We are having an absolutely marvelous week. Caleb turned 20 on March 1 and I was able to surprise him and the rest of the family with a couple of visitors from Japan. I had known for weeks that our former host daughter, Hitomi, would land in Portland last Saturday along with her mother, Yuri.

Paul figured something important was about to happen when I drove off on that snowy morning without telling him exactly what I was doing. When I returned that afternoon with our guests, everyone was crying and laughing at the same time.

Hitomi and Yuri have to be on a very early flight this Saturday at 6 a.m., so we don't have a lot of time to visit. They will accompany me to the store on Thursday afternoon to do some cooking. We're not sure what we will make this week. I'll make a chili special and we'll try to surprise you with some traditional Japanese food if we can find some ingredients locally. Please come say hello.

Sandra and Ben Crehore also had visitors recently. Their daughter, Karen Crehore Thomas and her children, Bryce and Emily recently spent 10 days in Maine visiting with them. Their son, Benjamin, on leave from the USS Gridley, joined the family for a week.  The occasion was their 50th anniversary celebration on February 23. Daughter Kirsten and her husband Steve and son Sam were also present for the day as was Karen's husband Todd.  Ben surprised Sandra with the gift of a trip on the Trans Canada Rail and a cruise in Alaska.  It was a perfect day, almost as perfect as the day was 50 years ago. Congratulations on reaching such an important milestone Ben and Sandra!

IMPORTANT REMINDER: The Fire Department has cancelled their planned March 8 supper until further notice. Chief Bob Mooney will let me know when they set a new date and I will be sure to include it in this column.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Bintliff's Ocean Grille on Davis Island in Edgecomb will donate part of their proceeds from this Thursday, March 6, to the Human Resource Committee of Westport Island. We want to encourage Islanders to go to dinner at Bintliff's on Thursday, March 6.  If you can't make dinner, stop in for dessert and a coffee.  The restaurant is open on Thursday from 4 p.m. until closing.

If you have any news item you'd like printed in this column, please contact me at pbonyun@gwi.net , or 882-9032.