My Port Angeles house has a definite Port Townsend theme. I didn’t realize how much until I took inventory for my blog today. Where I’m sitting most of the time is called ‘The Computer Room.’ Not sure why I didn’t dub it ‘The Office’ but it’s too late now.  Once I start calling something or some place by a certain name, it has to remain that forever. Like the old Kitchen Queen sideboard that my grandpa bought for grandma in the 1920’s. I was fortunate enough to inherit it and I’ve since passed it on to my youngest who will then pass it on to one of her children.  It’s always been called the ‘Antique Cupboard.’

One of my bedrooms has a small applique quilt on the wall that my sister made me, and each square depicts some memory of our childhood.  Grandpa’s barn with the large tree in front; dad’s lunchbox with old comic books stuffed inside that he took from the mill scrap pile; cattails and ducks from the lagoon next to our house; chickens (grandpa had a couple hundred); a tire swing hanging from a large tree; and my favorite – me sneaking back through the window of the bedroom I shared with my sister. It’s a pretty clever. Shows the sun coming up in the background and my nose sticking up over the window sill telling her to help me up. That was during my wild and crazy glory days of hot rodding around with the Pearce sisters and cute Chimacum boys.

The living room has the item I’d probably save first in a fire. A quilt made by my sister-in-law, Lill Greenwood, using the five t-shirts I got for walking the Rhody Run.  Always a reminder to me of how I used to be a lot healthier and active.

Also in the living room are four Port Townsend prints of various scenes. I have a Vernon Kilns plate displaying the mill, the courthouse, memorial field, the high school gym, the post office, and the bell tower. Mrs. Eisenbeis used to sell these plates in the 1950’s but I found mine on eBay.  I have a second plate about 4” across that Olympic Hardware was selling and a brown ceramic pencil holder shaped like a paper bag that advertises Aldrich’s on the front.

On top of the refrigerator is Port Townsend coffee cups and on the door is a Port Townsend magnet.  My back bedroom wall holds a small plastic 1956 calendar with a thermometer advertising Del’s Grocery. He used to give them away when I was a kid.

               On the shelf in the garage is a red plastic pillow used at football games advertising the Port Townsend Lions. Also on that shelf is the Millionaire Game with Port Townsend businesses as squares on the board.  My utility room has a Captain’s Gallery Map showing all the PT businesses of that time.

               My bathroom shows a terrific picture Joy Bland took of Hood Canal Bridge in a storm; and on my front porch is a rock I painted that says “Port Townsend Rocks My World.”

               My movie collection includes ‘Officer and a Gentleman’ (of course), and I have several books on PT history.  I also have over a dozen PT high school yearbooks and half a dozen old phone books. All well-worn from continued use.  My clothes closet has a few Port Townsend t-shirts and one Port Townsend Redskins sweatshirt.

               This room has a 1998 Victorian Festival poster and several pictures from past Gathering Place calendars.  I also have two PT pennants hanging on the wall next to my button collection of old Rhody and Rhody Run pins.

               One thing I’d really like to have is a drawing or painting of the house I grew up in on Kuhn Street. I have a picture of it but my artistic talent is kind of lame so I’m thinking of asking around to see who might be willing to draw one for me.  A friend of mine (Carol Rustad Musial) was given one of her house out on 49^th Street and I’ve always admired it and wished I had one of my own.  Some days I think I could probably draw it myself but I know how critical I get of my attempts at creating art.  Like people who can play guitar or piano, I envy those who can draw and paint.