Ned Luce

Here we are at Thanksgiving, the kickoff for the holidays. 

Well, unless you are one of the more ambitious folks full of holiday spirit who have already put up the Turkey Day/Xmas lights up. It seems like there are more lights up early this year giving me more anecdotal evidence that people are trying to escape the COVID doldrums.

The 8-year-old grandson came out last Sunday to spend a few days getting spoiled by his grandparents. You know, he gets the regular stuff like Ferino’s pizza, Spruce Goose root beer float, the library for some books, pumpkin bread by BJ, ginger cookies by BJ, etc. by BJ. (Looks like his visit is a culinary adventure.) 

His mother, (our daughter), and the rest of his family arrive today. Our son and his family arrive tomorrow. 

This is the first time just the 10 of us have gathered for Thanksgiving maybe forever. As a result, BJ endured the crowd at QFC last Sunday laying in supplies for the week of visitors. I knew she was planning for a crowd because when I opened the refrigerator Monday AM a loaf of pumpkin bread fell out. 

In the past there have been many much larger gatherings which included other family and friends but that event has been cancelled this year. Something about this thing called COVID. In any case, things will be busy around our abode this week.

The Thanksgiving week activity is but the starting gun with scheduled concerts by the Port Townsend Symphony and the Port Ludlow Performing Arts. The docket includes the “Change of Watch” party for the Port Ludlow Yacht Club and a thinner list of Xmas parties. 

Again, that COVID thing.

Nevertheless, it seems like much of the cheery turmoil, if not all, is fighting to return to the lives of the locals in this season. 

Since it seemed the potential was building for a schedule to get out of control, I actually was moved to have a date night with BJ last Saturday. I made reservations for the two of us for a quiet dinner at Alchemy Bistro in Port Townsend.

I had heard that Kris Nelson had sold Alchemy recently and that since there were going to be several changes made the place might be remodeling. I felt fortunate to be able to get reservations. 

When we arrived, we were happy to be assigned to our friend Rhonda Myhre, a server at the restaurant. As it turns out there were only a dozen folks at the restaurant as they were limiting patrons given a changing menu and physical layout. 

A word of warning, it looks like they will be open on a limited schedule until several changes are implemented. 

Rhonda gave us a peek at the potential menu and we were amused by the inclusion of some quotes from Will Rogers, Joan Rivers, Mark Twain, and others. 

BJ then joyfully noted that one of the items on the menu was “Saint Louis Style Toasted Ravioli,” a favorite treat from her days as a misguided youth in Saint Louis. 

The new owner of Alchemy is Adam Levin who like BJ grew up in that town with the Golden Arch they copied from McDonald’s. 

Adam came and talked with us, well BJ, for some time as I enjoyed the raviolis and they reminisced about the good old days deep in the humid Midwest.

I sincerely apologize for the following. 

“What did the turkey say to the computer?”

“Google, Google, Google!”

Love a curmudgeon and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive and Port Ludlow resident who can also explain why cranberries turn red at Thanksgiving. Because they saw the turkey dressing. Email Ned at ned@ptleader.com.)