The most exciting news this time is a new play, "NOT / Our Town," written and directed by our dear friend Brendan Healy. The production, mounted by his Pony World Theater company and presented at Seattle's 12th Avenue Theater, sold out every night. This photo was from a laudatory Seattle Times profile of Brendan in anticipation of opening night. Doesn't "Bravo, Brendan" have a nice ring to it?

Brendan Healy, Writer and Director of "NOT / Our Town"

News & Notes

• Brendan's play uses the classic Thornton Wilder play "Our Town" as a point of contention between a drama professor father and his drama student daughter who directs a classroom performance of the Pulitzer Prize winner. The father praises the work as quintessential American theater while the daughter asserts it's dated, boring, plotless and implausible. To freshen it up she adds singing, dancing, vignettes by other famous playwrights, and more. Which add-ons to include is determined by an audience vote before the play starts, so every night is different. When the curtain comes down, Healy has infused intensity and complexity into Wilder's ideas, making them both deeper and more contemporary. Very clever and very original.

  

  Cast of "NOT / Our Town"; Daughter at far Left, Dad at far Right

  
  

• It's fall so we took a short walk through Carkeek Park, confirming that the miracle has happened again: salmon have returned to Piper's Creek.

  

  Lookin' for Love In Piper's Creek

  
  

• We got in a fall trip to Libby to visit Jim and Julie. Their big news was a black bear came by for a pre-hybernation dessert of plums; an entire tree of plums! To gain access the bear dug under the rugged fence enclosing Jim's orchard. Also one day we helped Tom and Alvira burn slash piles.

  

  Another Fun Day Playing with Fire at Jones' Tree Farm

  
  

• Dodging the fall rain, we spent a few nights on the Olympic Peninsula. The itinerary included a visit to the Makah Cultural Museum at Neah Bay, short hikes along the coast, visit to La Push, a stop at the Hoh River Rain Forest and chilling on the beach with a resting California Sea Lion [Zalophus californianus]

  

  Chilling at the Tide Line

  
  

• Dave came home for a few days to see Brendan's play. On two mornings we awakened early to watch the World Cup matches. And, we dropped by Salmon Bay Marina to inspect the Alaska Fishing Fleet.

  

  Walking the Docks at Salmon Bay

  
  

• One thing we missed during the pandemic was visiting the Vancouver BC Christmas Market. We rented a condo (33rd floor), rendezvoused with Ken and Shelley and took in the sights. We enjoyed dozens of the great BC oysters, did a pass through the Christmas Market and Vancouver Art Museum, and relaxed. We were prepped for the holiday season!

  

  Enjoying Gluewein at the Christmas Market

  
  

• Dan came home for the holidays. It was a quiet two weeks with ample time to chat in front of the fire and race the wind-up hotrods that came in our Christmas socks. And, we dropped by Salmon Bay Marina for a second inspection of the Alaska Fishing Fleet.

  

  Walking the Docks at Salmon Bay