Saturday evening Vashon-Fauntleroy ferry Traffic

Saturday evening ferry traffic into Seattle can mean longer lines than usual.

I have learned this intuitively, and am keenly aware of it as we plan to go into the city on Saturday evenings, but it might not be intuitive to visitors or Islanders who typically stick around on Saturday nights.

Keep it in mind, line up a little bit early on Saturday evenings.

Island Boots; Vashon's Feet.

These are the feet of Islanders.

Prepared not just for rainy days but for wet adventures.

For beach walks.

For damp journeys through stands of Western Red Cedars.

 And, for jumping in puddles.
For creating a garden in the lowest (and muddiest) part of the yard.

For a low tide walk.
For finding crabs in the eel grass.

And yes, sometimes for a quick trip to Thriftway.
Or to grab coffee with a friend.
These are the feet of Vashon.

High School Basketball

I know almost no one who is in High School, but small town life (for me) screams being aware of High School arts and sports.

So one Friday evening, with newborn in tow, we all went toe the High School girls and boys basketball games. Fun and easy leisure.

Vashon Island Weddings- Please shuttle your guests.

So it is the season where people who are getting married this summer start putting together all of the logistics of their weddings.

So as an Islander who has lived here for several summers can I make a recommendation...

Work out some sort of shuttle system for your guests!  Maybe not all of them---but just offer it.  Just think

Your 75+ guests and 2 other weddings on the Island means that hundreds more people are coming on the Island JUST for your wedding. If it is a beautiful weekend hundreds of more folks come to the Island. Then bam most of your guests are late, people are missing things and their are frantic to leave the Island (and your reception as well) because they are nervous about making the ferry to leave the Island as well.

Just a thought.
And I promise, Islanders will appreciate it, we love sharing our Island. We don't like long ferry lines any more than anyone else (we just tolerate them better).

2014 Vashon Holiday Boat traffic

Every year around the holiday season people on Island start asking, "what are the ferry lines like on xxx holiday or holiday eve?" And for some reason I don't think any of us can remember.  It's like this big vortex of bad ferry experiences and good ferry experiences and if you are an Islander you have had lots of both.

I figure though, while it is still fresh I would document what I remember about Ferry Traffic 2014 on the holidays:

Christmas Eve Ferry Traffic leaving Vashon going to Fauntleroy:

2014 the boats were on a normal schedule.
No boats were cancelled.
 By 3:30 in the afternoon the boats were very full.

So if you have someplace to be at with a VERY specific time frame then you might want to line up early. Otherwise, just be patient!


New Years Eve Ferry Traffic leaving Vashon going to Fauntleroy:
Normal Workday schedule
No boats were cancelled.
We lined up for our boat maybe 15 minutes earlier than we might have.
I am glad we did the boats were MUCH more full than a normal weekday to Seattle.

New Years Day Traffic to and from Vashon 
Normal Schedule
No boats were cancelled
My partner had to work this day (in Seattle) and got too and from the Island with utter ease!!


Sunday after New Years- the Sunday before schools start up etc. leaving Vashon
We actually went into Seattle on the 8:55am boat and it was unusually crowded for a Sunday morning (without a Seahawks game).
Then when we returned around 2:30 there were pretty long lines to leave the Island.  Later in the afternoon this year some boats were cancelled or delayed but even before they were delayed the lines were long.
My guess is a lot of people who have vacation homes on Vashon were all headed back around the same time and the lines got long quickly.  Keep this in mind for future planning.


It seems to me the crucial point is that when the boats operate a normal schedule things run smoothly, but when things get backed up, reduced to 2 boats or whatever, the systems gets mangled pretty quickly!

Augies U-Pick

So for the second year we went and got a Christmas tree on one of the coldest days we could find.
Apparently this is fast becoming our tradition.  Last year I believe it went fine but I think I yelled, "Just choose a fucking tree."  So yeah, I'm that parent sometimes...

Yesterday, at 4:30 we went looking for a Christmas tree on Vashon.  We figured we would just go for an already cut one.  Being 8 months pregnant I am not going to lay on the ground and cut it. After all, I might never get up otherwise.  And, bending over with a saw would be a great way to get me to pass out.

My partner wasn't especially enthused about cutting one down, but as I think he secretly likes really fresh trees, we ended up at Augies U-Cut just off of Bank road.  The place is a bit shabby, and there are no signs indicating what the heck you are supposed to do.  Last year we went there and I felt like and idiot the whole time.

This time someone greeted us warmly and asked if we needed a saw.  As I wrangled the kids into their coats she came back with a saw and we asked about the prices.

$20 for douglas firs.
$40 for everything else.  Even if you want a giant one.

We didn't go far into the farm.  There is, after all a large loop and lots of trees, but the kiddos were cold about 30 seconds into the venture and I know from experience that Sean and I have different taste in Christmas trees!  This was his year to choose!  So I was trying to be interested but also quick!

So we made a quick choice.   My Mister cut the tree town (I did hold it so the saw didn't get smashed under the weight of it- see I was helpful), and then we walked it back to the car.  We had an hilarious mishap on I-405 a couple of years ago with our tree flying off...so we are happy to stay on the Island and toss the beast into the back of the car.

Finally, we bought a $20 wreath.  After, all we went for the douglas fir so we figured we could splurge!  All in all it was a very easy interaction.

This is no the place you go if you want horses and sleigh rides or hot cocoa or fake charm.  There was no Christmas music being streamed, and no one wearing a Santa hat.  There were some men working on putting siding on a shed who were wearing overalls- but that wasn't for show.    This place feels real.  It feels like a small seasonal business.  It feels like a great stop for a trip to Vashon that should then include a trip to a coffee shop, a pastry, and a couple pop in to some local stores.  For locals Augie's U-pick was easy for us.

Vashon IGA

So when I was a daytripper and then a vacationer on Vashon I had no idea there was a second grocery store on the Island.

Thriftway was all I knew of, and frankly was all I needed.
But of course I now know there is and IGA on Island as well. Just one street west of the downtown core.  I have to confess that I am kinda charmed by IGA.

Maybe it is because I spent a summer working at an IGA in Greenville, Illinois and that happened to be a great summer job for me.  Or maybe that the Vashon IGA is not the wierd, artsy, hippy dippy Vashon. It is an ordinary supplemental grocery store...

Sure I once bought day old fried chicken that tasted exactly like the store smelled.
And no one is claiming they have an abundance of any particular food item.
But honestly I have had good luck with everything else I've purchased there.

Sometimes things are delightfully cheaper.  Their bulk nuts are like $5 a pound cheaper! Their clementine oranges are $1 a bundle cheaper (right now). Also, as a Tillamook yogurt die hard they often have Tillamook yogurt on sale!

But really, I love IGA for these reasons:

1. When you forgot something at Thriftway and you just cannot go back there again.
2. You don't want to run into anyone.
3. You are going for a quick in an out- after all IGA is just smaller
4. You can always park close to the door.  This doesn't sound like a big deal but since I am always hauling kids in and out- this matters a lot to me!
5. It is what it is. Nothing fancy. Just a simple store. There is no pretension.

Here is their website if you are looking....
http://www.vashonmarket.iga.com/