Skamokawa News

WILD AND MISERABLE. After I turned in my column last week, the storm that we were expecting definitely showed up and boy did it ever pack a wallop. For many, there was plenty of wind and rain, but you didn't get the brunt of it like most of us did that were west of Cathlamet, as a major power line lead came down and kept a good chunk of us without power for twelve hours. This is one of those times when you get to test out just how prepared you are for a situation like this. We have been warned repeatedly to "be ready" but are we really? Being prepared for everything is difficult, as one does things differently for a flooding event than for a fire or an earthquake. Around here, being prepared for a power outage should be pretty standard, so how did you do? With a little luck, you won't have to go through any more of that, but while things are fresh in your mind, it's a great time to take stock of what you needed to do differently to make your lives easier and safer in this kind of situation when it happens again. It's easy to see what we take for granted and, if you found yourself in need of something, now is the time to plan to fix, repair, replace or add onto your list of emergency preparations. I think this time was a bit different from others as we not only lost power, but we lost telephone service as well, so that was not helpful at all.

FRIENDSHIP GROUP. The Cathlamet Senior Friendship group that meets at Our Saviors Lutheran Church Wednesdays at noon had recently, thanks to Nancy Nelson, invited representatives of the Wahkiakum County Department of Emergency Management to come to their meeting and fill them in on what they needed to do to handle a big emergency like flooding and other situations. They said they hadn't realized just how many things there were to think about and how much more planning and prepping they had to do. Then comes this storm, and I don't think they had any idea that they would need some of that advice they heard so soon, as being without power for extended periods of time definitely requires some pre-planning as well. We are all pretty "power dependent," so this was quite the test for a good chunk of us this past week. Although just not opening your refrigerators or freezers to "check on them" is really crucial as they will stay cold a long time if not opened, did you have an alternate power source so your food wouldn't go bad? Did you have another heat source so you could stay warm? Maybe just plenty of blankets or sleeping bags? With everyone having computers these days, it's pretty easy to find out what you need to do, what kind of kit you need to build and have handy, and those important "to go" bags to have ready to grab in case you need to evacuate in a hurry. It all seems a little crazy or like "overkill," but better to be prepared and not need it than to find yourself as one of those people standing there saying, "I lost everything...I have nothing left," when that could have been prevented by taking the time to get a kit together and make plans "just in case.” At any rate, we still have March to get through, and it is well known for its wet and wild nature with even some snow in the hills and some flooding, so we aren't out of the woods just yet. Keep stocked up on the essentials and hope we don't need them.

SPECIAL DAYS. Those celebrating birthdays this coming week from March 6 through 14 are: Mark Whitaker, Gretchen Mahitka, Sara Fletcher, Gladys Mace, Karlie Helms-Lampitt, Gracie Helms-Lampitt, Kennedy Moonen, Mike Scott, Azery Gribskov, Harlow Greenup, Rhiannon McNally, Teah Seymours, Mary Thomas, Milt Doumit, Linda Barth, Nikolai Barth, Gage Robinson, Tracy Ostling, Missy Edwards, Ray Brooks, Ian Turner, Sandy Wirkkala, Christopher Swift, Rebecca Brennan, Sarah Merrelll, Taylor Swanson, Tyler Hoven, Celia Kuhl, Jason C. Nettles, Steve McKinney, Scott Swarm, Landon Mogush, Neriah Holmes, Brooke Chandler, Shari Hughus, Peggy Sioux, Tammy Shannon, Karen Lawrence, Parul Ehrensberger, Dwight Blackshear, Kelly Zink, Colin Stewart, John Vik, Jean Wallen and Amy Bernard. Those celebrating anniversaries this coming week are: Bobbie and Paige Ferguson, Ray and Terri Slape, Mr. and Mrs. Ace Logan, and Frank and Cynda Webb. Enjoy your special days.

FLEA MARKET/BINGO/REDMEN HALL AND MORE. This Saturday, March 8 is the second Saturday of the month, and that usually means two things: there will be a Flea Market sale at the fairgrounds here in Skamokawa from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and there will be Bingo over at the Norse Hall on Puget Island with doors open at 5:30 p.m. and games beginning at 6 p.m. Also, this will be the day that the Interpretive Center at Redmen Hall/1894 Central School will open back up, so come to the hall and check out all their new items and take in the view from up in the bell tower. It's awesome. Plus, on March 16, they will be holding a Pie Social at 2 p.m., and Dayle Olsen will be sharing her poetry. This is a public event so all of you are welcome to attend. Group tours are available of the Hall/Central School with a historian to explain the history of the building, etc. For info, call (360) 795-3007.

SPRING AHEAD. It's that time of year, as the second Sunday in March is our usual time to "spring forward," meaning we lose an hour of "everything" that we thought we gained just not that long ago. Be sure to set those clocks ahead before you go to bed this Saturday night, as Sunday, March 9, is officially Daylight Savings Time.

SKAMOKAWA SWAMP OPERA. Head up to the Pioneer Community Center at 125 Columbia Street in Cathlamet on Friday, March 14, and you can enjoy a great group of musicians, as they present "Irish Music Night" from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission for adults is just $10 and, of course, children 12 and under are free. Wear some green, and get ready for a grand ole time in a grand building as the Skamokawa Swamp Opera entertains you next Friday evening in Cathlamet.

MORE MUSIC IN SKAMOKAWA. On March 15, you can head to the historic saloon, "The O" and take in more music, as they'll be having a Saint Patrick's Day party just a wee bit early. You're all invited to join them at 8 Fairgrounds Road beginning at 4 p.m. They have free pool, and there will be live music with "Little Radio" from 7 to 9 p.m. Let's hope for some decent weather so they can get that outside fire going and everyone can have a really good time inside “The O" and outside in the beer garden as well. Wear some green or you might just get a pinch.

DID YOU KNOW? Speaking of music, here's a little trivia: Did you know that on March 2, 1965, "The Sound of Music" debuted in the U.S. and, now, it is celebrating its 60th anniversary? By November 1966, the film became the highest grossing of all time, even surpassing "Gone with the Wind." This was a sensational movie all over the world, as box-office records were broken in 29 other countries. It was certainly a masterpiece of a musical and my favorite kind of show.

LOOK FOR LOCAL DEALS. As St. Patricks' Day falls on a Monday, when some of our local restaurants aren't usually open, maybe they'll be having their special "green deals" early. If they do, I certainly hope you'll get out and support them.

EASTER "SIP-n-SIGN.” Once again, Tracy McCallum is going to put on an event at the Duck Inn. This will be your opportunity to come on down to the Duck Inn on March 26, at 6 p.m. and make your own Easter sign. All supplies are provided, and it's always a fun time. The cost is just $35. But wait; here's the deal. If you pre-register before March 17, the cost is just $30, so be sure to register with her at Venmo@Tracey-McCallum -1 or Cash App $traceylmccallum, or if you're old school like me and don't do any of those fancy app things, then call her at (253) 350-1582. Here's to everyone having a good paint and sip time.