Madison Park Times April 2024

Spring season: Multiple events coming your way

Friends of Madison Park is busy bringing events to the neighborhood over the next 3 months with their Tuesday TED Talks, Spring Clean Day, Garden Tour and Second Chance Prom. All the details are here: NEED INSPIRATION IN YOUR GARDEN? IDEAS FOR PLANTING YOUR CONTAINERS? Lisa Port, of Banyon Tree Design, has a wealth of ideas. She will be speaking at our Tuesday TED Talk on Tuesday April 9th at the Bathhouse from 7-8:30 p.m. $15 online or at the door. For 25 years, Lisa has been designing some of the most innovative gardens in Seattle. She will present a visual montage of inspiring yet practical gardens spaces, answer any questions you might have and give you a peek into some of the gardens that will be featured in our Madison Park Garden Tour. Register on the Events page at www. friendsofmadisonpark.com.

• Around the corner is also Spring

Mad Candy opens in Madrona area

There are a lot of wonderful things going on in the Madrona area.

Have you visited the recently opened candy store? If not, head over to Mad Candy, where two of the neighborhood’s dentists, Ty Etheridge and Jake Weissman, collaborate not only in dentistry, but in the sweetest ways possible. The delightful, exciting, and captivating new candy store offers a variety of candies, including sour gummies, chocolates, licorices, cotton candy, popcorn, a myriad of freeze-dried candy, classic candy and many items you’ve probably never seen or tasted before. They have hand-crafted truffles Submitted Submitted

Courtesy

Beautify Madison Park is also working to bring flower planters to the business district. More details to come in the next month.

Iceman Revisited

It was summertime

1948 — just months away from me driving or owning a car! The only thing missing was a job. A schoolmate called with a job as an iceman swamper he didn’t want and offered it to me. “Yes!”

The next morning, I took the No. 11 bus and found myself standing on the corner of Broadway and Pike right where the QFC is now. It was around 6 a.m. and very quiet — no cars — no people — nothing was open.

I heard the big old Chevy truck before I saw it. The driver extended his arm and introduced himself, “Hi! I’m Walt Eckerman! So, you’re my new iceman swamper!” “Yep! That be me!” I answered. He spoke loudly to be heard over the gears grinding on the transmission.

“This is going to be a good day!” he announced as we drove north on Broadway in a neighborhood that is now part of I-5. It was mostly lower-income in those days, and everyone had ice boxes to keep their food cold and fresh. Refrigerators had barely been discovered and were cost-prohibitive. The houses were old and in need of repair. A few had made crude additions to harbor those down on their luck from places like Seattle’s Hooverville — a shantytown prevalent across the country during the Depression. Those folks had experienced squalor and were just happy to be dry. Years before, my dad took me to one of the settle-ments south of the train station. We snuck food into a good friend and his family. I’ll never forget the houses made of cardboard, a few pieces of wood and anything else to keep out the cold.

Walt pulled the truck in front of our first stop west and downhill of Volunteer Park and handed me a sheath, ice pick, tongs and a money pouch and said, “There! You’re an iceman, Dick!” Sometimes we delivered milk and bread. There was usually a 2-by-2 red sign in the windows that could be seen a block away which made the job easier.

Richard Carl Lehman Revisiting the Park

My first challenge was to climb some rickety stairs one flight which was no easy task carrying 25 pounds of cold weight on my back. It was customary to knock at the door and yell, “Iceman!” and then just walk in since those needing ice would hang a card in the window depicting an order of a 25or 50-pound chunk. The smaller piece was 25 cents and 1 cent tax, the larger was 50 cents plus 2 cents tax. Some paid with three tokens equaling a cent.

At the bottom of the icebox in the kitchen was a sliver of ice covered with food. The new block ice had to be shaved to fit which was tricky as it had a grain. I was careful not to let any loose ice fall as both kids and dogs would dive to the floor to eat it. Mission accomplished, I said goodbye and left with my 26 cents.

One of the sheds I delivered to was so small I had to bend down to enter. The elderly lady inside gave me a fresh-ly baked cookie. I thanked her and while balancing the cookie in my mouth, I moved a moldy grapefruit to the cooler box below. When I left, I told Walt, and he instructed me to run to the corner store and buy another one with route money. After exchanging it, without the lady knowing, Walt said, “Good deed, Dick! I’d do the same!”

Ice melted fast and ice meant dollars, so we had to get a move on. One of the many housing arrangements was a women’s residence. Walt told me to get the third floor and he’d get the kitchen. He threw a tong full of 75 pounds over his back and smiled. Something was up. I climbed the stairs with a 25-pound chunk, knocked and yelled, “Iceman!” I walked in as a pretty young lady was midway pulling up her panty girdle. She was trying desperately to find privacy but fell backwards. I stood there and seriously wondered if I should I help her or just go directly to the icebox. Now I got why Walt was smiling. On my way out I saw 10 toes below

the living room curtain. The next two apartments I knocked loudly and deliberately before entering.

