By Seán Malone and John Sweetman One day, overlooking the outer harbor, Seán and I shared between us some “bean-hole beans” and some “smoked ham hock green pea soup.” Naturally, tasting these dishes brought up the usual conversation. Seán still makes those old “Boy Scout” bean-hole beans without an actual bean-hole fire dug into the…
By Kay Sherman I first came to the Island in 1960, at age 19, with my younger sister Jeanne, who was 14. We only came to look. We were looking for a new place to live. The house we were renting in West Seattle was just down the road from the ferry dock. Just off…
By Michael Shook Last year, 2023, marked 25 years since my father died. I did nothing in particular to mark the occasion, other than noting it was that accumulation of years whereby things are thought about, or spoken about because, well, because a certain amount of time has passed. And it seemed like not that…
By Suzanna Leigh Christmas is the keeping place for memories of our innocence. Joan Mills I had planned to write about making Christmas – or any winter holiday – bright. About my adventures when I had no money to fuel the Christmas spirit, and yet Christmas came anyway, bringing warmth, comfort, and even joy. But…
By Seán Malone and John Sweetman As we passed by Mikey’s Fish Stand … now selling Christmas trees, naturally our conversation turned to Christmas seasons long past. Never to argue with John, but there is no “bad Santa Claus,” as he is modeled after a saint and always produces positive thoughts. Seán always argues with…
By Deborah H. Anderson Four times in my life I have been been given a particular hiatus, for 12 weeks. It’s an interesting fact, maybe more so a phenomenon. The first time was 12 weeks in the hospital in my hometown when I was nine years old, after being in a car that was hit…
By Daniel Hooker Recently, a friend, who like most people I know, quotes the media’s “facts” surrounding the unhoused/homeless situation, said: “Most people who are homeless are unwilling to accept help – because they’re on drugs.” It’s hard to empathize when success is measured by a human’s abilities to be a “contributing taxpayer.” Please understand…
Someone asked me, “What do you call a Dagwood sandwich now in modern times?I replied, “I don’t know … Rubenesque?” ~ A burglar has been casing a mansion for weeks. On Christmas Eve, no one is home, and so he’s able to break in. He sets to work cracking the safe. Suddenly, in the dark,…
By Michael Shook When I hear the word “replace,” I usually think of it in the sense of something or someone being gotten rid of. As in, “Let’s replace that old vacuum cleaner,” or “Bill, we’re sorry, but we’re going to replace you with a robot.” But the first definition in my dictionary is, “To…
By All Ears Vashon “Hey, I’ve got an idea.” “What’s that?” “Build a giant something down at Point Robinson.” “Why?” “It will attract many people to the Island.” “Oh, that makes sense. So many ferry runs are almost empty. It would be nice to fill them up. But how would they get to the park?”…