Early is OK

It’s quiet here in the early mornings. Gena is on holiday, and while she’s gone, I’m on morning baking duty.

Other than the “having to get up at 5am” part, it’s actually nice to be in so early and alone. It gives me a chance to see everything it really takes to get this place operational each day.

It is at once overwhelming, amazing and inspiring. Yesterday, for instance, by 7:30, while scones and cookies were baking in the oven. I took the chairs off the tops of the tables out front, brought in the paper, set the soup out, and checked the sugar, cream, and spoons at the self-serve coffee station.

By 8am, a wonderful team of volunteers, 5 to be exact, and Darcy (one of our AmeriCorps team) arrived on the scene. Each set about putting the rest of the Coffeehouse Bookstore together.

Two volunteers checked in a delivery and put everything away in its proper place. One set up the espresso machine, checked to make sure the shots were pulling correctly, and stocked the fridge with fresh milk and cream. Another put out the baked goods as they were ready, while yet another set up the back for dishwashing. And the other set up the cash register and started the prep work for our quesadillas and salads.

Within 30 minutes, everything was up and ready for business and the volunteer team was asking, “what can we do next?”

By mid morning, as customers were served, all of the baseboards and cabinet faces were scrubbed, the books in the front were straightened, storage shelves in the back were cleaned and organized, and new signs were designed, printed and put out to highlight various programs and opportunities.

It’s easy to miss all of this if you’re not here at 7am…this unfolding of the day.

It takes 250 volunteer hours each week to make all of this happen…to keep the Commons Coffeehouse Bookstore working in service with our community. And the fact that people are willing to come in for several hours a week, work hard, and have fun while they are doing it is testament to the mission of the Commons. We (that includes YOU, otherwise there is no WE!) strengthen our community by creating opportunities to gather, learn and grow.

While we do this, volunteers learn how to engage with people they might not know yet. They learn how to more seamlessly interact with people of all ages. They learn how to make great espresso and provide good customer service. And they learn what it takes to run a business.

What I’ve seen this week, by coming in to participate in the unfolding of the day, is that our volunteers not only make The Commons possible, but they also become better customers who understand the challenges of our local businesses, and they become more solid candidates for jobs with those local businesses. But until the time is right and those jobs become available, they are happy to be here, learning in concert with the people who support The Commons by purchasing espresso, scones, tea, salads and more.

Don’t quote me, but I think I’m going to miss this early morning shift.

Judy
Communications & Programs Coordinator
South Whidbey Commons

It's The Little Things

What is it about our American culture that puts such a value on "the big things?" You know, the newest car, the house with 4 bathrooms, the investment account that allows you to live more extravagantly after you retire than you did while you were working?

I don't have an answer for this question.

But I was just reminded that no matter what we put on our lifetime wish lists, for most of us "success" comes down to the surprising meaningfulness of "the little things."

This morning, I went out to the front to take some photos for our Facebook page, and was greeted by one of our newest volunteers - his genuine excitement about working here literally pushed his shoulders back and escaped through the biggest smile I've seen in a long time. It was the kind of smile that made me not only smile back, but stop and feel the shared happiness. Hours later, the corners of my mouth still turn up.

Not too long after that, I went to the counter to get a coffee, and was met by one of our gregarious adult volunteers who, without skipping a beat, said "Hey Toots!" Why that made me feel so good, I can't explain, but it did and both of us knew it.

Next, one of our regulars asked if he could hand me a donation envelope. "It's not much," he said. I tried sharing how important each and every contribution is to the Commons. And truly that is the case. His envelope will help us keep programs going just a little longer, and that's enough when you live in the moment.

The volunteer that just brought a sample of his famous roast beef recipe, the community partner that just sent us some grant funds we were hoping for, the person who shared that "it's not often you find the ideal concepts you think will strengthen a community actually put into action...but I felt it when I walked in this morning." It's these "little things" that have such great meaning here at The Commons.

This holiday season, we wish you the eyes to see such "little things" as they show up in your life. Come share the stories with us. The buzz is even better than the coffee!

