Andrea Brown is back. ‘What’s Up With That?’

Last summer, I wrote my farewell “What’s Up With That?” column after taking a voluntary buyout from the paper. It was bittersweet for this old newshound. No more chatting up strangers for stories. No more sleepless nights worrying about missed typos.

To celebrate, I did what any newly unemployed journalist would do: I made a beeline to Safeway for a box of wine. What better way to toast to 40 years on a reporter’s salary than with cut-rate cabernet.

And then, of course, a classic “What’s Up With That?” moment hit me square in the face.

There, in the parking lot, on a balmy day in August, was a silver Subaru Legacy GT wagon with a tall metal bobble Santa and three other​ festive ​figures bobbling atop its roof. A big yellow dog leaned out the side window, sniffing out the sights and sounds of the busy lot. Behind the wheel, a woman in a flamboyant butterfly-print blouse and glittering jewelry carried on an animated conversation with a passerby. She ruled the Safeway lot, perched in her 20-year-old Subaru.

Sure, people deck out cars for Christmas, but usually not like this. And certainly not in August. I just had to know the backstory. Old habits die hard.

But now I couldn’t just waltz up and flash my press pass. I had to do this as a regular nosy person.

I approached the woman, who introduced herself as “Blue” (yes, Blue). I timidly explained that, as of 15 minutes ago, I was no longer a journalist and so I couldn’t bother people with questions anymore.

She laughed.

“Well, you can still bother people,” Blue said, with the confidence of someone who’s lived life unapologetically. “Don’t ever stop bothering people!”

As it turned out, Blue had decorated the car’s roof during the busy Christmas shopping season of 2023 so she could easily spot it in a crowded parking lot.

I get it. I’ve spent plenty of time wandering parking lots, hitting the panic button on my key fob, hoping my car would beep back before the cops showed up.

Blue kept the decorations up year-round for the fun of it.

“I do it for people to smile and think, ‘Well, isn’t that quirky?’” she said.

Indeed, it was quirky. I’ve chased plenty of oddball stories in my day, but something about Blue — the sparkly personality, those bobbling figures, that big yellow dog — hit me in the feels. There was more to this story. I knew it, but I couldn’t pursue it.

After grabbing my box of wine, I returned to find Blue and her magical car driving off, the metal figures swaying from the rooftop. I regretted letting her get away, but as they say on crime shows, I had no probable cause to hold her.

And with that, I switched off my “What’s Up?” antenna. I also was free from the daily reporting grind. No more election stories. No more ferry fiascoes. No more four-hour Mukilteo City Council meetings (hallelujah!).

Instead, I dove into the world of binge-watching “Law & Order.” The days flew by like a kid at summer camp, staying up late with s’mores at midnight by the glow of Benson and Stabler on the screen.

For months, I resisted bothering people, despite Blue’s encouragement. I even avoided my inbox of well-wishes from readers. I promised myself I’d get to them next week, which turned into next month, then months.

At one point, I considered sending out a Christmas letter written by an AI chatbot. I learned about AI as part of my new “displaced worker” skill set in my WorkSource training.

AI bots can churn out more stories in seconds than I did in four decades, but they don’t serve drinks … yet. As a backup plan, I took a course for a state alcohol server permit.

Displacement, funemployment, retirement — whatever you want to call it — had its perks. Aside from slumber parties with my grandkids, nothing kept me up at night or motivated me to get up before noon.

On Safeway runs, I still kept an eye out for Blue’s silver Legacy GT. Just when I thought I was finally ready to close this chapter, the unexpected happened.

Last week, Herald Managing Editor Mike Henneke asked if I’d be interested in writing a “What’s Up With That?” column once a month.

Heck yeah!

So, I’m heading back to Safeway for a celebratory box of wine. Blue, if you’re out there, I’ve got a drink with your name on it.

And there’s plenty more cut-rate cabernet to go around. Got a story for “What’s Up With That?” Hit me up at reporterbrown@gmail.com or 425-422-7598.

Top 5 most-read “What’s Up With That?” columns for 2024

1. “Sasquatch of Lake Stevens is as legendary as hometown hero Chris Pratt.” Two mossy and mysterious figures in the woods of Lundeen Parkway turn heads and lighten up a gloomy day.

2. “Why are there 24 Weber grills lined up on the highway to Stevens Pass?” Just ask Jimmer De Groot. He expresses his love of grills through his art. And it’s now a bit of an obsession.

3. “Galloping Gourmet’ celebrity chef Graham Kerr is a Stanwood newlywed.” The 90-year-old world-famous TV celebrity chef dishes about love.

4. “Mukilteo Speedway name change is off to a bumpy start.” The city’s initial crack at renaming the main drag got over 1,500 responses, mostly in favor of keeping the name.

5. “The 1,500-pound Sasquatch: Bigfoot comes to life in woods near Monroe.” Terry Carrigan of Skywater Studios sculpted the 8-foot Bigfoot from concrete and handcrafted every strand of hair.