December 2, 2009 - Community Connections

December 2, 2009

Today started out like any other around here, at least since we began to settle in our new environment. Waking up at 6:30AM in our hotel room, I thought about the work I had done yesterday and remembered our need for better safety basics. Today we planned to go purchase these and other supplies for the apartment we are remodeling.

It is common for me to start planning the day before coffee has been had, and today was no exception. I did, however, remember that my husband is not so ready. I made coffee and began to prepare breakfast. Quinn was prompted to get dressed, all the while complaining that he was hungry. Kaya was walking around with out any clothes on, and reality began to settle in.

Focus on the task at hand and the job will get done. The only problem is that sometimes there are just so many different tasks to complete, we are not always sure how to prioritize our actions to get the most done in a day. Note to self ; look for ways to set our goals in order and plain view (note cardssssss).

After feeding Quinn we sent him off to school, which is only six blocks away, we ate our breakfast and prepared for our walk. The coffee we began with was a bit on the weak side and we decided to visit the local Co-op. Kaya happily dressed herself and we went up the block. Point Arena is a small town with business mostly lined on one street, Highway 1, along the Northern Coast of California.

So there we are in the Co-op, Kaya happily sitting on the bench with her hot chocolate and JP standing by the condiment table waiting for our lattes. I walked over from the bathroom and stood by him while the server finished making our order. This is the moment our laughter began. As she handed us our cups, and upon setting them down, JP found himself knocking a tall stack of to go cups over onto the floor. As he attempted to pick them up, he rolled over backwards. Rolling back, he began to stack the cups back up on the bench, but he kept on knocking them back over again. We all had a good laugh as the comic blame game ensued. Perhaps if I hadn’t been so close to him in the enclosed space, the whole event would never have happened, but I am glad that it did, because JP and I, and the lady behind the counter, all needed a good laugh.

We were finally seated and enjoying our lattes until Kaya started grabbing for my cup. Not wanting to hear her fuss, I took her now empty paper cup and poured my drink into it. We then got up and were insistently lead by our two year old to come outside. We next headed to the post office to get our own postal box. This town does not deliver mail to anyone. If you are a resident here, you are entitled to have a box at no fee if there is no service to your residence.

While JP filled out the registration form, I took Kaya to the playground. The moisture was thick on the ground and I carried Kaya across the big field so that her feet would stay dry. Unfortunately, the first slide she decided to go down was so wet and she slid down so fast, landing on her back, and ending up with water all down her back and pants. Recovering without complaint, she watched excitedly as I followed after. Unable to stop myself, I landed on her leg and that was the end of our play ground experience for the morning.

Walking back to the street, I saw JP heading towards us and told him what happened. We met up and walked out to the main street adjacent to the animal feed store. There is a woman working at this store who we have been told we need to speak with before doing anything in the Community Garden, located below the play ground. She was there today and we got to talking about the garden. JP had to leave early though, because Kaya’s pants were very wet from the slide.

Ronda completed a business transaction and we got to talking about the garden, the environment, and our community. Upon hearing the efforts that JP and I have made so far in this community, Ronda was overjoyed and wanted to hand over the community garden project to me, feeling that she was failing. I was not so sure that I would be ready for this responsibility, but expressed that I would be happy to help her in any way that I could.

We got to talking about the environmental fracture which has been plaguing the environmental consciousness movement, and I expressed to her my belief that we need to focus on uniting environmentalists for community action for real change to happen. She agreed and seemed to feel relieved that there was actually someone else who feels as passionately about the environment as she does.

Being that Ronda was on the job, her phone rang again and she expressed her need to get back to work. We have plans to visit again tomorrow and continue our conversations. It was a great relief that I was able to make such an immediate connection with someone who, not only has a finger on the environmental pulse in this town, but also is connected with local Native American tribes.

This meeting was a great success and offered me an inside look into the town which me and my family find ourselves calling home. Tonight we plan to visit Surf Therapy Yoga and attend the global prayer group where we hope to meet others who share the vision of community sustainability through community involvement.

Until another adventurous day begins.

Lyra