Judy
Communications and Programs Coordinator
South Whidbey Commons

Tonight! Please Join Us!

Two, autobiographical one-acts featuring

Ed Cornachio and Shelley Hartle

on Friday, December 10.

Join Ed and Shelley (players from WICA’s On Golden Pond) for

a laugh-filled evening at the Commons Coffeehouse.

The two will be reading from their memoirs about growing up

in two different immigrant worlds on the East Coast, one Italian and one German.  Going Home runs approximately 90 minutes with one

10-minute intermission.

“Washington Slept Here,” is Hartle’s hymn to village life, with all the attendant problems of living in a fishbowl--where everyone knows everything about you and isn’t afraid to use it. 

From dodging the tactics of Benedictine nuns to deconstructing her first kiss, Hartle tells all in this joyride of a chronicle--a celebration of life, love, and retribution on the bumpy road toward adolescence.

“The Passing of Two-Sewer Charlie,” is Cornachio’s fond look at simpler times, days of tears and laughter growing up in a boisterous,

extended Italian family in the New York City of 1944. While all of America is fighting the Germans in Europe and the Japanese in the Pacific, Cornachio is fighting the onset of puberty on Bay 40th Street

in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Welcoming December

As the last day of November comes to a close, I started pulling together the details of our December events.

Amazing. (Click on the image above to make it bigger...click again to make it full size.)

Once more, I'm so impressed by the community in which we live and the gifts that are given to share here at The Commons.

Take a look, then check your calendar. I bet you find at least a couple of things you'd like to add to your "fun ways to celebrate the holidays at The Commons."

Judy
Communications and Programs Coordinator

Only One Day to Say Thank You?

No, of course not. But it is one day to make sure we take the time, make the time, to consider all of the things that make life wonderful.

Just in case there was any doubt, YOU are on the list of things to be grateful for this Thanksgiving! YOU create the energy at The South Whidbey Commons and every day, that energy is making a difference in our community.

Sometime today, when you have a bit of time (and maybe a cup of eggnog), take a look.

And until then, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Plug In To The Energy!

Living on an island, power outages happen. But that doesn't have to affect our energy! Combine an abundance of available caffeine with the creative juices and supportive spirit of our community, and you have a good idea of what The South Whidbey Commons is all about.

This week alone, here's what's going on at The Commons:
Wednesday, 3-5pm - Capturing the Holidays on Video - basic video skills to help you document your family & friend experiences.
Wednesday, 7-9pm - Artists' Forum - A multi-media artists gathering...meet, share, and encourage!
Thursday, 3-5pm - Commons' Crafts - An opportunity to get crafty with others as the holidays approach.
Thursday, 5-7pm - Cafe Español - Improve your conversational Spanish in this fun and informal gathering in The Backroom.
Friday, 7-9pm - Jessica Owen, Olympia acoustic singer-songwriter, in the Front Room for Friday Night Live!
Saturday, 2-4 pm - Brave New Words workshop for teens, designed to inspire and create poetry, spoken word and performance art events - with Swil Kanim, Native American Violinnist, Storyteller & poet, in The Backroom.
Sunday, 2-4pm - Lego Club, an informal opportunity for families to snag a Coffeehouse beverage and head to The Backroom to PLAY with a mondo pile of Lego pieces.
Sunday 7-9pm - Jim Page, playing The Front Room, for a special performance!

ALL of these incredible activities and performances are offered at no direct charge to you, and are open to people of ALL ages.

We do hope that while you're here, you'll support The Commons by purchasing gently used, quality books, an espresso or tea, and a freshly baked scone...but more than anything, we simply hope you plug in to all of this energy.

When we say "our programs," we are not claiming ownership as staff and volunteers here. Not at all! We're saying that everything that goes on here at The Commons belongs to "us" as in "our community."

So please, venture out, through wind, rain, snow (?!), and join US. Plug in. Recharge.

Busy Week

It is not common for the Commons to not be busy...OK, that's a double negative. 

It is common for the Commons to be busy. There. That's better.