One of the dwellings I delivered to smelled like cigarettes and perfume. Inside were mostly young ladies who were very friendly, and it was not a sorority. Hmmmm … that was a good stop as there were several ice boxes.

The work was hard manual labor, but it was rewarding in that I got to see how some people lived. The degree of poverty I saw did not exist in Madison Park. When work is hard, time goes by fast. As soon as the sun was high, we ate lunch. Walt gave me a sandwich and told me about his life and struggles through the lean years when most others were dirt poor, too. I didn’t realize how poor we were when growing up in Riverton Heights as there was nothing else to gauge our wealth or lack thereof.

Next, we drove to the ice plant on Elliott Ave. and refilled our truck. Walt owned two trucks and he introduced me to his other driver who said he and his family lived good but that it was a matter of time before the “refrigerator” would become mainstream and it would put him out of business.

The West side of Lake Union was next on our route. There were houseboats of all sizes many in need of repair. The dirt road was full of chuck holes. We had to climb down very wobbly stairs and walk planks covered in sea moss, some under water. It was almost laughable if it wasn’t so dangerous.

All the houseboats had quite the arrays of aromas — some good, some not so good. As I balanced the ice atop the box, a cat jumped up and a dog pawed my leg. If I had kept some of that sandwich, I’d have shared it but instead I just patted both on the head and gave the kids some ice shavings and went on my way. All the cats were plump probably because of a diet of Norwegian wharf rats. I saw some of those rats that day, a few bigger than a cat. I was

grasping how well I had it compared to some and was appreciating this eyeopening experience.

After serving the west side, we drove to the east side where the planks were easily a block long to accommodate the many houseboats. The roads here were much worse. If we had started on this side of the lake first, we would have surely blown some tires but now that our load was lighter it was doable.

There were other obstacles. A large bird, maybe a parrot, landed on my shoulder jolting my ice-balancing act. The owner said he was friendly and handed me some bird seed to give him which he crunched next to my ear. I laughed nervously but maintained.

Bohemian people were a happy lot, even helping me up the planks. Curiously there was little regulation about building plumbing or additions, and some had no plumbing whatsoever. Rum running was big in the day and Lake Union was a hub of private clubs and brought quite a bit of business. It was rumored that the runners shared the wealth with the poor in the houseboat community.

In the 50s, friends and I moved into a big houseboat amongst a neighborhood of beatniks. One morning one of the houseboats was missing and two weeks later a new very modern twostory houseboat with a roof garden ap-peared. There was unrest in the neighborhood, and which created a change in ambience. Taxes increased as the new structures were brought in. It was too much for most people, so they sold cheap and moved.

I moved to Madison Park, which was mostly blue collar on the north side of Madison and was happy to purchase a refrigerator. We did some dives in the early 50s in Lake Union looking for the old ice boxes as they proved to be worth a lot of money. Occasionally we found some discarded booze from Prohibition times when the FBI con-ducted raids. Much of the booze was from Canada.

Life in our nation is changing drastically once again — funny how human nature is to adapt, no matter what. Mad-ison Park has been through many changes but at least the one thing that has never changed: it is a true neighbor-hood. Got to love it and be proud of it!

GASP, it’s tax season

Ilike that Stephanie Gale of Gale Investment Management named her business after the woman in charge. Think about it. In the grand scheme of things, you want a money manager with firm belief in herself.

I met Stephanie in my dance class. Soon after, I decided to call her. But not to talk about money. God no. The one time we did talk about money, or tried to, I had to keep myself from asking about other things.

Things like: Mind if we talk about something else?

So why did I call Stephanie?

To ask about the other Stephanie, the morelike-me Stephanie, the Stephanie who studied dance at Barnard and, after graduating, needed to pay her rent in Manhattan. But everyone knows most dancers in New York wind up waiting on tables. But not Stephanie. Stephanie went straight into in financial investments.

Honestly, I don’t ever recall being that sensible after college. Nor do I recall going anywhere near Wall Street.

“I manage people’s deepest lives,” Stephanie said with certainty. Now, this is useful, I thought. Studying our innermost struggles, regrets, what ifs — I get it. It may be impossible for me to imagine choosing the shifting flow of capital gains over the shifting flow of choreography, but I saw what she meant.

No, not really, having no access to that world.

All I knew about money after graduation was that every bone in my limber body knew if I wanted to dance as well as eat, I could not stay anywhere near New York. I headed for Seattle on a Greyhound bus and never looked back.

But when Stephanie starts throwing out terms like management options, high-yield tax funds, advisory accounts, mutual funds, short-term risks vs. long-term gains, I shift from eager listener to woman-stifling-a-yawn.

Actually, I’m sedated, I’m sure of it.

No matter how hard I try to listen to Stephanie, my financial insecurities crumble me, remind me, every year around this time, just how fragile my fiscal nerves really are, and how much I detest enumerating my spending habits. The habits that I, of course, do not detest.

