The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

NOT BAD--As this work week began, at least for some folks, it wasn't too bad, as the morning showers gave way to sunshine and my "lake" started to shrink after a weekend of heavy rains and nastiness at times. Several days of this week look to be dry, albeit with some heavy fog in the morning hours, so be sure to get those lights on and slow down a bit. I'll enjoy the dry days, but for those who are wishing to use that new ski gear or snowboards that they got for Christmas, I am sure that they are wishing that it would cool down and snow. I'm all for snow, in the mountains that is, but could do without it down here. It would also be great to have a good snowpack built up as the water content is really needed during the summer time, so let's hope we get some of that white stuff up at the ski lodges before too long, or it's going to be a pretty bad summer for many folks.

WILD ENDING--Unless you live under a rock, you know by now that the Seahawks are Super Bowl bound to Arizona after rallying from a huge deficit and winning in overtime to defeat the Green Bay Packers, who were running through, around and all over the 'Hawks most of the game. Needless to say, the last few minutes of the game was thrilling, heart pounding and well, just about more than some of us could handle. However, the end result was totally awesome! Not enough can be said about Russell Wilson and his "never give up" attitude and to his special team guys, who really pulled this one out of the hole and gave us a game to remember for the ages!

The New England Patriots slaughtered the Indianapolis Colts in the game following the 'Hawks, so it's going to be quite a match up in the Super Bowl. We are all hoping that the Seahawks do a repeat win in the SB, but we hope they don't do the heart attack routine once again; just show up in the first half and get it done, as I'm not so sure the Patriots will let them come from behind like Green Bay did! "Go Seahawks on Sunday, February First!"

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from Jan. 22-28 are Sharon Buennagel, Trinity Thompson, Sharon Schmitz, Laura Bennett, Brandon McClain, Becky Thacker, Ronda Rose, Sam Tarabochia, Kaylyn Kaattari, Daniel Hoven, Linette Hoven, Gary York, Leslie Sullivan, Sherry Ostling, Margie Moore, Kyli Prestegard, Troy Gorley, Jody Kephart, Deanna Simpkins, Jolene Wright, Shirley Mae Toney, Brandon Burdick, Bill Olsen, Linda Seaberg, Kasey Thomlinson, Mike Nollan, Nicholas Kubacki, Cindi Pedersen and Luke Sechler. May all of you enjoy your birthdays in the coming days!

Celebrating their anniversary this week are former resident, Kelly (Nettles) and hubby, Louis Recupero down under in Australia--enjoy!

END OF THE MONTH--Don't forget that the American Legion, Deep River Post 111, will be holding their annual crab and oyster feed at the Rosburg Community Hall on Jan. 31, this year, so that's only a couple of weekends away. Needless to say, you should call right away for tickets as Dale Rose, 360-465-2234 can get them for you, or Ken Elliott 360-465-2274 or Judith Emmick 360-465-2680. This is always a great time with plenty of food, some great raffle items with music and dancing to top off the evening, so we hope you will buy a ticket, $28, and support this terrific group while enjoying a fun evening!

JUST AVAILABLE--The tickets for the Wahkiakum Fair Board's annual "Valentine Dinner" are now available at the Bank of the Pacific in Cathlamet, so we hope you'll want to come down on Valentine's Day, or evening, and not only enjoy a tasty filet mignon dinner, cooked by experts Blair Brady and Bill Coons, but you could also walk away a winner of the grand prize. This year it will consist of a diamond bracelet valued at $600, along with a bottle of champagne, two wine goblets, box of chocolates and more. Tickets will be just a dollar, so bring a few extra bucks with you to the dinner and maybe you will be the big winner!

Also this year, the board would like to remind you that while the event is listed from 6 to 8 p.m., the dinner will be served from 6 to 7 so as to have some time to buy tickets for the raffle and get ready for the drawing, all while listening to the entertainment that will be provided by pianist, Kathleen Peterson.

THIS SATURDAY--For all of you who were close to Inez Danielsen, this is a reminder that her Celebration of Life service will take place at the Norse Hall on Puget Island this Saturday, Jan. 24, at 1 p.m.

MULES/CHANGES--Also this Saturday, the Mules will be playing Mossyrock at home, but at different times than usual, as the JV team will play at 3 p.m., and the varsity will play at 5:45 p.m. Then the Lady Mules play that same day, only the JV team plays at 4:15 and the varsity plays at 7 p.m., so it's a long day of basketball at home with this different schedule. Call the school to verify. Then next Wednesday, Jan. 28, the boys will play Morton/White Pass only at Randle for that game while the Lady Mules will be playing Morton/ White Pass the day before, on Tuesday Jan. 27. The WHS wrestling team will be attending a tournament on Saturday in Kalama, and a five team Mix and Match tournament on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at home. There will also be a girls wrestling tournament at RA Long on Friday (tomorrow) the 23rd. Go Mules!

MORE LOSSES--It seems that every time we pick up the paper, we have lost another person who was a long standing member in our community, and last week, we saw where Gene Torget and Virginia Bacon have left us, and we offer our deepest sympathies to both of their families. Services for Virgnia have already taken place, whole those for Gene will take place this Saturday at the Heritage Bible Church at 3 p.m. Families of Rolly Armstrong and Mike Prever held their services last Saturday and Sunday. Again, our condolences to all of these families.