And this week provides no exceptions! Our AmeriCorps team is out in eastern Washington at the SERVES conference, so we're a little short staffed (volunteers, anyone?).

We're celebrating Veterans' Day on Thursday with a 20% discount on all food and beverages for anyone who has served in our military (watch for the coupon to show up today or tomorrow here and in our e-mail updates).

And Cafe Espanol returns to The Backroom on Thursdays from 5-7pm! Youth and adults alike will have fun learning together! The format is informal and conversational, but with a great local resource in your midst – Spanish speaker, Sonja Bricker *. Not only will you improve your Spanish language skills, but you’ll learn more about being a local AND global citizen as you rotate watching movies, playing games, and ordering food (all in Spanish, of course!).

The great thing about "busy" though, is that it offers you more ways to find your place at the Commons! 

So please, drop by this week. Yes, the coffee's on...and so are the eggnog chai lattes :)

See you soon! 

* At 17 Sonja traveled to Mexico as an exchange student. Then she majored in Spanish language and literature. This was followed by numerous bicycle and backpacking trips through Spain, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Chile, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Cuba. She received her Master's in Teaching in 2006 and currently teaches 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Spanish at the high school level.

Sitting In The Living Room

It's cold this morning. Not the kind of cold that leaves everything covered in frost, but the kind of cold that can easily creep into your bones if you don't find a sunny corner to sit in.

So, to write this post, I've moved out of the office where it is quiet but cold -- and into the "living room" of the Commons where sunshine is streaming in through the windows and lively conversations are being built all around.

It's fascinating, how the hum of thoughts being shared can be at once peaceful and invigorating.

The mission of the South Whidbey Commons is to strengthen community by offering opportunities and places for people to gather, learn and grow. Sitting here, I see all of that happening, without experts on hand to facilitate or teach, without students sitting in rows, without a sound system to establish the one voice everyone should be listening to.

Sitting here, I see it happening as one of our adult barista volunteers visits with someone from out of town about Kichili's Bakery, where we get our bagels. I see it happening as an AmeriCorps team member creates a beautiful sign to highlight the soup of the day.  I see it happen as someone reads a book, and another writes one of their own. I see it happen as one coffee drinker leans over to suggest a recipe they just found in the paper to a tea drinker sitting nearby. I hear it happen as conversations (I'm only lightly eavesdropping, I promise) dance around the importance of the arts in our daily life, the best experiences they had in Morocco last year, and the nearness of the holidays. I laugh as it happens when three individuals from three different groups recognize each other around the room and jump up to share greetings and hugs. And I participate in it as I schedule a group of elementary students to come sit in The Backroom to talk about their visit to the library and the books they will choose next week.

I'm glad it's cold this morning and that the sun in the Living Room pulled me out of the office space for a while.

Maybe it's pulling you this way too? Coffee's on!

For The Birds!

Don't miss this show! Friday, November 5, from 7-9pm here at the Commons Coffeehouse Bookstore...another great show by talented locals (to include a couple of our Common's Volunteer Baristas)! Make your plans now to be here.

Important Announcement!

Dear Friday Night Live Faithfuls...

This Friday, October 29th, because of a variety of complex scheduling issues, there will be NO Friday Night Live. The SW Commons Coffeehouse Bookstore will be open though from 8:30am - 6pm.

FNL will resume with exuberance in November, so stay tuned for an updated list of performers! (yes, there have been changes to the line up too, so...) 


Our Friday Night Live program is vibrant and growing, with a great assortment of local talent asking how they can get involved. Watch for more information as we get things firmed up.

A Moment in Time

Most of us lead busy lives. We fill our days with either school, sports, band and homework -- or getting the kids ready for school, making lunches, picking them up, and dealing with after-school issues – and/or working to make ends meet, maintaining the house, planning for retirement – or dealing with chronic or crisis health care issues, adjusting to a fixed income, taking care of a “bucket list,” and just making the most of life at a slower pace.

Regardless of our spot in the timeline of life, we are constantly moving, and it can be hard to pay attention to individual moments.

