Some donuts, some crampons, and Elvis’ birthday | Life in Ludlow

Posted

Here we go into 2022! 

We tried to start the year on a positive note as we had breakfast at the Dusty Green Café at the Port Ludlow Golf Course. Early New Year’s Day we got an email that that they were open and we were encouraged to come on up. 

There was plenty of snow, cold, and ice around but we figured we would claw our way up the hill and enjoy not cooking the first meal of the year at home. 

As we drove up we noticed there were attractive sledding courses for folks who would slide down the hill and then attack the climb back up the hill to do it again. That was not us.

However, when we arrived at the parking lot at the golf club, I noted that there were very few cars in the lot and they were actually parked around the edge. 

Since I am really a teenager with a car, I thought it a good idea to get in a few “donuts” before we headed in to eat. BJ did not have much warning that I was going to exhibit my winter driving skills at that time but in retrospect, down deep in her heart, she probably enjoyed the sliding around almost as much as I. 

When we got in and sat down we were told we were their first customers, at 11 a.m.! Hey, there were “donuts” to be had in addition to the pancakes. In conversation with our server we discovered she had been sorely tempted to do some “donuts” earlier but had thought better of it. I’ll wager she put a few down when she left. 

The extended time the snow and ice stayed prompted me to shovel some of it to facilitate getting the cars in and out of our driveway. I worked on it for awhile when the Makarowskis, Mark and Maureen, walked by and stopped to chat for a few minutes. 

Mark had some of those crampons on his boots suitable for a two-hour hike up Mount Rainier or Everest so after not one sign of resistance from me he took my shovel and continued my snow/ice removal chore. Maureen and I happily chatted until BJ came out and told me lunch was ready. 

Thank goodness. I was tired from my limited efforts and feeling growing guilt for allowing Mark to make me feel like Tom Sawyer. Except I was exacting no fee from him to shovel my snow or paint my fence. 

After lunch I retired to my chair near the TV and the fireplace to rest my body from the shoveling I had done earlier. 

BJ soon came to inform me that Mark had returned with his own shovel and had shoveled off most of the rest of the driveway. 

Frankly, I think he just wanted to exercise the crampons. 

No matter, as of this writing the snow is almost gone having been replaced by the wind and rain of Saturday night.     

The good news for Peggy Kulm, Don Whipple, and me is that Saturday marks another year in the birthday books. Oh, and Elvis, too. 

You may remember that Johnny Carson once said, “If life were fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead.” 

The bad news is that Starbucks will probably not give you a donut of any kind to celebrate these birthdays, even if you are wearing crampons.

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week! 

(Elvis has left the stadium and Ned has left the parking lot. Contact Ned at ned@ptleader.com.)