Inside my head, my voice tries to marshal the kindest, most supportive defense: Of course you’re uneasy, this is not your world! How many books has she published, huh?

I’ve always found my reaction to investment management sort of natural to someone like me, someone “artsy” as people like to say (as I grimace), and therefore okay. But no more. Now, it strikes me as sniveling: Stephanie, no. I have no idea what you are talking about. Pleeeease just do my taxes and

send me the bill, okay?

Better yet, send my husband the bill.

“Who ever thought I’d need a Stephanie anyway?” I asked Larry (said husband). Until his dad died and left us with a “portfolio” to manage, just to complicate our lives, I never gave money “management” a single consideration. Far as I know, my own dad blew my inheritance on a second wife, a second family, a second home on a first-rate beach, so why shouldn’t this money business be Larry’s problem?

It’s only fair. How many times has he scrubbed the toilet? Or grocery shopped, cleaned out the car, the closets, the fridge? Paid the bills? Planned a night out? It’s even me who shaves the back of his neck and snips away those little hairs that grow over his Adam’s apple. I mean really.

Besides, to me “portfolio” will always mean my green file folder that holds all the glossy photos of places I want to visit.

I am embarrassed to admit this—which doesn’t make it any less true—but I have a feeling I’ll duck the complexities of money management as long as my husband is alive. As long as I’m alive.

Oh, did I mention I’ve never, not once, balanced my check book? I honestly can’t think of one good reason to do so. (Larry sighed after reading this. Can a sigh have an edge to it?)

But you know what? There are many things to argue about when you’ve been married as long as we have, when you’ve lived on each other’s side, more or less, for decades, seen each other through the best and the worst, each of you bossing the other around appropriately. Money is only one of them.

So I say thank goodness for Stephanie!

And then there’s that other guy, Charlie, the CPA who sees to tax matters, whatever they are. It’s all “Charlie needs this” and “Charlie needs that” around our home right about now.

I figure, between him and Stephanie, they’ve got it covered: how inheritance works, how money produces more money (yeah!) if we’re smart about it, the shares we can count on, how to keep our future from slipping through our fingers.

Or becoming a year spent in Italy, say, if I get my hands on it. In the village my dad is from: Caramanico. There’s a picture of it in my portfolio.

Mary Lou Sanelli is the author of Every Little Thing, a collection of essays. Her newest title, In So Many Words, is forthcoming in September. She also works as a master dance teacher and a speaker, and will be giving a talk at the Fountain Head Gallery on Saturday, June 15th at 4 pm. For more information visit www.marylousanelli. com.

Mary Lou Sanelli Falling Awake

Healing through sensory pause

Last week, I attended a week-long yoga and meditation workshop. On day four, each of us donned eye coverings, blinding us to our surroundings and to each other. As I moved through each pose, I felt the freedom of being alone; I knew no one was watching. Simultaneously, I felt the companionship of community — 50 yogis moving in relative unison to the music and to the teacher’s cues, all of us blindfolded.

Often, I explore closing my eyes during restorative pieces of my yoga practice, the darkness helping me dive deeper into the sensations of movement. But last week was my first truly blinded yogic experience.

Every stretch of my arm, extension of my back, and step into warrior two mesmerized me. I sensed the texture of my mat as my fingers and toes connected with it. I could feel the density of the air shift when

a neighbor’s limb swung near. I didn’t know or care which shapes others in the room were making with their bodies; I was fully present in my body.

I have long loved yoga for its ability to bring me into the flow state; blindfolded yoga produced a magnified flow state. Sightless, it took significantly more attention to move into a simple balance pose without toppling, to transition from reverse warrior to half moon. But even gentle, easy movements I do every day — like cat-cow — captivated me in a new way.

At the end of the day’s session, still blindfolded and mesmerized, we moved into meditation and chanting. We began with a round of Om. Our teacher, Janet Stone, reminded us to sing like “like no one is watching.” If asked before the experience I would have expected the paucity of vision to make me (and all of us) more self-conscious of our

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voices. The reality surprised me. I had never heard my voice, or our collective voices reverberate, resonate, so powerfully, so clearly. I felt like we could hear each other’s souls emanating deep from within.

Afterwards, as we shared our experiences as a group, and later in the day more intimately with friends at meals, it became clear that I was not alone. In fact, I didn’t talk to anyone who wasn’t crying into their blindfold at the end of the chanting. This collective blindfolded movement experience touched each of us on a deep level and enabled release of what was tightly held but no longer needed. Some students mentioned the freedom of letting go of comparison and concern for what others were doing. Another student described the internal trust inspired by listening more honestly to her body’s messages. Another felt joyous. So many mentioned

Clean Day, Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to noon. Sponsored by the City of Seattle, it’s the neighborhood’s chance to spruce up sidewalks in the business district, join a work party at the street end park at Prospect Preserve (behind the Seattle Tennis Club) and do some weeding and clean-up in the parks.

