Inquiring minds want to know when was the last palindrome? The answer, provided by Sheila and Harold Brunstad’s daughter Signe, was last Sunday. 02022020. Put the next one on your calendar, Dec. 2, 2021 or 12022021. Now you know.
The annual Chimacum Jr/Sr High School’s dinner/auction is this coming Saturday. GBF Catering, headed up by Tyson and his wife, are doing the taco bar again this year. Last year BJ bought a coupon for the whale watching trip out of Port Townsend. A couple of grandsons enjoyed the trip and lunch in Friday Harbor while we got bargain tickets and the schools got a donation. We hope to find a winning deal like that this year, but no matter, all the money goes to support ASB and sports programs in the Chimacum Schools!
BJ began her AARP tax aid gig this week. This free federal tax assistance program is available by appointment at the Tri-Area Community Center on Mondays from noon to 4 p.m. and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The service is also available at the Port Townsend Community Center on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The service is also available in Quilcene on selected dates. BJ has been enjoying this volunteer work for 13 years and actually has many returning clients each year. Call your community center if you would like to make an appointment.
“The Lonely,” the Roy Orbison tribute band, knew their audience last Saturday evening at the sold-out Port Ludlow Performing Arts concert at the Bay Club. The playlist was dominated by Roy Orbison music but also included selections from the Cascades, the Everly Brothers, the Righteous Brothers, Floyd Kramer, the Zombies and the Traveling Wilburys. They played many of Roy’s famous songs but practically begged for an encore since the program did not include “Pretty Woman.” They knew we wanted it so the hunger of the standing ovation was answered with a great version of the Orbison classic.
Mark and Maureen Makarowski joined several couples in the crowd taking advantage of the opportunity to dance. Most of the rest of the audience wanted to dance but knew that their physical therapist might not approve. Celeste Archambault may have been the best dancer in the room but confined herself to toe tapping and head rocking. She claimed to be adopting a more conservative lifestyle.
The atmosphere at intermission was charged with conversations recalling memories of our misguided youth. Ann Arscott wandered around encouraging all to consider what we looked like 50 years ago, with hair, with hair a different color, with lean machines for bodies! Steve Gross and I recalled the feelings of immortality we enjoyed as young bucks in high school. The music resurrected memories of people and events that were for the most part pleasant, and generally disregarded the debates over racism, school busing, the Vietnam War and more.
That being said, don’t forget the advice from Chuck Berry. “If you want to release your aggression, get up and dance. That’s what rock and roll is all about.” Unfortunately, as Abbie Hoffman noted, “The ’60s are gone, the dope will never be as cheap, sex never was free, and the rock and roll never as great.”
Another memory of 50 years ago was dredged up as the Kansas City Chiefs went to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1970 and won in standard come-from-behind fashion. It was also nice that Donald Trump noted the victory and congratulated them on representing Kansas in such fine fashion. Oh, wait. The Chiefs are from Kansas City, Missouri!
Love a curmudgeon and have a great week!
(Retired IBM executive Ned Luce is The Leader’s expert on all things Ludlow.)