SAY A PRAYER--I learned that Cameron Collins' grandson has the deadly strain of the flu virus and so she would appreciate any and all prayers on his behalf. We certainly hope the little guy pulls through this just fine. Lori (Moody) Smith says her Mom was hospitalized last week and was not doing real well, so we'll say some prayers for her Mom and that entire family as they deal with their Mom's health issues.

QUICK TRIP--I hadn't planned it but the opportunity arose, the weather was decent, and my granddaughter Tessa Sechler was playing basketball against some former team players of hers and so I decided to take a very quick trip to Seattle to watch the Ballard Lady Beavers take on Holy Names. While Tessa had a great game, the team came up a little short and wound up losing by 10, but it was great to watch the little dynamo work the court and out-maneuver and out-score many of her opponents. I was happy to get to see her play but after the game, it was a bite to eat, go to bed, and then get up and leave in the morning, so there was no time to visit other friends and family; maybe next time!

GALS MEET--When you go to school in Cathlamet, you stay in the same school system from the first grade to your senior year in high school, and you do all that with the grade school, middle school (which we didn't even have in my day) and high school, all within eye-sight of one another. The kids that were in your first grade class were most likely to be the same ones you graduated with, plus or minus a few along the way. Many of us stayed in this area, and many others that left, kept in touch over the years. Recently, five of us gals from the class of '67 (Judy Lindwall Bergman, Elaine Munson Rolfe, Nancy Jacobsen Brady, Noni Gilbertsen Meredith and myself) met for lunch and we not only shared some good laughs over the good times we've had but we were also there to support those who had suffered losses or were going through some tough times recently. It's during times like this that I fondly think of the smaller school systems that allow long term contact with the same kids so we can form these bonds. In big cities, kids split up and go to different schools at the fifth grade level and then again at the eighth, all going their separate ways, a concept that seems totally foreign to me. While there are surely advantages and disadvantages to both, I have to admit that whenever a group of my classmates gets together, I really appreciate having all these memories from over the years together. From first talking about boys, to weddings, to having kids, to having the kids leave the nest, to the first grandchild, and now medicare and health plans, we have run the gamut of topics as we have aged. I'm not sure how we got so old so fast, but I will gladly enjoy these get-togethers while I can still remember them!

POST OFFICE--If you haven't encountered the changes at the Skamokawa post office yet, this is just a reminder that the hours to do business are from 8 a.m. until noon, with mail needing to get in by 11:45. The lobby is open all the time so those who have post office boxes are still able to pick up their mail. You can also pick up packages in the new lock boxes and of course, you can drop off mail as well, but just know that after 11:45, it will go out the following day. I urge everyone to continue to use our post office as frequently as possible as we don't want to see our post office go completely away.

IS THIS FAIR?--Speaking of the post office, we recently said goodbye to our post mistress and friend, LouAnne Hedges after she was told she had to retire and that was that, and a trainee would be coming in and learning her job, being trained by the current part time person. Ok, that seemed to make no sense, but with the person in Rosburg having to go as well, and things were all fair and square, we just accepted it, even though we just didn't like it and it made no sense. However, after looking at the post office web site, we see that the person in Rosburg was allowed to stay in his position, as long as he was in agreement to the cut in hours and all was fine and dandy. Now, here's what I don't understand--why was he allowed to stay, when LouAnne could not? I'm sure there's some quirky little thing that happened that I don't know about, but considering you had a trained person, who was willing to stay and work, and take the cut in pay, why was she not given this same opportunity as the person in Rosburg? I just think LouAnne should be able to have the same offer, and get her job back. She wants it, she's already trained for it and whatever "glitch" there might have been, should probably be exempt as she was not given the "oh by the way, if you do this or that, you can stay" option! How can LouAnne get her job back? Who has the answers? Who can help?

OUT OF THE PAST--This week back in 1945, it had been clear and cold and "just lovely" all week long. Cecil and Eva Houchen stopped in to visit with the Everests and they enjoyed hearing all about his travels to England and the South Pacific. This week the Everest's oldest son, George, turned 30 years old. The M. Blix family welcomed a baby girl into the family. Marian and Leon Healy had moved and they had a busy week as Marian was painting cupboards and friends and family helped them move their things. Grandma Elsie got a ride over to Puget Island with Mr. Johnson to deliver a telegram to the Neilsen's that Gunner N. was injured. The very next day, she had to deliver one that said Paul Neilsen had been killed. It was a sad time indeed.

In 1950, the weather was still an issue as pictures in the paper featured the hard hit areas in and around the Vancouver area, which took the brunt of a severe ice storm that was the worst in recent years. In one photo near Camas, all the orchards were destroyed with snapped trees everywhere. There was also an eight mile stretch of road with nothing but downed power lines. No one had power for three days or more. Ferry service on the Columbia between The Dalles and the Washington shore was finally made possible by the powerful tug, the Winquatt, as the ice had stopped all traffic on the river for days. Thousands were without telephone service as well and trees continued to come down and the death toll was mounting as the snow and icy conditions continued. On the day George Everest turned 35, there was a blizzard in Cathlamet; it was truly miserable. Back in Minnesota that week, the Everest's youngest son, R. Marshall Everest Jr. was married to Dorothy Martin on Jan. 28. All this according to Grandma Elsie's diaries.