Elsbeth is recovering nicely, though still not out of the woods. But now I am ready for entry to the Looney bin.

My little sister Norma is here from Portland to assist in my meager ministrations and has taken charge of all the shopping and the preparing of all meals.

This is deeply appreciated but not without complications.

First, she does not know where anything in the kitchen is stored, and she can't hear anything without her hearing aids.

Neither can I, and Elsbeth, who is still confined to her makeshift bed of pain in the living room, does not miss a single syllable (Elsbeth can hear a meadowlark singing from atop a fence post in Kitsap County) and she can watch the Mariners from clean across the room.

Norma made the coffee this morning and poured Elsbeth's ration into my cup, an ugly mug with no floral design that you might find at the Bread of Life Mission.

I love it, but she likes her own mug with some rosebuds or pansies imprinted on the side. Besides, Elsbeth prefers diluting her brew with plain creamer while I like Hazelnut.

I tried to explain this complex enigma to my sister and when she appeared baffled I poured the mix into the proper cup with the flowers on it.

Then Norma found my ugly cup in the dishwasher and somehow we all got breakfast.

Elsbeth is now sitting up and paying bills and listening to the mysterious intrusive male voice booming out of my computer about every minute announcing that "You've Got Mail."

I don't dare cut the guy off or turn him down as she insists on knowing who it is instantly.

This is how I know she is getting back her health and I always stop what I am writing and read what the intrusive voice has to say.

There he is again.

Later.

Meet Crystal Aquino

She is the clown princess at Sal's Deli in Burien.

If you go there and you are feeling grumpy, she is so animated and playful you may find yourself breaking up at her antics.

If she doesn't make you happy, you'd have to pretty dopey or least sleepy.

This Evergreen High class of 2001 grad looks very short but she is anything but bashful. If you don't laugh, better see a doc.

Oh, she may sometimes pretends like she has never had a carrot in her veggie soup but she is very sharp and very popular with Sal's customers.

Tell her I sent you and prepare to enjoy your visit.

Meet Muriel Zacher

"My picture? You want to take my picture? Why on earth?"

You probably know her already.

She has been serving Highline customers for 42 years at Angelo's in Burien. If there is any server who has been doing this important duty out here longer than Muriel, let me know.

We know that Don Spadoni has been operating Huckleberry Square on Ambaum since he took over from his Dad when it was called Whizburger. But he is the owner.

There once was a popular restaurant in the sixties named the Barb.

It was where the new Town Center and City Hall is now being built and Muriel remembers the day Angelo Rizzo, founder of Angelo's, came over to see her at the Barb, sat down, ordered coffee and sweet talked her into leaving the Barb and coming to work for him.

She says she has never been sorry.