatures, which even went down into the teens, the threat of more snow got eliminated, so there was a plus side in seeing the "clear and cold" forecast. The worry for some was the loss of a heat source as there was a big coal strike going on in the country!

Linemen, Rassmussen and Bunn were at the Everests most of one evening and later on, Leon and Marian Healy, with kids Gene and Donna, stopped by and enjoyed sharing an ice cream cake. On Nov. 23, the Healy children spent the night at their grandparents home as their folks headed to Dale Rose's housewarming. Earlier that day, Ralph and Elsie Everest, along with Mary Anne Risk, went over and cleaned Redmen Hall.

The news from back East was not so great, as Grandma Elsie learned that her Uncle Charley Boss had died, and he was the last of her mother's family. The good news of the week was that the Everests' son, George had made it back to the states and was awaiting papers to be finalized so he'd be out of military service soon.

All this according to my Grandma Elsie Everest's 1946 diary.