Check in at the corner of 41st E and E. Madison (across from Bert’s Red Apple). The City will provide a limited number of gloves/vests/tools and bags. If you have your own favorites, please bring them. Good for student community service hours. Any questions, email president@ friendsofmadisonpark.

• Beautify Madison Park is also working to bring flower planters to the business district. More details to come in the next month.

the calm, the stillness, the profound peacefulness they felt during and after. Intense and often overwhelming visual stimuli saturate the modern world, literally coloring our perspective. Phones, computers, streetlights, moving cars, signs and advertisements abound. How would it feel to take away the visual input and journey inward with enhancement of the other senses? How would it feel to eat a raisin slowly with eyes blindfolded, focusing solely on the taste, the texture, the aroma? How would it feel to sing or play an instrument, or even listen to live music blinded, tuning more deeply into the tone, the pitch, rhythm and percussion? How would it feel to walk blindfolded in the grass or on the beach, attending to the temperature, the moisture, the contours of the ground, the sounds and scents? How would it feel to build a sandcastle, draw or

Breath-taking discoveries in the universe are at an all time-high with the the advent of the James Webb Space Telescope. UW Professor Emeritus

Bruce Balick speaks at the Tuesday TED Talk on May 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Bathhouse, sharing the stunning images that redefine our perception of the cosmos, and gain insights into the vastness of our universe. Register at www. friendsofmadisonpark.com on the Events page $15.

• Ever been curious about what a garden looks like behind a fence or hedge? Or crane your neck to see the back yard after admiring a neighbor’s front yard? Madison Park is brimming with small garden jewels and on Saturday, May 18 from 10-3, the Madison Park Garden Tour satisfies that curiosity. View over 12 gardens on this walkable tour. Register at www.friendsofmadisonpark.com at the

Annie Lindberg The Point

paint blindfolded?

I would encourage you, too, to explore the world without sight. Don a blindfold, take a pause from vision to attune more fully to your other senses and to your internal barometer — a practice we all found last week to be healing.

Annie Lindberg is a licensed acupuncturist, Chinese Medicine practitioner, and Ayurvedic practitioner. She owns and practices at The Point Acupuncture & Ayurveda, located in Madison Park and is a regular Madison Park Times health columnist.

Events page for $20- all gardens are on the flat and less than a mile apart in Madison Park so you can walk or drive. View details on our Events Page.

Check in at the table at the corner of 41st Ave E and E. Madison across from Bert’s Red Apple for directions and information. A garden-centric Artisan’s Pop-Up Market will also be taking place in the Bank of America parking lot.

• Whether you missed your first prom, weren’t quite yourself, weren’t with the date of your dreams, or just loved it so much you want to do it again, this is your chance to get dressed to the nines and dance the night away to a live band. Second Chance Prom, Saturday, June 1 from 7-11 p.m. at the MLK Fame Center in Madison Valley. Mark your calendars now!!!! Lots of details on our Events page. Tickets on sale at www. friendsofmadisonpark.com.

Emergency Preparedness:

WDana Armstrong Emergency Prep

hen someone mentions preparedness, what do you picture? A first-aid kit? Stacks of canned food and cases of bottled water? A family holed up in a bunker? You’re probably not picturing apps on your phone. You already likely rely on your phone daily, but a phone can be essential in an emergency. (Yes, you can use your phone as a flashlight, but I suggest a headlamp instead–it’s hands-free and has replaceable batteries!) It’s unlikely you’ll have reliable Internet access in a serious disaster, so it’s worth thinking about getting some emergency apps on there—and about how your phone might be useful even if “offline.” There’s a whole world of useful-ina-disaster apps out there; for this article, I’ve grouped apps into three categories: emergency-focused apps, apps to help yourself or others, and reference apps. (There are also invaluable emergency websites, but that’s a topic for next month’s column.)

All of the apps I discuss are available for both Apple iPhones (through the App Store) and Android devices (through Google Play); just search your phone’s store for the app names below. And all are free to download and use (though a few might have optional paid features); several work offline. Thanks to Ann Forrest and Cindi Barker for some of the app suggestions.

Important: some of these apps require your location to work; be aware that this can be a drain on your battery, so be mindful when setting these up (if asked, specify that apps only use your location when you’re running them).

EMERGENCY APPS

Several of these emergencyfocused apps provide information from city facilities. For the most part, these apps will require Internet access.

PulsePoint Respond: This 911-connected mobile app monitors local threats AND lets you know if someone in your area needs CPR. The app also includes brief instructions for basic CPR and use of AED defibrillators.

Smart911: This app lets you sign up for location-based and subscription-based alerts for area emergencies. In addition, you can share your household’s information with the city for use by emergency responders—including listing

There’s an app for that

the people who live in your house and their ages, photos, and key medical information. And a bit morbid but useful: it also prompts you to provide information about birthmarks and other identifying traits in the event the worst happens.

