VOTE!
Vote by 8 PM Tuesday November 2nd
There are drop boxes all over the county or you can mail your ballot. No stamps needed. But if you choose to mail it in, do so by Monday Morning, early to make sure it’s processed in time by the post office. At this point the drop boxes are a better choice. Here’s a link to locations:
https://www.whatcomcounty.us/1863/Ballot-Drop-Box-Locations
Visit the Whatcom County Auditor’s office at the courthouse to register to vote or change your address in person, by 8:00 pm Election Day. But the sooner the better please. If you haven’t received your ballot yet, it’s time to contact them now. Call before you go; they may be able to save you a trip: 360-778-5102. They may be able to set you up with a ballot to print on your home printer. Check online for all sorts of voter information here: VoteWA.gov
Do not underestimate how much of an impact you can have on a local election, Turn out is low so far: under 32K out of almost 157K, barely over 20% of ballots. Your vote counts!
CANDIDATE FORUMS
You can watch recorded forums online here:
https://www.lwvbellinghamwhatcom.org/2021-election-forums
MEDICARE
Open enrollment has started and ends December 7th. This is the time that you can make changes to your plan that will take effect January 1st and remain in place for the rest of the year. There are many sources of assistance to help you make your decisions.
HOSPITAL NURSES UPDATE
Thanks so much! We’ve had six or seven offers of housing already. It turns out the contact information I was given wasn’t quite what was wanted. So far the administration doesn’t seem to have someone to handle our offers of help. So, till Monday, go ahead and send offers to me, with your contact information, and I’ll pass it on Monday morning as soon as the overworked administrative workers at the hospital can figure out who will take this job on. Meanwhile, I am utterly delighted with your generosity and caring! Thank you!!! Write me at flip@breskin.com
LA TRAVIATA
Sunday October 31, 1:30 pm
Friday November 5, 7:30 pm
Sunday November 7, 1:30 pm
Tickets Online: McIntyre Hall online order form. By phone: 360-416-7727
Love opera? This production is getting rave reviews! For more information https://pnopera.org/performance/la-traviata/ Once again we are offering student tickets for $10 and FREE if accompanied by an adult who purchases a ticket. Available only at the box office.
CHOIR OF THE SALISH SEA
COMBAT FLIP FLOPS: IN AND OUT OF BATTLE
3:00 and 7:30pm, Saturday, November 13, 2021
Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship, 1207 Ellsworth St, Bellingham
$20 general/$5 students – buy tickets at brownpapertickets
For further information, see choirofthesalishsea.com
This high-energy program marking Veteran’s Day reframes the age-old imperative to “beat swords into plowshares” with a modern project of replacing combat boots with casual footwear. Venture with the choir into and out of battle with pieces honoring veterans (Hogan’s Battle of Jericho, a setting of Kipling’s Boots), pondering war and peace (Gabriel’s Oboe from “The Mission,” and Nichols’ electrifying Chalk Circle Songs), and exuding joy (Blue Suede Shoes, Paul Simon’s Diamonds on The Soles of Her Shoes).
FIREHOUSE ARTS & EVENT CENTER
They’re back open, with a lot going on. If you’re ready to go out, take a look!
http://www.firehouseperformingarts.com/upcoming-events/
NEED HEAVY SHELVING
For homeless supplies. Can you help? Check with Fl!p and I’ll either arrange for pick-up or let you know where to deliver it. Thank you!
HOMELESS SUPPLIES
Notice how cold the nights have gotten? Into the 30s. It’s perfect for Halloween but really hard if you don’t have shelter. We need brown & camo tarps, closed cell foam (only) sleeping pads, tents, sleeping bags, blankets. Also warm coats, raincoats, ponchos, gloves, large size boots and shoes, clean dry socks, AAA & AA batteries, hand warmers, and we can always use cash. Thanks everybody!
HALLOWEEN
I just wanted you to know that with the Covid numbers soaring a lot of us parents with small children are opting for no-knock tricks or treats and we sure do appreciate anyone out there who wants to leave candy out. We’ll definitely be waving and air high diving, but not worth the risk to send our unvaccinated small humans up to doors where we don’t know what’s happening. ~ Kamarie Chapman
From Fl!p: Zeke is carving our pumpkin right this minute. He’s nearly done. I’ve got a really long (7 foot), light weight pole for safely (masked) distancing while handing out candy. We’ve got candy necklaces for trick-or-treaters and dark chocolate truffles for parents. We’re also glad to wave through the window or from the front porch to admire costumes safely if that makes the most sense for your family.
And for the very, very brave, we have a genuine tombstone in the back garden. No one has ever been buried under it, but I’ve had it for maybe 40 years. Here’s the story: In the late 1970s I was sweethearts with a stone carver. When the city of Mt Vernon built a new city hall, they displaced long time tombstone makers Fret’s Monuments. Fret’s put their inventory on sale, had an auction, and finally put a notice in the paper inviting folks to come take the left-overs before they were bulldozed. Tom & I piled into the pick-up and headed South. I absolutely fell in love with a pink granite headstone. Tom said it was really, really heavy. But I was enchanted. So he wrestled it into the back of the pickup, along with a bunch of smaller stones. We drove home and shoved it out into the front yard. Where it stayed for nearly 20 years. At some point we installed a garden bed around it, but it was in the front yard all those years. We never got single trick-or-treater at that house, for some reason. Plenty of kids the rest of the time since we lived in town and had ponies in the back yard. One day a uniformed policeman knocked on the front door to ask about the tombstone, and suddenly it all made sense. Kids tell each other stories. One of them must have told a grown-up… When we moved to Cherry Street, of course I took my tombstone, but we had them put it in the back yard instead, where it doesn’t show from the street. But if you want a tour, I think it could be arranged. It’s my best Halloween decoration ever… Love/Fl!p
FL!P EYE SURGERY
I’ve got cataract surgery on Wednesday, and again 2 weeks later for the other eye. I’ve been told it’s no big deal, but they sure make you sign a lot of papers. I may be pretty quiet for a few days after.
RADIO FREE FL!P
SKELETON DANCE
The Skeleton Dance is a 1929 Silly Symphony animated short subject produced and directed by Walt Disney and animated by Ub Iwerks. In the film, four human skeletons dance and make music around a spooky graveyard—a modern film example of medieval European “danse macabre” imagery.
Love/Fl!p