But then there are special moments, when time seems to stop for a bit and we are able to really, deeply see what is happening all around us.

I had such a moment yesterday.

It was the Open House for the South Whidbey Commons. For days, the Board, Staff, AmeriCorps Team, and VOLUNTEERS had worked to set the stage. And on Sunday morning, they turned on the lights!

Volunteers from 12 – 45 walked into the Commons and set about their work alongside the others. Middle school students, high school students, adult professionals, all stepped up to clean the house, prepare food, brew coffee, greet guests, refill platters, and tell the story of the Commons.

What skills did this take? And understanding of food safety, an eye toward minimizing waste, an ability to work with a large team in a small space, a willingness to do the same thing over and over again for 3 hours, a voice to represent the story they had lived as a trained volunteer, a sense of comfort in guiding peers of different ages through the motions of a complex event, and a desire to have fun through it all.

Too many words? Let’s cut to the chase. Yesterday, I saw the volunteers at the South Whidbey Commons ROCK!!!!! They gave forward to their community, knowing that it was a good investment. They practiced food handling, cash handling, customer service, and community building with every interaction they engaged in.

And they did it in celebration of a small space in Langley that has been shaped into a home for Community. They did it in partnership with a Board that has been driven by passion and a hunger for connectedness between the glorious individuals who live on south Whidbey. They did it because they had a sense of ownership in the Commons.

Turns out, the guests had this same sense of ownership too! During the Open House, the volunteers overheard them bragging. That’s right, bragging.

“This is where I offer SAT prep classes.” “This is where I host financial planning classes.” “I put in THAT window.” “I painted THAT room.” “I played music in this room.” “My writing group meets here.” “ I worked in that garden.” “I sit here to work on my book.” “I donated three bags of books for the bookstore.” “I come in three times a week for coffee and a scone.”

It was a very good moment. For a lot of people.  It was a celebration of community, in every sense of the word.

We hope you were a part of it. If not, don’t worry. Come by anytime. The moment is always there to be enjoyed. You just have to slow down long enough to see it.

We’ll be waiting for you!

OPEN HOUSE!

On Sunday, October 24, from 2-5pm, something special will be happening in Langley...the South Whidbey Commons is having an OPEN HOUSE! While it's not uncommon to find lots of activity going on at the Commons Coffeehouse Bookstore, the event will definitely crank up the energy level.

First of all, there will be FOOD! Open House refreshments will highlight our new menu items, like the featured quesadillas, hummus, bagel chips, and Tree Top baked goods straight from our oven.

And of course, there will be coffee, hot chocolate, and tea.

But to make the event super special, we'll have a sampling of the kinds of community-based activities that the South Whidbey Commons supports throughout the year...music, poetry, crafts, legos, art, and more.

Why do an Open House now? Even though there is still work to do before we can say the remodel is completely finished, The Commons is so proud of how the community has come together to reinvigorate the building. We want to show off the progress, and encourage you to see it as YOUR place...one belonging to the community as a whole.

So, just to be clear, YOU are invited. And so are your friends and neighbors. Make sure they know by passing along this info :)

See you on the 24th! 2-5pm. 124 Second Street, Langley.

What a Week!

It's been hoppin' around here! We've introduced some new menu items, stepped up our volunteer training program, kicked off our advertising for the upcoming Open House (mark your calendars for Oct. 24, 2-5pm!), made some extremely cool nametags (check out the photos in the photo album!), and got in some more fabulous used books for our customers. And it's only Thursday!

Life here at the South Whidbey Commons is always fun, but for some reason it feels especially exciting right now. My guess is it's the people who are spending time with us. Gena is always phenomenal, and Tracie and Darcy are making AmeriCorps proud with their genuinely happy attitudes and sharp wit...but it's the volunteers and customers who seem even more engaged and energized this week.

I wish I could say that better. As I type, Gena and I are sitting here with our coffee, wishing there were more words in the English language, especially more words that add meaning to "happy." Maybe "jovial," "joyful," "exuberant," "deeply moved," "ecstatic," but we worry that people wouldn't take such words seriously.

