Squeezing in an old story and some old accordions | Life in Ludlow

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After a friends’ visit several years ago, which included doing the tourist tour to Lake Crescent, and the obligatory hike up to Marymere Falls, plus a day in Port Townsend and the fort, what could we do on their return visit? The weather was clear, we hadn’t been there in years, so let’s head up to Mount Walker and check out the views.

We drove the long, dusty road up to the top and the views were really nice. Mount Rainier might not have been as crisply visible as one might hope but the views of Seattle were great, particularly with binoculars. 

Before descending the mountain, I used the restroom celebrated earlier this summer as the location where a woman fell in trying to retrieve her cell phone. Check out your stack of old Leaders and you will get more information on this event from a variety of sources, including this writer, than it might have been worth. 

In any case, I was struck by how small the opening was that this woman is reported to have entered. Oh well, I commented on it to BJ and our guests and we proceeded on our dusty journey down the hill. Then it was on to the Geoduck Tavern for a delightful lunch on the deck.

A few days later I was resting on a stool in our driveway outside the garage when Stephanie and Dale Wilson walked by. They noted that I had just finished washing the layer of Mount Walker dust off the car, so I told them of our journey. 

I commented that the woman who had fallen into the facility on the mountain must have been the size of a 3-year-old because it was so little compared to my expectations. Well, duh, as they explained to me. The woman had actually removed the fiberglass stand upon which the seat rests and thereby accessed a much larger opening, thus facilitating her fall. 

Rest assured I am now much more sensitive to the construction, or deconstruction, of these things.

One year ago last weekend, the Rotary Club organized a very successful car show in Port Ludlow. In retrospect, the key factor in the event’s success could have been the excellent weather. 

This past weekend the Rotary Club under the leadership of Paul Rogers organized a very successful accordion festival dubbed “Squeezin’ for a Reason” at Finnriver. The event was a fundraiser for Ukraine disaster relief and the local Wellness Project. There were folks there interested in the pies and accordions being auctioned off, there were families there to enjoy the Finnriver recreational facilities, there were folks looking to enjoy the scintillating (?) tunes created by accordions, there were some folks looking for a cold glass of cider and, yep, the weather was fabulous. 

I worked with Kathryn and Neal Lamka from the Wellness Project collecting donations from folks as they entered. Rotarian Nelson Atkin and I marveled at the generosity of people coming in to the event as we asked for a minimum of $3 per person and almost always received at least $5 to support both of these important causes.  

My enthusiasm for my sports teams was not rewarded this past weekend. The Seattle Seahawks lost. The Kansas Chiefs lost. The Seattle Mariners lost to the Kansas City Royals after being ahead 11-1. The Wabash College Little Giants lost. 

At least BJ is enjoying the DePauw Tigers victory over the hapless College of Wooster Flying Scots. 

There is always next week or tomorrow or sometime. 

The Port Ludlow Performing Arts kicked off the season of entertainment with a “toe tapper” of an evening provided by “Tiller’s Folly,” a West Coast Celtic roots band. The three men comprising the group hail from Canada and the U.S. and made their third successful appearance in Port Ludlow. 

The programs provided by PLPA are the best bargain you can find in the area with excellent performers at a reasonable price in a local venue. OK, BJ is on the PLPA board.

Other than the sports results, it was a wonderful week. I got better educated about restroom facilities. I won $4 in a poker game. I got the COVID booster and a flu shot. It doesn’t get much better than that. Well, Wabash could have won.  

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week. 

(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive and Port Ludlow resident. As a reminder, Ned recommends removing the fiberglass cover before going low in the loo or you will be squeezin’ for no reason.)