White House hosts luncheon during Kennedy presidency
Kris Chudomelka offers her soap for sale at the early Moses Lake Farmers' Market. This one is scented with a pumpkin pie aroma. The stylus is fastened to the Kindle Fire case by using Velcro. White Velcro was used instead of black, so readers could understand how it was placed on the case.
Over the next few weeks this column will highlight the contact Columbia Basin Herald Editor Ned Thomas had with the White House and President John F. Kennedy in the early 1960s. Today we backtrack a bit and then continue with Thomas' own account.
Lunch at the White House, Oct. 23, 1961:
"Practically all of us showed up at the northwest gate to the White House at 12:45. The guards at the gate had the list of invitees and asked each of us to show some kind of identification. I fished out a business card and that was enough. We weren't frisked for weapons.
"We walked up to the main Pennsylvania Avenue entrance and in the front door. A colored valet, in livery, took our coats and hats and gave us wooden checks for them.
"A young man in civilian clothes beckoned us over to a small table. On it was a diagram of the seating arrangement for lunch, with each man's name and the place where he was to sit. This was to avoid confusion when we went in.
"We were escorted into the Red Room, where another Negro servant in livery offered us a tray of cocktails. We chatted and sipped and in a few minutes Pierre Salinger, the President's press secretary, came in. We shook hands all around and asked him questions about what was to come. We learned the lid was off as far as subjects were concerned, and that the affair would break up at 3:15.
"The last arrivals were two weekly publishers whose plane had arrived at Washington National Airport at 12:15. They'd taken a cab directly to the White House, without a chance to change clothes or clean up, and they were slightly breathless.
Presently someone announced, "The President," and we all stopped talking.
More loose strings need connecting
Last week we discussed several items which had been floating around in my world without closure. Today we continue the chore of closing the books on a few more.
Kris' soap
Every spring friend and fellow classmate from the Great Class of Moses Lake High School Class of 1965, Kris Chudomelka, has a booth at one of the first few Moses Lake Farmers' Markets.
There she sells her pottery and other items, including her special soaps. I usually buy all the soaps she has to offer. Her products are known as Kreatives by Kris. This year I'm going to call ahead, 766-1865, to make sure she has enough set aside for a year's supply for me.
Selling water
Last year I rekindled a friendship with Jim and Joy Duzon. We originally became friends years ago during my time helping veterans find jobs.
These two enterprising people started their own business, Top Gun Concessions and Divito Catering, in 1988, but needed a second job to supplement their income during the slow time of the year.
Today they are busy most of the year, nearly all of the time at functions in the Columbia Basin, but also traveling to events around the state. They work as a two-person team many times, but hire additional help when needed.
This outgoing, friendly and sociable couple has developed a regular circuit, but they are in demand for private catering also. Contact them at 509-760-4514 or joyduzon@yahoo.com.
We met up again at a Chamber of Commerce function and stayed in touch. I offered to help when they needed someone to wash dishes or conduct other chores.
My chance came during the Columbia Basin Rodeo last August. They needed someone to sell water and other bottled drinks. Instead of making someone wanting only a bottle of water having to stand in line with the others who are ordering food, they had me stand in front of a large cooler with the drinks inside.
I had a ball, selling the goods under my care, cans of regular and diet Coke and Pepsi, orange drink, 7-up and others. The most fun was selling the bottled water.
"I'll have two waters," a customer would say.
"Regular or diet?" I would ask, causing the person to pause and think a few seconds before answering with a chuckle. Most wanted regular water the first time they made a purchase, but when they came back, several ordered the diet water, which they received.
More than one friend saw me and made the comment, "Great to see you actually working for a change."
Joy and Jim have a faithful following of customers no matter where they have a booth. They have served delicious food at several county fairs for years. Plus they are the go-to vendor at the Kenny Ardell Pavilion, where barrel racers, reining horse competitor, cutting horse participants, cattle sellers and buyers and any other event at the pavilion.
Growing heirloom tomatoes
Jennifer and Martin Ringhofer, Geri and Gene Prentice and Nancy and John Bromiley have become friends through growing tomatoes. Jennifer and Martin are the driving force behind the annual local TomatoFare. Geri, Gene, Nancy and John are master tomato growers. I'm trying to learn from them.
I expect they may have some of their plants available again this spring for a small donation per plant. If they do offer them again, it is a chance to acquire top-quality tomato plants, which should not be neglected.
Tomato days at Michael's On The Lake
Michael's offered three weeks of heirloom tomato dishes featuring the tomatoes grown in the Prentice, Bromiley and Clay gardens. Besides their regular menu, they featured two appetizers, three entrees and a dessert featuring the heirloom tomatoes.
Chef Joe has asked the growers to produce what he considers his favorite varieties for use during this year's tomato days at Michael's.
In case you didn't know, Michael's offers one of the largest catering services in the Columbia Basin. Contact them at: 765-1611.
Kindle Fire tip
I won a Kindle Fire at a 2011 Christmas party. My main use of the device is to read books, but accessing the internet is also possible. The trouble with typing on the small keyboard located on the screen is my fingers are too large.
The solution is a stylus pen, a pen looking tool which allows the user to hit the keys with ease. There is a problem with the stylus, however. It is the size of a ballpoint pen and separate from the Kindle Fire. I purchased and lost two before arriving at the handy solution.
A strip of Velcro was placed on the case surrounding the KF and another strip of Velcro was attached to the stylus. The two Velcro pieces lock when touched and the stylus is held securely in place. My third stylus is always close at hand and ready to use.
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