The point is, people ARE HAPPY around here this week! And we see no reason that's going to change anytime in the near future. So please, come join the fun. Coffee's on :)

Friday Night Live

The fun continues! Friday Night Live serves a couple of purposes. It furthers the Commons’ mission of providing a “community living room,” it offers a couple of extra business hours each week which is always helpful for a non-profit, and it attracts a wide variety of personalities and talents to the Commons that introduces more and more people to our programs over time.

Here’s what’s on the calendar right now…please come join us! There is no charge to get in the door, but we gently encourage you to arrive early enough to grab some coffee or tea and a goodie, and performers always welcome tips :)
     
October 8 - Jack deYonge, reading from his book Boomtown Boy
October 15 - Don Bille & Bill Haglund - music
October 22 - To Be Announced- music
October 29 - Story Circle - storytelling
November 5 - Nicole Ledgerwood - music
November 12 - Wake Up Laughing - Improv (note change...Kurt Hoelting had to move to a later date, so stay tuned!)
November 19 - Uncommon Characters - comedy
November 26 - Wake Up Laughing - Improv
Shows start around 7pm.

Middle School Apprenticeship Program

Did you know that South Whidbey Commons offers apprenticeship opportunities to middle schoolers? Lucy, Kendra, and Jazmine just joined us this week, and they'll be learning about all the different moving parts of a coffeehouse, a bookstore, and a non-profit. We also offer for-credit opportunities for high schoolers who want to go through our barista training program and work in service with us throughout a semester. Interested in learning more? Contact us!

Blogging Once Again!

May was a looooooong time ago! So much has been going on since then and we want to tell you all about it! But it's going to take us a while to catch up, so we're asking for your patience. Over the next couple of weeks, you'll see our website updated, a Facebook page created, regular blog posts returning, and our latest newsletter out with a full report of what we've been up to.

Until then,  please mark your calendars for this Friday, September 17th. Our Friday Night Live fun will begin at 7pm, with Russell Clepper & Ro Purser (and their special guest Sarah Primrose).

Russell writes poetic lyrics in the folk/country/Americana vein of music in a style reminiscent of John Prine or Townes Van Zandt. Russell's soulful singing is supported by Ro Purser, who specializes in bluegrass, rock and blues on dobro and lap steel guitar, and Sarah Primrose who expertly employs her beautiful voice to create richly textured harmonies.

Please join us for an evening of great music, coffee, and friendship....it will do wonders for your sense of community :)

Timothy Hull, Dane Ueland, First Shifts Back, etc.

Before I talk about this past (incredible) week, I want to announce that Dane Ueland, a Seattle singer-songwriter, will be playing at the Coffeehouse Bookstore as part of the Friday Night Live series.  We are very lucky to have Dane play here, because he is an amazing musician with a gift - and I am not exaggerating.  He has a bright future in music and you will want to be able to say, "I saw Dane when he was just getting started."  I promise.  Okay, on to the main blog post.


After working with Jim and Glenn and everyone else on the build site for a few months, I was called away to SEA for every Monday - Friday of the month of May, which means that I left one Monday with the coffeehouse an empty room and returned to find the books on the wall and the espresso machine up and running.  The place looks amazing and validates all of the stress and dramas and hard work.  It is unbelievable.

And who better to kick off Friday Night Live at the new Coffeehouse Bookstore than Whidbey native Timothy Hull?  I talked to him a few hours before the show and he expressed trepidation that people might not show up.  That was not a problem.

The place quickly filled up, with about forty people buying coffee and finding seats as Timothy sound checked with ambient, reverb- and delay-laden acoustic guitar.  Then, he sang, and the voices stopped as torsos were magnetically drawn forward to immerse in Tim's lyrics about love and loss and a changing world where a new chaos of shouting and destruction reigns.  He played my personal favorite, "Sorrow," during the first set and closed the show with a rambling, but poignant, meditation on the meaning of community. 