MyShake: All about earthquakes! This app provides earthquake early warning alerts in Washington, Oregon, and California and lets you report an earthquake in your area. I’m a particular fan of this app: every October, the app is used for the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill, which I urge you to check out at shakeout.org.

Police Scanner: An independent app that monitors several live police, fire, and public safety radio channels. This does require Internet access, and some features are paid.

Butterfly your meat for ease and flavor

By Lynda Balslev

This simple yet elegant lamb recipe is a wonderful way to ease into spring. The lamb is butterflied, a method that prepares meat for easy roasting or grilling. Butterflying involves making small cuts in the flesh of the meat and opening it up, a bit like a book, into a wider, flatter piece of meat. Since it will be slightly irregular in thickness, it ensures a cut of meat for everyone’s taste, whether rare or more well-cooked, while it also reduces the overall cooking time. Not only that, but once spread out, there is a greater surface area exposed to the heat or fire, guaranteeing brown and crispy cooking. And who doesn’t like the crispy bits?

Begin marinating the meat the night before to tenderize and drive in flavor. This will also lighten your workload before the meal. Serve with any collected juices and, if you like, a sauce on the side, such as the minty yogurt sauce below.

This recipe specifies oven roasting. If you prefer to grill, then sear the lamb over direct medium heat, fat side down first, then flip. Once evenly browned on both sides, continue to grill the meat, fat side up, over indirect heat until it reaches your desired temperature.

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BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH YOGURT MINT SAUCE

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: about 1 hour, plus marinating time

Yield: Serves 6

Lamb:

▶ 1 boneless leg of lamb, about 3 1/2 pounds, butterflied, trimmed of excess fat

▶ 2 teaspoons kosher salt

▶ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

▶ 4 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

▶ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

▶ 1 tablespoon olive oil

▶ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

▶ 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

▶ 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Yogurt Sauce:

▶ 1 1/2 cups whole milk Greek yogurt

▶ 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

▶ 2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

▶ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

▶ 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

from a fantastic baker (Pink Peony) on Bainbridge Island. The newest addition to the store are wonderful freeze-dried candy sweets from a local family-owned business (Sweetest Things).

Mad Candy, 1130c 34th Ave, is able to customize piñatas that are handmade from a very talented local artist. Once they receive an image of the desired piñata, the artist starts crafting and will have it ready within two weeks. Mad Candy is honored to fill the piñata with specialty candies or sell for your filling of it. Mad Candy also specializes in curated gift baskets for holidays and other special events including birthday parties and weddings. In addition to candy, they carry beautiful seasonal flower bouquets.

The notion of dentists venturing into the candy business might raise a few eyebrows, but Etheridge and Weissman have a very clear goal in mind: to bring some fun and sweetness to their neighborhood, especially for families looking for an exciting activity.

Their choice to create a candy store is motivated by more than just business; it’s about uplifting the local community and creating a space that reflects the spirit of Madrona. Notwithstanding their distinct professional experiences, Etheridge and Weissman share a common vision of fostering a vibrant local scene, where families may come together, delight in nostalgic treats, and create lasting memories.

▶ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

▶ 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Dash of hot sauce, such as Sriracha, or more to taste

Evenly season the lamb with the salt and black pepper. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Smear the mixture all over the lamb and in any folds or crevices. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Place the lamb in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven until an instant-

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APPS TO HELP YOURSELF OR OTHERS

First Aid: The official Red Cross first aid app features a searchable alphabetical list of medical conditions with emergency steps anyone can take. And it works offline! (Search for Pet First Aid for a similar Red Cross app for cats and dogs.) The app also helps you find nearby hospitals and official Red Cross training classes.

Google Translate: With this app, you can translate typed text and recorded voice in multiple languages to help you communicate with someone who speaks another language. Critically, you can download languages for offline use. Also useful for travel!

Show Me for Emergencies: An innovative offline app created by a public health department, Show Me provides creative pictures to help with communication and can help people with hearing issues, those who speak other languages, and even preverbal children get their point across.

REFERENCE APPS

Google Maps: You can

download maps for offline use right in the popular Google Maps app. Look for “Offline maps” in the settings section near your user profile and select the regions you want to always have available.

read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reaches 125 to 130 degrees for medium-rare, about 40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the lamb (the internal temperature will increase slightly while resting). Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the lamb is roasting, combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Carve the lamb in thick slices. Serve with the yogurt sauce.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.

OsmAnd Maps: This more technical but flexible offline-only maps app includes open-source (freely available) local and regional map data that you can download to your phone. Some features are paid.

Kiwix: This clever app lets you download entire sections of Wikipedia (organized by topic) to read offline, including organized medical content. Useful if you have a lot of time on your hands–or have to step in with some basic first aid. Some features are paid.

