Vashon's Thrift store: Granny's Attic

The Vashon thriftstore, aka Granny's, is open three days a week.  It's a charitable organization so all the profit they make goes to various (I think now) non-profits on the Island.  Cool deal!  We have, at all times, a box of stuff to go to Granny's that is slowly filling. When it gets full I drop it off (drop off is 7 days a week).

I bought all of Miriam's birthday presents there.
We bought an adorable dollhouse there and then remodeled it.
We have purchased dishes, some jewelry etc.
The great thing about Granny's is that almost everything there is super super cheap.

Today I went there to drop stuff off and it was right after 10, when it opens, and it was crazy. People were parked way back in overflow parking, the line was super long, and frankly it was a mad house.  It wasn't unfriendly but it was nuts.

On one hand I sort of get the frantic-ness of Granny's. Stuff is cheap, there aren't more of whatever you are getting, some things area  real "steal." On the other hand it feels to me like a cycle, sure I'll buy this now but eventually it'll make it's way back to here.

I think the best way to shop this place is to go in with a general "idea" of what you want.  Things like, "kids toys for the airplane, or  if you have a specific like a new coffee table that's great but not "urgent"

Anyway, here are some photos of a couple of things we've gotten at Granny's.

Should you move to Vashon...

I have become facebook connected through a mutual friend to a family that is moving to Seattle.  They are considering a move to Vashon.  He asked me a general "thoughts on moving to Vashon..." question. Here's my answer...

"So should you live here or not? That I cannot say. Here's the advice I usually give people- Come and stay here for a week or two and then decide. Last year after my youngest daughter was born my Sister came and stayed with us- we were living in Seattle at the time- anyway we stayed on Vashon for 7 days. Sean commuted, and through that we decided we could do it- I also grew up in a small town and though I love Seattle I was overwhelmed with how to raise a child in a city. We were living in a great albeit rough neighborhood and I simply was overwhelmed by negotiating relationships between race, class, drug dealers, neighbors etc. It didn't feel good. That, and we were entering the land of preschools and schools and the chaos of that- and we wanted the simply life- we didn't want to buy into the BS that goes with that and the copious amounts of decisions that await us at every turn...so quite frankly we chose something simpler. Fewer schools, 1 option to get off the Island, 2 grocery stores, etc. We just chose the simple life.  At times the "waiting for the ferry life" or the "slightly more expensive groceries life" or the "people know your business life." but that is also "simple".

The commute?  I love it. It is hard in the winter- don't get me wrong. And, we live on the north end so once we get to the ferry we are pretty much home. Phew. But my partner and  I also commute together some days which I love. For me, the morning time is my prayer, reflection, quiet time. Being on the water every day is such a gift. I seriously love love love it. My 3 year old is a beach comber- hunting for sea anemones and starfish, the is into barnacles, and seaweed---she knows many different types. That is awesome. She is also a shy kid- an introvert like both of us- and we feel like her withdrawn nature is not as strong as it is in Seattle with all the people and buildings- on Vashon she knows where she is!

So those are my thoughts= all jumbled together. But here I what I offer- when you get here- if you don't land on Vashon we are ready to have you over! Please hop the ferry we would love to welcome you, talk about the Island.  .  .

Vashon Heat

90 degrees.
What is your beach of choice?

It is the begining of July and summer is here in the PNW.
Glorious summer.

The Island is hopping. The weekends fill it with day-trippers and I think almost anyone who owns a vacation home on this rock is probably filling it with family and friends.  So that grocery store is crowded, restaurants

sometimes even require a wait, and in general things are hoppin.

Different feel.

Vashon and her fruits.

So many homes on this Island have fruit trees around them.  And we are lucky enough to be among them!  I kinda can't believe that Thirftway even sells ANY apples between September-November.  I have to admit, I am sorry we didn't turn more of it into applesauce.  These kids love applesause!

But beyond deer fencing are there any ways to keep the fruit for you and not for the deer?
Or beyond that what kind of flowers and plants look beautiful without being Bambi's breakfast?
The deer are awesome around here. Seriously love them.
Oh, and I hate them too!

Vashon Playground- The best of all

There are some great playgrounds on Vashon. Ober park, Dockton park (tell me if there are others!) but the best playground of all is the driftwood on the beach!  

This little one loves to climb and climb and climb!

Throwing rocks is an eternal amusement.  Have humans been doing this since the beginning of humanity? (Do monkeys do this?)

Pretend you are riding a horse!

Explore for treasures or clean up the trash for and teach an ethical lesson!

Hmm. Is this a naturally occurring fort!?

Seriously the beach is a great playground!

Vashon Poem.

Will this become ordinary?
Will the sleek neck fo the cormorant be overlooked?
The mountian, as she rises over Puget sound, will she go unnoticed?
Does newness wear off and does taking for granted inevitably set in?

My prayer is that it does'nt.
That like my relationships with people the more I bask in them they become only richer, more complicated and more authentic over time.

The Transfer Station

Every other week (or so) we take our recycling to the transfer station.  (Our landlord said she was going to get us recycling bins but that never happened.)

It seems like everytime I drive there I turn down the wrong road and it ends up taking me longer than I think it will.  Of course on Vashon I don't mind it so much. It's not like I'm stuck in traffic.

I know it's odd to say that I like the transfer station but I have more than just one reason.  So here is a silly list of things I like about the transfer station.

•  there is something so refreshing about filling the back of the car up with trash and then getting rid of it
•  there are ALWAYS people there doing exactly the same thing
• Why there is such good art on walls is beyond me but, I like it.
• I scored a 1/2 dozen perfectly good wide mouth canning jars from the glass bin last time
• I like seeing what is in the pit of recyclables -once I saw a rowboat, another time a rubber ball, seriously some quirky stuff
• I am usually doing it on a day off and with my partner or my kids so it has a sort of cozy day off feel (wierd I know!)