Another highlight of the night was the unexpected help from Patty, Bill, Sue, Diane, and Gena, who gamely chipped in to mop the floor, do the mountain of dishes, and close down the coffeehouse.  It was one of my favorite coffeehouse nights I've had.  Thanks to everyone involved.

Success: Open and Running

We are finally there! The doors are open and the people are streaming in. I should know because I was behind the bar during the afterschool rush on my first day, and the first day open. Everyone who walks through the door says “wow, this has really changed, it’s so nice” or something to that extent. I think that everyone who worked on the project deserves a hearty pat on the back.

There will be more later, but for now I’m off to make coffee.

AmeriCorps Week

This past Saturday began the national AmeriCorps week. The idea is to celebrate the volunteers who are currently in service, past volunteers, and also spread the word to future volunteers. The Commons and Coffeehouse have a long line of AmeriCorps volunteers helping to hold down the fort, including the marvelous Gena, and many others who I don’t know, but have heard mentioned. Molly, Caitlin, Justin, and I are planning on setting up an AmeriCorps table to explain to people about AmeriCorps, once the Coffeehouse Bookstore is open.

Alright, so you know it’s AmeriCorps week, now what does AmeriCorps really mean? It’s often described as a domestic Peace Corps. Having also done Peace Corps, I sometimes compare the two. I think many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers might tell you that it’s nothing like Peace Corps (in an offended tone); and I agree to some degree given that Peace Corps is a much more intense two years living in another country, working in a different language and culture, with some of the most impoverished areas in the world.

At the same time, I think there are tons similarities. The main ideas are the same: to strengthen underserved populations, while building community (whether it be U.S. community, or a world community). Another huge part of Peace Corps and AmeriCorps is being adaptable and versatile. Your job is to work on what the community needs and wants. I had no idea that I was going to be working in construction, blogging, starting a Spanish club, and helping to start community gardens as volunteer in Langley.

It may sound cliché, but whether in Peace Corps or AmeriCorps, these skills in adaption to a wide variety of task, situations, diverse groups of people (in age or ethnicity), are invaluable life skills that you might not get from a “normal” job. So pat your AmeriCorps workers on the back this week and tell them “good work, you are building community…and in many ways, being just as cool as those snobby Peace Corps Volunteers”!

The End is in Sight

I realize that Justin and I talk about food a lot. Just to warn you, this post is no exception. But before I get into the food, I want to talk about how the remodel is coming along. I work all day Monday, half of Wednesday, and Friday with Jim, Don, Justin, and whatever other wonderful community member decides to donate their time to the project. It’s great because I get to start all the projects at the beginning of the week, and then finish ‘em at the end of the week. The best part of all is how the place is coming together. You can really get a feel for how things are going to look. All the trim and painting are done, the stainless steel sinks are coming tomorrow, the counter and cabinets are in, the shelves are all built, and today, Patty, Diane and I, stained the majority of the shelves.

Now comes the food part…for lunch, Patty and Diane took me to the Swiss Bakery and it was really good: delicious bread, real Swiss cheese, pasta salad, and of course, delicious desserts. Since Justin, Molly, and I just finished the Master Cleanse (drinking only lemon juice, Cheyenne pepper, and maple syrup for 10 days), it doesn’t get must better than that. To top it off, last night we enjoyed Mexican food and Mariachis with the Café Español group at La Casita Mexican Restaurant. Sounds like a great way to spend time until we open on May 15^th, right?

Taking shape

Sorry for the hiatus, but there were a few days last week that were a sort of elite "professionals only" work day, so I just came in after hours along with Board, AmeriCorps members, and Jerry and Kay Millhon, to sand down the trim and other scrub work like that.  Then, I left on Sunday for a big SEA adventure.  We took 15 sixth graders out on our 65-foot power boat, the Indigo, and camped on Blake Island.  I taught them how to tie some knots and that jumping in after their buddy was not the best way to handle a person overboard, and Susie and Chris led nature hikes, service learning projects, and fun stuff like that.

But now I'm back, and I'm going to do what everyone seems to like best and just show what's been going on through pictures.

Cheers!

