PRETTY WET--The beginning of last week was pretty doggone wet and we were happy to have a bit of dryness show up on Thursday so our "lakes" could recede from our fields before the next batch of rain comes falling down! With the King Tides, we saw a lot of water in the lowlands and places like Swedetown were seeing some pretty watery lawns and driveways. There were also some very impressive pictures being shared by folks regarding the massive waves on the coast which appeared to swallow up a lighthouse and another of the Coast Guard's "unsinkable" boats practically standing on end; very impressive yet very scary!

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from Nov. 25-Dec. 2 are Danny Silverman, Mike Linn, Dana Montgomery, Cindy Montgomery, Menoka Martin, Mark Slape, Matt Helm II, Shane Souvenir, Trace Tarabochia, Jennifer Hoven, Darcy Bardsley, J.R. DeBriae, Bryce McCoy, Sarah Clark, Linda Ostervold, Butch Owen, Teri Slape, Samantha Wright, Mike Paulsen, Tricia Coleman, Tammy Hill, Jace Gibson, Joyce Ower, Dominic Diaz, Nancy Good Garcia, Drake Cook, Obed Rodriquez, Robert Kyle, Hank Ferguson, Kevin Palmer, Kendra Finkas and Samantha Everest. Belated birthday wishes to Beth Corbin.

Those celebrating anniversaries this coming week are Tom and Rosalie Webb, Rick and Jenny Benfit, Jeff and Shelly Hedges, Mark and Sherry McCormack, Mr. and Mrs. Bud Cowan, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Clark and Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Holland. May all of your special days be enjoyed to the fullest!

GREAT NEWS--Not long ago, I was very lucky to run into a former colleague of mine, Trudy Fredrickson, and she was telling me of a new project that I hadn't heard about, but that will take place down in her neck of the woods. I then got introduced to Ron Forberg, via the computer, who said it was his daughter, Lisa Forberg Yeager and her husband that will be taking on a new venture and building this latest addition to the Grays River area. They are buying some of the Schmand property and setting it up to be the "SISU RV Park and Camping Retreat." How exciting! With more and more folks looking for places to stay and live, this would be a much appreciated addition by those looking for a spot to park their RV, so here's hoping this all works out for the young couple!

Lisa posted some great pictures on Facebook and was looking for more information on the property and also for those willing to talk about and share their experiences at the old Schmand barn. She got quite a few responses. It's always fun to hear what others remember about the past and how it may have impacted their lives.

In case you didn't know, Lisa's roots to the area include a Rosburg connection by her grandparents Eddie and Mary Wirkkala and hence her mother, Diane Wirkkala Forberg, and then her Grays River roots are her grandparents, Walter and Elaine Forberg and her Dad, Ron Forberg.

We wish the young couple the best of luck in this endeavor and I hope I get to meet them in person one day!

FLUID CONDITIONS--As you probably saw in last week's paper, some more events have had to be cancelled or postponed. So be sure to contact the folks in charge before traveling too far to a planned event.

STILL TAKING DONATIONS--Thursday the 26th is Thanksgiving, and so the KM Transfer Station (aka the dump) will be closed, as are the banks, government buildings, the post office and some stores, so be sure to adjust your schedule accordingly. However, after this big holiday, Christmas will be just a month away, so the need for more food donations for those in need to get through the holidays, will still be great.

The Helping Hand Food Bank, on the corner of SR 4 and Fern Hill road, (Seventh Day Adventist Church) will still take in food, as well as give it away, on future Thursdays from 10 - 2. So, if you can help out, please help feed those in need, and bless you for doing so! More info? Call 360-749-3511.

Don't forget, the Lions Club Helping Hands group can deliver groceries to you for free, so call 971-278-1495 if you need this kind of help.

In case you didn't know, there is the Wahkiakum Food Bank located at 42 Elochoman Valley Road and it's open Tuesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. and St. Catherine's Church at 400 Columbia Street is open on Wednesdays from 9 to noon, so if you need help, there's plenty of places to receive it. And of course, if you can donate help, then all of these places would benefit from that as well.

ANOTHER LOSS--I was very sad to hear the news that in the early morning hours of Nov. 19, we lost another "Island girl," as Sharon Lloyd Ackerman, sadly succumbed to Covid-19. She was one of my fellow Welcome Slough "kids" who grew up down the road from us, back in the day when there seemed to be kids in every house along the slough. She was the older sister to my friend and classmate, Greg, and we can't extend enough sympathies to him and his fellow family members for the loss of this wonderful lady. She and her husband John had been together 58 years, and while John had also gotten Covid, he miraculously managed to survive it, but sadly, Sharon did not. Our hearts go out to the entire family at this very sad time.RIP Sharon; Heaven got another angel.

NEW CASES--As we saw in our last edition of this paper, we took quite a jump in Covid cases, which is very alarming. In the coming days, I trust you will be extra diligent in your comings and goings and hand washing, etc., so that we can stop the spread of this rampant virus. Remember, the virus doesn't travel on its own. We, the people, are the ones moving it from here to there, so if we stop moving, it will stop too, so please do your part to help put the brakes on this thing in our county! May we all stay safe and well as the holidays commence.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to one and all and may we all continue to count our blessings, which are still many, in spite of our current restrictions.

OUT OF THE PAST--This week back in 1950, the week began with rain, then got nice for a couple of days before the month of Dec. began again in rain. However, that was better than what was happening with storms ravaging the East, as 226 died in the NE due to massive snow falls. One of the worst blizzards in Cleveland, Ohio's history left 51 dead in that state alone. Snow fall was up to 28 inches deep and schools and businesses were closed.

Locally, Mrs. Mitchell Doumit was featured in Longview Daily News as she was chosen to represent the Washington State Federation of Women's Clubs which was going to be held back in Wash. DC. The midcentury White House conference on children and youth would be held from Dec. 3-7, and Mrs. Doumit had been serving on the state council for children for the past year and was the vice president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs and was up for the position of president of that club.

This week back in 1960, the John F. Kennedys welcomed a baby boy to the family on Nov. 25. Locally, John Marvin Snyder was laid to rest on Nov. 27, after passing away at the age of 86 on Nov. 23. While he was born in Illinois, he came to Cathlamet from Portland in 1928, and he was a retired building contractor and a service station owner. He was also a member of the Masonic Pentalpha Lodge 276 and Wahkoma Chapter 226 of the OES in Cathlamet. He was survived by a daughter, Mrs. Nina Witham and five sons: James, Dean, Charles, Marvin and Roy with only James living in Portland while the rest lived in Cathlamet. A Masonic graveside service and burial was held at the Longview Memorial Park.

The Ralph Everests headed out to their son George's home in California that week via the train. Tickets cost $44.50 and dinner was 6 bucks and it cost an extra 75 cents if you wanted a pillow. They stopped part way down there, got a room and then transferred to a bus to finish their trip. They spent Thanksgiving in Amador City on a clear, beautiful day. All this according to Grandma Elsie Everest's diaries.