Where can I get material for this column? | Life in Ludlow

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The pandemic soldiers on with lots of masks and very little social activity. The election campaigns creep forward like a Sherman Tank from World War II. 

The gray and rain of the traditional Pacific Northwest returned last weekend. Get out the fleece, my friends. 

I enjoy reading the comics in the Seattle Times since they provide needed lighter perspective on life not provided by TV news. However, I have noted that some of the comic strip writers are recycling some old ones given the constraints provided by the virus. 

I noted that Bill Mann, writer of the occasional Leader column “Mann Overboard,” recently provided an impressive list of the many, if not all, famous folks he has met in his historic journalism career. Frankly, if I don’t actually experience a story I do struggle to manufacture a column so history provides some column fodder.

In last week’s column I described spilling some red wine on BJ’s pants. (The replacement arrived last week.) 

My friend Skip Owen wrote to me describing an event involving the previous owner of his 1958 Oldsmobile. (I know, they don’t even make Oldsmobiles anymore.) It turns out the upholstery in the passenger front seat had worn so badly the springs came through. The owner tried to mitigate the danger by putting a blanket over the seat. No matter, his wife hooked her jeans on a spring and needed to remove her pants before exiting the car. 

BJ got a new pair of pants and the guy who had the Oldsmobile sold it to Skip who reupholstered the seat. Always good to hear from Skip with his inspiring stories. 

Folks are always interested in where you came from and why you moved here. Many of the reasons revolve around this being a great retirement destination from almost anywhere, particularly out here on the West Coast. 

We moved here because we have two children who found spouses and then had our four grandsons in Seattle! However, back in 2006 we lived in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, Mo. 

Locals Wendell and Jean Johaningsmeir are from Hickman Mills, Mo. near Lee’s Summit and came here for similar reasons. We all confess to be cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs, may they meet the Seahawks in the Super Bowl!

We moved to Port Ludlow in 2008 but spent some time here in 2006 and 2007. BJ retired Aug. 1, 2006. 

By noon on August 2 we were headed to the Pacific Northwest for a two-month adventure! The trip included places like Portland, Seattle, Lake Quinault, Arch Cape, Eureka, San Francisco, Big Sur, Carmel, Crater Lake, Bend, Yakima, Port Ludlow, Sequim, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Whidbey Island, and more. 

The entire trip involved either hauling or driving our 1993 911 RS America. We went to the annual convention of the Porsche Club of America held then in Portland and participated in many of the fun events. Our daughter lived in Seattle and she was sensitive enough to schedule her wedding for the next weekend, Aug. 12, instead of interfering with our Portland activities. (It just worked out that way.) So, after the rally we loaded up and headed for Seattle and wedding preparations! This was my first lengthy experience with I-5 in Washington and forever left me with a negative impression of the highway. I-5 must be where George Carlin asked, “Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?”

After the wedding at Lake Quinault we headed to California for the annual Monterey Historic Races and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. 

While heading back for a month in Port Ludlow we were stopped by one of Washington state’s finest soon after entering the state. Since we were from out-of-state at that time I took him as really part of a welcoming committee. 

We had a great time driving, hiking, biking, whale watching, and exploring the Pacific Northwest for the month. The roads on the Olympic Peninsula were great driving fun. We had some friends and family visits, but at its core the trip was an opportunity to try out Port Ludlow. 

Love a curmudgeon, wear your mask, test negative and stay positive!

(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive who lives in Port Ludlow. If he meets somebody famous, he’ll be sure to let you know.)