Insulation and a painting party

Before getting into this blog, I need to say that our fearless leader Jo is in the hospital.  Please keep her and Jim in your thoughts and prayers.

The Board turned out en force for the painting party and kept up intimidating banter throughout.  I, along with the other males, certainly kept my head down and did what I was told.  It was a big process, with primer and texturing and multiple coats of plant, but everyone kept their spirits high throughout.  Jim and Jo, as usual, directed, with Diane, Carol, Cynthia, Patty, Clyde, Gena, and Glenn in particular - though others helped as well - really wearing their shoulders out.  Also, YES has continued to push forward, working on their mission statement and a proposal form to present to the Board.

 YES, clockwise from left: Maelcolm, Margaret, Walker, Nathan, Megan, Jo, Cygne, Sara, Glenn, and Justin.

The Shelvers' dog, Duke, surveying his hard work on the insulation.

 Gena getting paint on her face.

 Clyde didn't believe that Gena had more paint on her than he did.

 Patty providing a model of fierce determination and focus.

Terrifying.  Absolutely terrifying.

Carol is intense.

I'm always happy to listen to Jo talk, even if she's reading a random page out of an old Western Literature textbook.

Our matron and Supreme Commander.

Sue cheerfully applying a second layer of red paint in the main coffeehouse room, doubtless thinking in Spanish after a month of Cafe Espanol.

 The Board holding an impromptu meeting to discuss important, secret matters.

 Everybody's favorite room, the Garden Room.

Painting is about to begin

All of you who have been excitedly waiting the opportunity to burn out those shoulders and get those latissimus dorsi lean for beach season, well, your time has come.  Last week, Glenn, Jim, and I, among others, put all the insulation in while Nathan put in the wiring and whatnot for the sound system and internet.  Then, the professionals came in and put up all the dry wall.  Right now, as I type, they're mudding the walls and about to sand and seal. 

That means that this week we will begin painting.  It all starts tomorrow and begins in earnest on Thursday.  Drop in if you're interested.

Electrical, Newsletter, and another work party

It looks like the electrical is about finished, which is great news.  We're trying to get everything up and painted before my man Scotty has to head out to Michigan for work.  He's a professional painter, and we are very fortunate to have him here to help.  I'm especially pleased he's still here even though his team Kansas suffered that ignominious defeat in the tourney.  Stellar guy, Scotty.  And he shares my love of coffee.

In other news, I am done with the first five pages of the newsletter, which is a relief to me.  It's going a lot smoother this time than last, so hopefully the next one will be even easier.  Look for a hot-off-the-press copy in early April.


Finally, we will be hosting another work party on Sunday at 10 am.  Cathy estimates that we can get all the work done in about two hours.  The more people that show, the less time it'll take.  It was a good time last week.

Work Party

Yesterday, we had our first open work day since the coffeehouse bookstore closed down for renovation.  Glenn and I are at the site almost every day, and the Board is frequently there individually, but it was great to see everyone there together.  Led by Cathy Waymire-Rooks, Board member and landscape architect, Glenn, the Board, a few youth volunteers (Sara, SamE, and Julie), and I sawed down the old apple tree, shoveled manure, dug up dead plants, and ate four pizzas and two huge trays of apples and cookies.  It was a beautiful day, with the storm clouds seeming to cover the sky everywhere except for Langley.  It did rain briefly at about 1:45, but it was warm, the raindrops fell fast and departed quickly. It felt like the first Spring rain.

Sara chopping up them branches.

 Sam E.

 Sawin'.

 Diane.

Sue, Patty (in the back in blue), Cynthia, and Diane (back right).

I feel bad for the tree, but it made some terrible apples.

Surveyin'.

I'm going to miss the old classic sign.

Beautiful.

Successful Café Español!

As Justin Mentioned, Café Español was a huge success with an impressive turnout of over 20 people. We kept going upstairs to get more and more chairs. I’m not sure how everyone fit in the Backroom, but we did.

