By Sally Gracie
One of the photos in last week’s column was misidentified as Jeff Newman when, of course, it was really Phil Woras, who played at the Twisp River Pub with Shakedonia on Halloween. When I asked friends if they had noticed the mistake, they said they took the word of the Methow Valley News to be accurate even when they first thought it was Phil! Apologies, guys.
“How Twisp are you?” A friend and faithful reader mentioned the employment ad for the Twisp columnist job in last week’s paper before I had seen it.
“How do you know I’m giving up the column? “ I asked.
“Don’t you even read your own paper?” she answered. “It was in the classifieds!”
I couldn’t wait to get home to read the ad. I was astounded to read all the qualities that my “replacement” would need, especially the “meet deadlines” bit. When Sue Misao was my editor, she “fired” me every week that my column wasn’t in by Monday noon. I was fired lots of times. Don Nelson hasn’t threatened me, and I am thankful for his patience.
Taking on the responsibility of the Twisp column is the best move I’ve made since moving to Twisp in 1999. I’ve met lots of interesting people. A lady from Everett came up to me just last week to ask if I’d found a new place to live; she and her husband had driven up Second Avenue to look for the “for sale” sign on my rental house. She had read the column about the house being for sale.
A certain notoriety comes with the job, and I must admit that I have enjoyed being a biggish fish in the small town of Twisp. I hope that you writers out there will apply. The money’s not great, but you’ll be serving the community and having a good time besides.
We are blessed to have such an excellent weekly newspaper and just cannot take it for granted.
Any member of the community is welcome to attend the meetings of the History Book Club on the third Monday of the month at 8:30 a.m. at Confluence Gallery. Our November book is The Teacher Wars: The History of American’s Most Embattled Profession, by Dana Goldstein. Goldstein writes well, and for all of us who were educated or taught in public schools. This is not the tome you were forced to read in your “History of Education” class. Ask Twisp librarian Dawn Woodruff for a copy and come to the History Book Club discussion group on Nov. 16.
I’m looking forward to the Methow Valley Citizens Council’s presentation at The Merc Playhouse at 7 on Friday (Nov. 13). It’s an evening of music with Ken Bevis and Dana Lyons. Bevis is a good musician, and Lyons created the quirky hit “Cows with Guns.” Admission is $10 at the door or through brownpapertickets.com.
Jack Nesbit’s visit to the Twisp Library, scheduled for Dec. 2, has been postponed. A date in the new year will be announced soon.
