For the last several years I have enjoyed doing my Christmas shopping in Friday Harbor for a number of reasons; the town is beautiful, shopping locally is the right thing to do and the shop owners are a delight to work with.

Two weeks ago, during the internet/phone outage, on the last day of my trip I returned to my car with packages from 5 local businesses when I realized I had lost my keys. I retraced my steps, found my keys and returned to my car to find a $25 parking ticket.

I was dumbfounded.

I was parked next to Lot B and there wasn’t another car within a block of mine, parking availability wasn’t an issue.

I completely understand why parking enforcement is necessary during the summer, but in November it just doesn’t make sense when merchants are desperate for customers.

The bottom line is the town will now get $25 dollars I would have spent locally. And I could have parked all day long at Target without penalty, shopping on the mainland is starting to have its appeal.

Let me know when Friday Harbor decides to waive parking restrictions for the holidays and I’ll be back.

Patty Crawley/Ferndale