The best part of the evening was the diversity of the group. One of our main goals was to “Bring together diverse members of the community to connect over a fun and common interest.” We had about every age group represented, and a lot of distinct experiences with as well. Half the group even got there early; and the other half, keeping with the tradition of many Latin American countries, arrived fashionably late. I’m sure they were trying for total immersion in the language, and culture.

Our second goal, “Encourage members of the community to practice conversational Spanish, share good food and worldly perspectives,” was successful as well. A rousing game of charades helped to keep everyone lively, while pushing their Spanish vocabulary. Margaret and I made a point of discussing the group’s ideas and goals for Café Español. There were some excellent suggestions that we will incorporate into the weekly plan. You can’t forget the delicious food either. A key part of Café Español is a potluck style food sharing.

Thanks to all those that came! Good work planning, Margaret and Justin.

So come join us every Thursday at 5:30 in the Backroom. Be ready for Spanish games, movie night, country themes, one-on-one conversation practice, vocabulary, and Latino music, and tons more.

Cafe Espanol...

...is awesome.  At least 20 people showed up, and I think maybe up to 25 or 30.  We had guacamole, quesadillas, pico de gallo (and discussed how strange it is that fresh salsa is called "beak of the rooster"), gallo pinto (black beans and rice tico-style, "painted rooster" for its speckled appearance, and - sorry, it's breakfast time, but I suppose y'all aren't as interested in the food aspect as I am.

Margaret and Glenn did an awesome job of leading the group through conversation (translating as they spoke so that those in the crowd with very little Spanish experience could follow), games, and introductions.  There were people with no Spanish background and people who had lived in Spanish speaking countries for years.  And, most exciting, there were people from age 12 to age 80.  It was a beautiful thing.

So come to next week's Cafe Espanol at 5:30 in the Back Room!

Roofing

We had to delay the roofing a couple of days because of rain, but I think the clouds dumped it all during the night, so we should be good to go today.  Glenn and I will be the grunts hauling things from the ground to the roof. 

Also, went upstairs to take some pictures of the new look in the attic, and I looked around at the stuff piled in the middle and said, "Dang Glenn, somebody's gonna have a helluva job cleaning this stuff up."  We walked downstairs and Jim asked us to clean out the attic.  Classic.  I can't wait to see it all fixed up, though, because it is already a completely different place than it used to be - it's well lit, the walls are painted white, there is a friendly glow to the place, the spiders have been routed and sent into the cracks, and I can already see it transformed into a nice office space.  Come by and check it out.

New Program: Café Español

Anyone who has talked to me, or read my resume, quickly finds out that I love Latin American Culture and Spanish. My gmail account, cell phone and about anything else I can change, are set in Spanish. I have a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, have traveled to Spain, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and lived for 27 months in Costa Rica. So yeah, I am obsessed. It’s not only the language, but the rich culture that comes with it as well.

When Margaret, a High School Student and member of YES, contacted me about forming a Spanish Culture Club, I had already written a small proposal of the idea myself. I was excited that other people were interested in Spanish. We basically had the same goals in mind. It certainly didn’t hurt that Margaret has a wonderful attitude and a great eye for designing really cool flyers (be on the look out for them around town).

The idea has two main goals:

1. Encourage members of the community to practice conversational Spanish, share good food and worldly perspectives.

2. Bring together diverse members of the community to connect over a fun and common interest.

We plan on having weekly get-togethers on Thursdays at 5:30pm. Each week we’ll have a theme, such as games in Spanish, or talk about a specific country in Latin America. After the discussion, there will be time for free conversation or asking questions of the more advanced speakers. This is the main idea, but we will always be open for input from those who show up.

The first meeting will take place on Thursday, March 18^th at 5:30pm in the Backroom of the South Whidbey Commons. Snacks will be provided. It should be a good time and we hope to see you all there. Vamos a disfrutarnos mucho.

Pictures of Progress

 The framing up and the lumber ready.  You can tell the inside is taking shape. 

Equipment research.

 It's hard to believe there's any renovation going at all, looking at the front.

The view through the new Garden Room.

That, of course, is meant to say "Grand Opening" but I ran out of space.  Y'all know what I mean.