Kindle: Although reading books on your phone might seem like a waste of valuable phone power during an emergency, books on first aid/ survival (or edible plants) could come in handy–or convert your PDFs on any subject to Kindle format for later offline reading.

Notes/Google Keep/other memo apps: Don’t discount the value of a plain old note-taking app: this could be a lifesaver in an emergency when it comes

to valuable personal info–and most allow you to lock notes for privacy, requiring a password. Notes is built into the iPhone and Google Keep is available for Android. In my phone’s Notes app, I store locked photos of my driver’s license and passport, and am considering adding info on my home title and insurance.

Lastly, not an app but a littleknown phone feature: consider turning on Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), if you haven’t yet. WEAs are text-like messages from government agencies (like Amber Alerts) about urgent public safety threats in your area that can be enabled in your phone’s settings (search your phone settings for “Emergency Alerts”). Visit Washington’s Emergency Management website for more information and to see videos on setting up these alerts: mil.wa.gov/alerts - WEA

Did I miss any great apps? Any websites to let me know about for next month? I’d love to hear from you at madparkhub@gmail.com.

With luck, you’ll never experience a disaster, but if it happens, you will be glad you downloaded these apps in advance and played with them before they were needed.

Courtesy Lynda Balslev

Real estate

Adjusting to the new market

While popular opinion held that higher mortgage interest rates would cool housing prices, that’s not the reality here. Prices are high, inventory is low, and it’s a whole new market to adjust to in Seattle real estate.

It’s a logjam. Despite being in a strong seller’s market, few houses are on the market. Analysts describe a neutral market as having between four to six months of inventory. Our area of Seattle has 1.7 months of inventory available.

With rates high, many people who would otherwise sell and move up in the market are standing pat, looking at their current low mortgage rates and unwilling to take on a loan with a higher percentage. Instead, they’re drawing on their equity for home improvements. The few houses that do come on the market find buyers ready to pounce. It’s unlikely we’ll see much of a change unless interest rates are cut.

UNDER THE RADAR

If you’re looking to buy, it’s frustrating. The few turn-key properties available get swarmed. Multiple offers come in, and they’re competitive — no contingencies, lots of cash. This is where buyers have to get smart, and their brokers have to get scrappy. Now, more than ever in my career, is when the right well-connected broker can make the biggest difference for a buyer.

My team has completed a handful of private transactions in the early part of this year, properties that never came on to the multiple listing service. We had buyers with specific wants and needs. We used our network to find houses that owners would sell if the price and conditions were right, but weren’t in any real hurry. We knocked on doors, talking to homeowners. We got the deals done. The buyers got the homes they wanted. Sellers signed the contracts, got cash, bought somewhere else or stayed in town, renting until the logjam breaks. Our success came from market

analysis, years of relationships with other brokers and former clients, and plain hard work. That’s what it takes right now.

NEED VS.WANT

Relocations are driving much of the real estate market now. Folks who need to move versus those who want to. Those who need to are controlling and creating most of the transactions in this first part of the year. It’s new hires transferring to Seattle or someone who needs a better commute as companies impose more return-to-office policies. There are also relocations going out of the Seattle area.

With more than 20 years of experience in relocations, my team and I have a network of brokers across the country. I’ve had clients contemplating a move, or the purchase or sale of property out-ofstate who ask “How do I find another you where I’m going?” My answer is simple, “You don’t, I will.”

I know top brokers in every part of the country, and if I don’t already know them, I find them. I give clients a list of three brokers to interview before

Chris Sudore

Ahead of spring, gas prices on the rise in Washington state

By Carleen Johnson The Center Square

Washington state drivers may have noticed an increase in the price at the pump recently.

On Monday, the average cost for a gallon of gas in the Evergreen State increased to nearly $4.31 per gallon — up 40 cents compared to a month ago, according to AAA. The national average is $3.46 a gallon.

There are several factors at play when it comes to rising gas prices in Washington, including the fact that Tuesday marks the official start of spring. Historically, March and April bring higher gas prices as demand rises due to milder temperatures that bring about more road trips this time of year, a precursor to the summer driving season.

Increasing geopolitical instability in Eastern Europe, a persistent global supply crunch, and workforce constraints also impact gas prices, per the American Petroleum Institute.

U.S. refineries have also been less active so far in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In fact, BP’s

435,000 barrel-per-day Whiting, Ind., refinery just recently returned to normal operations for the first time since a February plantwide power outage.

Then there’s the impact of the 2021 Climate Commitment Act that created a market-based capand-trade program to require the state’s largest polluters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon auctions started in 2023 and have brought in more than $2 billion so far.

CCA opponents argue carbon auctions have driven up gas prices as much as 50 cents a gallon, costing drivers hundreds of dollars a year.

