NOT QUITE SO GOOD--The really warm, super nice, really good weekend that was supposed to have taken place over Father's Day weekend, didn't quite turn out the way they first predicted it would, at least not here. Go figure! However, after some rain on Saturday, and after some more clouds and drizzle on Sunday morning, we did have the sun come out in the afternoon and things got warm and steamy/muggy, which is what we get after the sun hits all the wetness around here.

Supposedly this week is going to be dry and down right hot by the end of the week, but as we have seen, those forecasts can change daily, but if it does get hot, remember the sun screen! More importantly, here's to no reports of children or dogs being left alone in hot cars!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from June 22-28 are Mary Baldwin, Don Speranza, Cliff Garrison, Lance Britt, Joel Moore, Angel Rose, Kay Holland, James Anderson, Kris Bergseng, Mary Nettles, Larry Horman, Jonathan Hauff, Bill Ower, Barbara Hanmore, McKenna Spieth, Sarah Palmer and Katie Nollan Sechler.

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Randy and Susan Kuhn, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hendrickson, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Brons, Dave and Sandra Gibson, John and Sharon Ackerman, David and Libby Whitney and Mark and Rhonda Pedersen. Enjoy those special days everybody!

Belated anniversary wishes to Larry and Sally Palmer, who celebrated their special day yesterday. I guess I need some better glasses!

FRIDAY NIGHT--Once again, it's movie night at the Community Center in Cathlamet this Friday, June 23, and this time there is a historical drama being shown, suited for adult audiences. As always, the show begins at 7 p.m. There's free popcorn or bring your own snacks or call ahead to have Sharon's Pizza Mill deliver a pizza to the center, about 6:45 p.m., so you can dine in while you're going out!

MUSEUM IS OPEN--The Wahkiakum County Historic Society (WCHS) invites you to stop by on the weekends and check out our very nice museum that we have at 65 River Street, next to the PUD. Hours are from 1 to 4 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday. There is always a need for volunteers and new members so if you can either help out in some way, like maybe hosting a Saturday or Sunday, or maybe even financially, it would surely be welcomed and appreciated. If you'd like to mail in a donation, you can do so by sending it to WCHS, P.O. Box 541, Cathlamet, WA 98612.

BIG WEEKEND--The bargain hunters will be out in full swing this weekend, as this is the annual Puget Island Garage and Yard Sale (PIGYS) weekend that starts, Friday, June 23 and ends on Sunday, June 25. Here's hoping all you happy shoppers will enjoy following the map and picking out all those good deals, while still maintaining some composure and good manners while you vie for the best bargain! Don't forget to stop by the Norse Hall and get your pulled pork sandwich, as I'm sure you're going to need to get refueled sometime or another, so don't miss out! (Friday and Saturday only.)

While you're out and about, don't forget to stop at the south end of SR 409, where the Danny Eatons have set up the VFW sale in their big shop there, which is 739 SR 409. It's the last house before you get to the crossroads going to the ferry landing. Their sales go to help all the VFW programs that they support.

LAST WEEKEND--The Friends of Skamokawa would like to remind you that their current exhibit in the River Life Interpretive Center, featuring the "Wonderful Women of Wahkiakum County" is coming to a close this Sunday, so if you haven't been up to see it, now's your last chance. Make Redmen Hall one of your stops this weekend, as you never know what wonderful, hand-crafted items you could find for a loved one or for yourself! There's always lots of goodies in the gift shop and lots of great reads in the book store, so why not check it out? The hall is open from Thursday through Sunday, noon to four.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL--Don't forget that the Wahkiakum Interfaith Network's Vacation Bible School starts at the River of Life Assembly of God Church this Monday, June 26 and ends on June 30. This network involves eight local churches, and they'd like to invite your children, ages of those entering Kindergarten up to the fifth grade to participate. The kids will enjoy singing songs, crafts and snacks too. It takes place from 9 until noon each day, with check-in time at 8:45 a.m. For all the information, contact Patti Phillips at 360-562-5013. Please register ASAP.

BIG HOLIDAY--Once we have the big PIGYS event, it always means that our next big holiday will soon follow, and sure enough, it won't be long until the Fourth of July! Beginning June 27, you will be able to buy fireworks from the Lions Club along SR 4 in Cathlamet. We hope you'll support this club and help them continue to do their good works. The holiday also means lots of traffic headed to the beach or to Longview to watch the fireworks there, so be mindful while you travel, and here's wishing for a safe and sane holiday!

