You know it as the town you drive through to get to Lake Crescent or Camaraderie Cellars or other points further West. OK, you really go there to catch the Black Ball ferry to Victoria, B.C and have some tea at the Empress Hotel. Rarely has there been a reason to actually go to Port Angeles for many years, until last summer.

We confess, we went through the town on Sunday on our way to Camaraderie Cellars to pick up our quarterly allotment of wine arriving at the same time as Shelley and Gregg Patton. While there I got a phone call from Mark Makarowski generously offering to pick up our allotment since he and Maureen were just embarking from Port Ludlow on their own mission to retrieve some wine. It seems rational to install a tasting room in Port Ludlow, no?

OK, we were in Port Angeles to go to a concert by the Sequim City Band in the new “Donna M. Morris Theater” at the “Field Arts and Events Hall” which opened last July. The seasonable and timely “Sounds of the Season” program was easily sold out as tickets were gratis, first-come, first-serve with a predictable request for a donation to the band. We can handle this deal. The band is a recent worthy recipient of the “Governor’s Arts and Heritage Award”.

I had some recent back surgery so I wander about with a cane these days. The good news is that the door attendant noticed my cane and gave BJ and me access to the hall before it officially opened. We found some awesome seats in the middle of the upper level of the theater. Why so awesome you ask? We were soon joined in the row before us by Mitch and Karen Brennan and their son Forrest. Forest was actually listed in the program as being a member of the band but it seems life and other priorities have affected his ability to participate. No matter, Karen’s sister Carla and niece Maria play saxophone in the band. Maria earned a Rotary scholarship this year and is home for the holidays resting up from the pressure of being a freshman at North Texas State University. Those were the days.

The program was a collection of Christmas music you would expect with the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah again bringing tears to my eyes. Band director Tyler Benedict and announcer Vicki Helwick provided a great performance in a great venue. The band is an all-volunteer group of musicians hailing from Bremerton to Forks and even places in between. The venue looks to be a world class conference and events center on the Port Angeles waterfront. Significant donations of time and treasure have indeed created a reason to visit Port Angeles. The even trip home also provided a close look at the fabulous light display as one goes through the Seven Cedars resort  area at the end of Sequim Bay.

I mentioned earlier that I had some back surgery. Whilst recovering at home I was visited by my friend Steve Gross. A true friend will bring you something to eat or read when you are somewhat immobilized and Steve met expectations by bringing me a copy of “Mechanix Illistrated” from September 1955. Can it get any better?

Love a curmudgeon and have a Merry Christmas!

ned@ptleader.com