Critics contend Gov. Jay Inslee was less than truthful when he predicted the CCA’s impact on gas prices would be “pennies” per gallon, even though there seems to be some evidence he knew long before the CCA became a reality that it would significantly hike the cost of gas.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, is a supporter of the CCA. He told The Center Square the 50-cents-a-gallon figure is not accurate and that Washingtonians support the environmental goals of the CCA.

making their decision. I’ll advise them on the interview and choices, and line up the other help they may need, like tradespeople for repairs or sprucing up, stagers, photographers, and movers.

Over my career, I’ve helped hundreds of buyers and sellers across the country accomplish their moves. Often it’s after or instead of the relocation help offered by their employers because the clients were dissatisfied. It’s understandable. Typical relocation work doesn’t attract the top brokers. Big relo companies working for big employers take away significant portions of broker’s commission, while adding at least seven times more work. It doesn’t make financial sense, so too often clients get worse service and more hassle from indifferent brokers. Moving is stressful enough, so my team and I make sure the details are handled.

WHAT TO DO NOW

If you’re selling now, you can’t just stick a sign in the yard and wait. To get the best price, and buyers who will pay it, your home and property need to be in great shape.

We just sold a 3,000-square-foot house in Denny Blaine. Though it was on a sloped hill, it was a to-the-studs remodel, with top-notch details and quality. This made all the difference. It was listed at the very top of the comp

scale. We had three brokers scrambling to make offers immediately and the house sold in 24 hours, over asking price with no contingencies. That’s what turn-key condition does.

Spending before you sell right now will net you a higher price and better terms from buyers.

If you don’t have the cash on hand to pay for those improvements but still want or need to move, we have resources to help make it happen. We work with third-party companies that will help. They’ll see what needs to be done to make the property market-ready and bid those jobs out. Sellers sign a contract for a loan to cover the cost, then the loan is repaid at closing. Again, if sellers want to achieve the best price, the investment is worth it.

My team and I work with our clients to put them at the advantage for their unique wants and needs. We’re experienced, data-driven, and prepared to do the hard work. My office, team, and home are here in Madison Park, and we love helping our neighbors make the right moves for them and their future. If you’ve got any questions about navigating this real estate market, let’s set up a time to talk.

Chris Sudore is a Madison Park Resident. Visit his website at KingCountyEstates.com or reach him at Chris@KingCountyEstates.com. He is Managing Broker Coldwell Banker Bain | Global Luxury.

What My Clients Are Saying...

“Laura is a rare and exquisitely capable broker who exhibits the utmost integrity and competence. What’s better, she effortlessly provides all that expertise and savvy while deftly supporting you through the natural ups and downs of the home buying/selling process. Never forget how hard it is to think clearly during the stress of a big life change and how important it is to have precise and thoughtful guidance. And if you are a seller, your home’s provenance and appeal receive a force multiplier from the phenomenon that is Laura Halliday. We love her, and now I wish I passed English Lit so that I could better articulate my praise.”

- Adam Cohen

“If I had to do it all over again, I would list our house with you to sell. Let me review the many reasons why. You knew the neighborhood. You made a presentation to my wife and I that was full of facts not “pie in the sky”. You outlined your sales techniques and marketing plan. It made great sense to us and you followed that plan to the letter. You suggested a selling price that was ”just right” for the current market, not an inflated figure in order to convince us to list with you. You told us what to do to make the house more presentable for sale as we could not see our house objectively. Most importantly you kept us informed every step of the way. You were available at all times and any question was answered quickly and understandably. You priced the house well and received full value for our home. Your marketing plan was outstanding and carried out with precision. You sold the house very quickly and met our requests on the closing date. There is nothing more we could have asked for or expected from your performance. Would we use you again? In a heartbeat. Would we recommend you to anyone? In a New York minute. Good luck in the future and don’t change any part of your performance. You were a perfect 10.” - Madison Park Client

Beautiful, fragrant, long-lived and easy

Steve Lorton Tree Talk

It was April 1956. I was 10 and my mother was about to celebrate her 35th birthday. I had a new bike and permission to ride into the business district of our small Ohio town. Dad had given me a whopping two dollars and I was headed

down to Murphy’s Five and Dime to buy a present for Mom to give her at our little family birthday-do that evening.

I’d parked my bike and hadn’t even gotten to the front door of the store when the fragrance hit me. There were dozens of blooming hyacinths, in small clay pots, lined up on a table along the side walk.

Shooting out of clusters of long, waxy, dark green leaves were tall spikes filled with tiny, flowers: rose, light pink, yellow, white, pale blue and dark blue. An assortment of colors, but only one intoxicating fragrance, twenty-nine cents a pot. I bought one in each color and had enough left over for a small bag of cinnamon balls and a gold fish. Choices made, deal done, I knew Mom would be thrilled.