BLOOD DRIVE--Right after the big Fourth of July holiday, which falls on a Tuesday this year, there comes a big Wahkiakum County blood drive on July 5. This will be held at the Hotel Cathlamet at 69 Main Street from 1-6 p.m. Everyone who is elgible is urged to please donate as blood supplies seem to be on the low side in many places across the country.

BALD EAGLE DAYS--Coming along soon after will be the Bald Eagle Days in Cathlamet and we'll be strutting our very own firework show in the evening hours after a day of fun on Cathlamet's Main Street, complete with a parade, music and vendors and a good old-fashioned time! We hope your group or organization will put together a group or float or something to enter the parade or have a booth. It's good exposure for your organization and the more things there are, the happier the crowd is, so let's keep 'em happy and have a great turn out!

50 YEARS--The Wahkiakum High School Class of 1967 is getting together this year, so all classmates that either graduated with them, or even went to school here for awhile with this class, is invited to join them for some potluck goodies and great conversations! Please spread the word, and if you've moved, changed your address or phone, please give one of your classmates a call to find out all about this, or contact me. This is a "low-key" and easy type of reunion, so enjoy the parade, wander around town a bit, and then come to Dale Jacobson's house at 330 2nd Street, down by the Marina, as we'll all be meeting in his backyard under a big canopy around 1:30 p.m.

AT THE PARK--If you're looking for that "cup'a joe," or a fancy kind of espresso drink, or maybe a smoothie, along with a scone or a hot dog, don't forget to stop by the Ship Channel Coffee Trailer located just inside the gate at Skamokawa Vista Park. They are open seven days a week but for now, they close at 2 p.m., so don't miss out! This is getting to be that busy time of year, so if you're looking at staying here, you'd best be calling ASAP, as spots are often spoken for a year ahead of time! We are all looking forward to the time when the new office/laundromat building gets built and is up and running, and then the current office is going to be another rental, which I'm sure people will just love to rent! Speaking of the office, there is a little gift shop in there with new t-shirts and sweatshirts, etc. so why not check them out?

AWESOME FLOWERS--With everyone fixing up their yards and decks and surrounding areas with beautiful plants and flowers, don't forget that you can just zip over to Skamokawa Gardens Nursery located on Steamboat Slough right here in town, and you can find some gorgeous plants in Danny Silverman's greenhouses. Danny is great at giving you advice about the perfect flower for your shady or sunny spots too, so why not shop local and get just the plants or hanging baskets you need, right here in Skamokawa?!

GREAT CROWD--The Celebration of Life gathering in memory of Doris Takko was very nice, and many spoke of all the things they loved and enjoyed about Doris. There were some who spoke about the quirky things she did and the unexpected adventures she went on, but the stand out thing about Doris was that she was really great about helping people and often putting others before herself. We all joined in for one of Doris' favorite songs by the Everly Brothers, "All I want to do is Dream." Beings this was sung to her by her family as she slipped away, it brought some tears to many, but as the song says, "all we have to do is dream" and our loved ones are right there with us again. Rest in Peace Doris; you will truly be missed.

SYMPATHIES--Once again, we have lost another member of our community, as well as our neighbors' family member, as Ronda Brown Rose passed away. It seems like only yesterday that her husband, Mike Rose, had passed on, and now dear Ronda is gone. Our deepest sympathy and condolences to her children and surviving siblings, as well as her entire family. As of this writing, I was not aware of the date or time of any services.

GOOD VISIT--It was brothers and sisters and a foster brother and cousins that got together last week for a little impromptu chat, so that was a nice change for the Pedersen/Everest gang. Gene and Karen Healy put this together, so they were there, along with his sister, Donna Palmer and her husband Glenn, and they were joined by their cousins Frank Pedersen and wife, Carolyn, along with cousin Kay and her hubby Bill Chamberlain. They were all joined by one of the Pedersens' "other brothers," Ron Horman and wife, Jean, who was also the girl next door way back when, so there was a good group of us and we enjoyed a nice visit at a setting other than the usual "reunions minus one" events we've been attending all too often lately, so that was nice.