Yep, we are in the thick of it now. Self-quarantining, social distancing, stay at home, dude! Of course the situation has also provided ample opportunities for innovative activities and delayed haircuts.
Our daughter’s family in Seattle has taken this time to get a dog for our 7-and-11-year old grandsons. They got a rescue dog named Winnie actually shipped from Texas. They got the whole family together on “Zoom” for a Saturday evening cocktail party to visit, catch up and meet the dog. It was great fun to see our son and daughter with their families even though there were no hugs etc. Winnie even made her first contribution to the levity by going into our daughter’s and son-in-law’s bedroom and making a very unwelcome deposit on the floor. Had to happen sometime.
For several days last week the weather was great so we and many of the neighbors spent some time outside and taking the occasional walk. I was sitting in the driveway enjoying the sun when BJ joined me. As you might suspect, auto traffic going by the house is minimal, but there are more walkers ambling by. Sharon Draper came by and was joined by BJ at the top of the driveway to engage in some neighborly news, keeping about 20 feet between them. They were then joined by Cheryl O’Neil who stayed another 20 feet away. So here is another model for a cocktail party. Bring your own drinks, food and chairs but stay at least 20 feet away. Of course, everybody will need to also bring their hearing aids and megaphones! Diane Neesz naively suggested the other day that Vic Draper and I join the Italians and sing from our decks to entertain the neighborhood. (I’m working on a contract.)
I warned you last week that the new sports lineup would now include basketball games from the NCAA “March Madness” of 1994. Actually I saw the championship game from 1982 last week.
Elsewhere in sports last month was the 40th anniversary of the USA Olympic hockey team’s gold medal victory at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Like many other things in my life, the story brings tears to my eyes as I am reminded of so many events related to that win. You may remember that I recently enjoyed the movie “Ford vs. Ferrari” and even purchased the Blu-Ray DVD. It turns out that my Blu-Ray player was out of date and Samsung could not provide me with an update to the software driving the machine and facilitating the replay of the DVD. Of course there are several options to solve this problem. The most expensive and easiest, of course, is to buy a new Blu-Ray player, which I did, again confirming BJ’s opinion of my spending habits. All is OK though; and as I watched it again and again it prodded tears from my eyes.
Since the barber shops have been ordered to close, Sonja’s Bayside Barbershop will have to shift its focus from regular haircuts to ponytails for men as customers such as I let our hair grow. I might have to get a different picture for this column.
BJ and I splurged for our wedding anniversary the other day. We got burgers and fries from the drivethru pickup at the Inn at Port Ludlow! Ferino’s and El Molcajete restaurants also provided takeout meals for us this past week. I am the CFO at the Printery in Port Townsend, another small business scrambling to figure out the best way to make it through these challenges. One of our initiatives is printing signs indicating your restaurant is open for takeout. Of course, printing takeout menus is an ancillary product.
Several readers reached out to me and noted that you enjoyed last week’s column. Thank you very much. That being said, I realize that you don’t have sports to watch on TV, the movie theaters are closed, and the best thing to do that gives you some kind of a foothold these days is to read your local newspaper!
Love a curmudgeon, unless they have the virus, and have a great week!
(Ned Luce is a retired IBM executive who loves all things Ludlow.)