With the hyacinths carefully placed in the basket of my bike, stabilized with wadded newspaper, I peddled home. The flowers remained hidden until the cake came out. The hyacinths were a big hit. Mom

got teary, Dad patted me on the back and said, “Good job, Buster.” Aunt Ruthie said I had the soul of an artist. So, whether it was early imprinting via bike, independence, and positive feedback, or just the visual and olfactory splendor of the plants, I’ve been crazy about hyacinths ever since. The potted birthday hyacinths sat next to the south facing window on our kitchen table until the bloom stalks withered and were, reluctantly, cut off. Then the pots were up-ended, given a sturdy

slap and out came the rooted bulbs, potting soil intact. All went into the ground, spaced about five inches apart, on the south edge of the rock garden. The foliage browned and shriveled as spring progressed into summer and the bulbs went dormant. Nothing to be seen above ground. Filled with sedums and succulents, the rock garden had perfect drainage and got no irrigation, save what nature provided, during the

Courtesy Mary Henry

TREES from Page 6Æ

GOOD MATERIAL DOLLY ALDERTON

This book, by British best-selling author Dolly Alderton, is a rom-com flipped completely on its head.  If most rom-coms feature a meet-cute, snappy dialogue, and a happily-ever-after conclusion, Good Material explores the unraveling of a romantic relationship: a happily-neverafter, if you will — albeit with plenty of snappy dialogue.  The plot follows Andy, a 35-year-old comedian, as he struggles through the aftermath of a surprising break-up with his long-term girlfriend.  As a narrator, Andy is relatable, real, selfdeprecating, and often wickedly funny, capturing the chaotic and confusing experience of the recently dumped.  But Alderton does not leave the reader with only Andy’s voice or perspective.  In the book’s conclusion, Andy’s ex-girlfriend, Jen, takes over the narration, offering her perspective and giving the reader a broader window through which to revisit the earlier scenes and chapters.  While Good Material is primarily about the relationship between Andy and Jen, my favorite part of the book was actually the many other close family and friend relationships that support, challenge and care for the two main characters.  Alderton is adept at capturing the quirks, idiosyncrasies, and intimacies of close

relationships and, in doing so, proves that romantic love is only one facet of the human-lived experience of love.

ONCE UPON A TOME OLIVER DARKSHIRE

I did not expect a book written by someone who works in a rare books store to be so entertaining. From his first days as an apprentice rare bookseller, when he was assigned a desk more suited for a munchkin than his lumbering 6-foot frame, Oliver Darkshire humorously describes his experiences and the unique individuals he works alongside, the latter with affection. As for those who walk through the doors of Henry Southeran Ltd to buy or sell rare books, his descriptions suggest “eccentric” is more appropriate for many of them. The store’s location is said to be on a street time forgot and one cab drivers frequently cannot find. There are locked bookcases for which there are no keys. There are numerous unusual objects collected over the 263 years the store has been in existence which have nothing to do with rare books. Strange unexplained occurrences are attributed to the ghost of a former owner who was run over by a tram as he left the store. In another’s hands, it is unlikely this book would have been so enjoyable. It is one I will occasionally pull off the shelf to read again in the years ahead.

(et cetera) from

floor of Uncle Virgil’s chicken coop. My mother was such a believer in Uncle Virgil’s chicken litter for all growing things, I’m surprised I never found it topping my Rice Krispies in the morning. Over the years, each hyacinth bulb turned into a clump which flourished and bloomed for years.

There is a point in my reporting of this sentimental story. Once properly planted, hyacinths, like adult children, are best left to thrive with judicious neglect. Don’t fuss over them and they’ll reward you effortlessly. It’s quite simple: full sun, rich, quick-draining soil, only natural irrigation, once you’ve watered them in at planting. Weed around the clumps to eliminate competition. And… perhaps… an annual late season feeding with chicken guano. Or, if you don’t have an uncle with a hen house, a light scattering of granular 12-1212 in February or a top dressing of compost. Bait for slugs when leaves start to poke out of the ground. Native to the Mediterranean, Asia Minor and Syria, potted, blooming hyacinths appear in

nurseries and grocery store plant sections, mid-March stretching into April and May. They’re invariably a big hit for Easter and Mother’s Day. Enjoy them indoors in a bright window, their 8-inch pillars of waxy, richly colored blossoms will dazzle your eyes and enrapture your nose, perfuming the entire room. There are several species of hyacinth, but the ones you’ll see for sale, are the Dutch hybrids of Hyacinthus orientalist. Bare bulbs are abundant for planting in October. Dig a hole that is as deep as twice the width of the bulb. Purists drop a hefty spoonful of bone meal in the planting hole, before the bulb goes in. Plant in clusters for maximum impact. It’s a good idea to mark the area where you’ve planted the bulbs so you know where not to dig once foliage has died off and there is no sign of the hyacinth. Wooden chopsticks are ideal markers. Big enough to stop animal traffic, they’re visible, yet unobtrusive, weathering nicely in the garden.

Hyacinths are as easy as they are rewarding. All these many years later, I’ve lost my taste for cinnamon balls, and my interest in gold fish. But, as for hyacinths? I’m as infatuated as ever.