By the time you read this we will be out of the limbo of Election, and will know how we are to be guided for the next two years. The next step is to memorize the phone numbers, mailing and e-mail addresses of your local, state and national legislators and stay on top of them! Remind them of why you voted for them. Chide them when they stray from the preferred agenda. And praise them when they do good.

Our most sincere condolences to Mildred Ellinwood on the River Road upon the death of her husband Roswell.

I've just received a nice letter from a far-distant son of Edgecomb, Frederick Robinson, now living in Louisiana. He used to live on Mill Road, brought up by grandparents Louis and Blanch White. By the time he entered the Army, he was "living at the top of Town Hall Hill, next to the old fire house, at Captain McMahon's house." "In 1946 I married a girl Dorothy Sherman . . .; worked at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. for 18 years." He is now 81. He asks, "How many of the men who are on the Honor Roll by the Town Hall are still alive?" He remembers the Gray family, the Cowleys, and Micky McKay. Anyone who would like to get in touch with Mr. Robinson, please give me a call.

The Lincoln County Waste Disposal and Recycling Department is crowing with delight. It's recent "Mercury and More" collection surpassed similar drives in Portland and Lewiston/Auburn. Coordinating the drive with the several transfer stations really paid off. Even in the terrible weather of Oct. 26, 50 persons came to the Huntoon Hill facility with mercury- containing discards. Now, they alert us to Maine Recycles Week which starts this coming Monday, Nov. 11. The Lincoln County facility at 54 Huntoon Hill is holding open house on Thursday morning, Nov. 14, from 9 to 10 am. If you have a group of over 6 persons, please call for details, 882-5276.

Alert from the Tax Collector: November 30 is the deadline for payment of real estate taxes. Any not paid by that date will have interest added, starting December 1. Anyone who has refinanced a mortgage since last year, with escrows for taxes, and isn't sure if the new mortgage hold has paid them, call the Tax Collector during office hours (M 7-9 pm; T/Th 1-5 pm) and she can check the record. Call 882.7018 or e-mail Taxcollector@edgecomb.org.

The next Edgecomb Historical Society meeting will be at the Town Hall, Thursday, November 21, at 2 pm. The speaker will be Mary Burnham Reeves, daughter of John and Mary Burnham who owned and operated Burnham's Store on the River Road. She will tell us about the ins and outs of country general stores, her father's in particular.

I can remember walking down to Burnham's with a list from my mother, and buying a Dixie Cup to consume on the way home. Quarter-pint cardboard cup, flat wooden spoon, and a picture concealed on the inside of the lid. You had to peel a sort of film off it, and there would be (gasp) Hedi Lamarr! Bing Crosby! Gene Autrey! And if you were really into Dixie Cup lid collecting, you'd trade them. Gee, I wonder what they're worth now? Probably not up there with baseball cards.

The Historical Society plans to set up a display at the new Edgecomb Eddy School, to feature the history of Edgecomb's schools and other child-oriented historical details. The group invites Edgecomb residents to search for photographs and other suitable artifacts from their school days, if willing to donate or loan them for such a purpose. (We can copy them if you would prefer.) When I was growing up here, there were three schools active: the Eddy, the City, and the Salt Marsh. At one time, I have read, there were as many as eight. Does anyone remember these earlier schools? Please get in touch with Sue Carlson, president of the EHS, 882-8162, Sophie Quinn, secretary, 882-9326, or me, number given below.

I was assigned the Salt Marsh School. Veula Reed has already offered some items. Anyone with Salt Marsh memories, please get in touch with me! I'm still at 234 River Road, 633-2978, bonesukl@midcoast.com. This column appears in The Boothbay Register, The Lincoln County News, The Wiscasset Newspaper, and at www.Edgecomb.org.