COLD--I don’t know about you but these chilly days and cold nights are definitely not making these old bones very happy as they seem to ache with every move and I moan and groan with every one of them! I can remember ole Doc Fritz telling me that I needed to move to Arizona, and that was back in the early 60s. Maybe I should have listened! Anyway, we’ve had some snow and plenty of ice in the mornings, and often it doesn’t appear to be icy but that blacktop can fool you and before you know it, your rig is going sideways and sliding all over the place, so I hope you’ll be careful as you are out and about doing your holiday shopping and traveling from here to there.

SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from Dec. 8-14 are Tom Bosch, Kitty Speranza, Christina Moonen, Jai Snow, Collin Parker, Meg Wright, Ron Hendrickson, Derek West, James Robinson, Julie Doumit, Todd Souvenir, Julie Burdick, Lacey Johnson, Gail Holt, Sandy Bergseng, Eileen Tietje, Tyler Johnson, Kayrene Snyder, Zachary Stewart, Alexandra Wright, Nora Sorenson, Donna Downing, Claire Meyers, Patrice Everest Holtz and Lucy Owen. Happy Anniversary wishes go out to Mr. and Mrs. Zach Bonds. This week would be a good time to be born and to be married, as this is a very skimpy week for either of these events! At any rate, I hope you all have a wonderful celebration on your special day!

CONGRATULATIONS--We want to offer our heartiest congratulations to a former resident and WA-KI-HI Class of 1967 graduate, as Sharon Stout Servis became Sharon Kowalski when she married Paul on November 29 back in Indiana. They have several things in common as they are both ministers, musicians and workers at the YMCA so they made for a perfect match and we are very happy for them.

THANK YOU--I want to give a shout out to Duck Inn owner, Logan Britt and his outstanding crew for hosting such a wonderful party this past Saturday evening. It was really fun to watch bidders go “crazy wild” when bidding for a black berry pie. I mean, who bids in the hundreds of dollars for a pie and then, returns it to be auctioned off again? Good people, that’s who, as that pie went sky high in the next bid as well. Why you ask? Because the money raised was going to the “Shop with a Cop” group so they could have plenty of money to take the kids in need to Walmart for a wonderful shopping experience. The WCSO was thrilled to accept the money raised and to all you bidders, “You rock!” Just another example of good people doing good deeds for the benefit of our community!

THIS THURSDAY--The inclement weather last week postponed the one year anniversary of the Community Breakfast at the Skamokawa Grange, so according to Season Long, they will celebrate that milestone at this week's free community breakfast, where folks are encouraged to bring their own favorite cup and maybe bring a treat of their own to share with the group. This potluck affair is served every Thursday at the Grange Hall at 18 Fairgrounds Road next to the fairgrounds from 10 a.m. until noon.

If you have some things to donate to the “Shoeboxes of Joy” Christmas giving event, you can even bring them here if you can’t get to the other places that are taking them: Bank of the Pacific, Video Store, Patty Cakes Coffee & Roasting and the Duck Inn. Please don’t delay in getting either a filled shoebox already made up to donate or just some items that would go in one and let the “elves” do the filling of a box for you. Either way, this is a wonderful way to give to those who might not otherwise get a gift this year. For more information, call 360-795-5208 or go to http://www.speakupwahkiakum.com/shoeboxes.

LIGHTS--We hope you’ll come down and check out the Christmas tree lights in one of two places as Vista Park is having a nice “Drive-Thru” display and on Dec. 9, at 5 p.m., the fairgrounds will light up their tree and you’ll be able to see them the following evening as well. If you’re in Cathlamet, their Lighted Parade/Vendor Market will take place on Dec. 10, so there’s plenty to see and do this weekend.

PHOTOS AT THE SK. GRANGE--The Grinch will show up at the Skamokawa Grange Hall from 10 to 4 this Saturday, so you can bring the kiddos down to have their picture taken with him. This is a first time event for this photographer who says she’ll serve some cookies and cocoa and have crafts, too for just $20 a family. If you want more information about this event, call 971-533-6030.

THIS WEEKEND--The fairgrounds in Skamokawa will be the site of the monthly Flea Market with vendors this Saturday, Dec. 10 beginning at 9 a.m. This is also the day they will announce the winners of the Silent Auction items available for awhile now, so maybe you’ll be the highest bidder; good luck!

FIRE DEPARTMENT RUN--The Fire Department run will happen Dec. 10. They will stop at various places to pick up food, gifts and donations, so I hope they get a good evening for that!

LAST WEEKEND/FOS--As of Dec. 11, the Friends of Skamokawa will close Redmen Hall for their usual winter hiatus, so if you haven’t been to the hall yet to check out their “Deck the Hall” vendors and gift shop items, here’s the last chance for the year. Please contact the hall at 360-795-3007 for more info or check them out on Facebook or online.

GLASS SHOW--Don’t forget, Treasure Collupy of Skamokawa, will be at the Hotel Cathlamet Lobby selling his blown glass items this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 9 and 10 from 10 to 5 on Friday and 10 to 4 on Saturday. It’s always nice to have such talented local folks selling their beautiful works of art for us to give as gifts or to keep for ourselves, so I hope you stop by and come away with your own “treasure!”

GO GO TRU--I spoke to one proud Grandma the other day, as Penny Paulsen (Mike) told me that her granddaughter had qualified to compete in the Junior World Finals in barrel racing in Las Vegas next week, so everyone was super proud of her, which definitely includes her great grandmother, Jeanne Paulsen. Tru and her mother, Nicole are thankful for all the sponsors who have backed her in her quest to take on this sport with her horse, Rockette, and we wish her the very best as she competes this week. I will turn in my column prior to these races so I am unable to tell you how things went, but we hope it all went well.

BOWL GAMES--In case you hadn’t heard, the University of Washington Huskies, who are ranked number 12 in the state, will play in the Valero Alamo Bowl game in San Antonio, Texas against the Texas Longhorns who are ranked at number 20, on Dec. 29. I’m sure all the “Dawg” fans will cheer on their team that day!

The Washington State Cougars will play in Los Angeles on Dec. 17 in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl against Fresno State, so all of you who are WAZZU fans will be hoping for a positive outcome as well. Actually, when playing against another state, I always want one of “our” teams to win, so good luck to them both!

ORDERED YET?--Here’s hoping you’ve put in an order from one of our local folks who are selling Christmas greenery this year, as not only can you get some wonderful arrangements from Daisy Chain Floral if you give Ms. Nicole Emery a call at 360-849-4445 and place an order, or you can go to her FB page or contact her at nemery1979@gmail.com.

You can also get a wreath from the FFA group by contacting Kyle Hurley at khurley@wahksd.k12.wa.us or call the high school and ask for him there. They not only have some wreaths but some cute WHS ornaments which I bought a ton of one year to pass out to my classmates, so hey, at only $5, that’s a great gift idea and great and awesome looking keepsake to boot!

GET WELL--There seem to be a whole lot of folks feeling lousy lately so we want to extend our Feel Better soon wishes to Tracy Tomlinson, Emery Tomlinson, Greg and Cindy Lloyd, Philomena Thomas and boys, Laurie Miller, Karen Lawrence and any others out there that are dealing with the flu, pneumonia, Covid, healing from accidents and other surgeries. I hope you all get better real soon!

SAD TIMES--We were so very sorry to hear of the passing of Darcy Tischer, daughter of Lee and Diane this past weekend. Our hearts go out to them and the rest of their family as they deal with their grief. We never want to lose our loved ones, but when we lose them so young, it seems even harder to bear, so we want to give them our full support during this time of true sadness.