Friendly game of pinochle

We intended to go for a scoot/hike on a trail after having a bite to eat in the small town of Vernonia, population 2,300, but we were a bit tired and also charmed by the village, so we unloaded the scooter right "downtown" and spent a couple of hours exploring Vernonia.

The town has a bit of a rocky history. It was a big timber town in its heyday, but with the decline of that industry, the town took a big hit. Then two major floods hit Vernonia in the space of a decade, devastating the core of the city, including the schools. The community rallied after both events and rebuilt the city (with the aid of some stimulus money). The new school is a showcase for green building and this time, built far above the floodplain.

We wandered into the senior center/thrift store and were greeted by this friendly crew playing pinochle. They asked me if I wanted to join - tempting, but it's been many many many years since I played!


Though it wasn't in a church basement, this community space had all the trappings:
- Bad coffee: check
- Out of tune piano: check
- U.S. flag: check
- Metal folding chairs, TV trays, folding card table: check
- B/W checked floor: check
- Pithy sayings and local arts & crafts on the wall: check
- Welcoming smiles: check