In the spirit of Christmas, a group member shared his video of cutting down a Christmas tree by shooting it with an automatic weapon.
Check out Bill Lyell’s Post Here
We’re still losing packages, and one person is eagerly awaiting their chainsaw. But who needs a chainsaw when you can just shoot down a tree?
There are rumors of ethereal beings visible from the north end ferry dock. Is this a Christmas decoration or a migraine aura? If I ever go more than four miles from my house, I’ll have to check it out.
There’s been a line out the door and around the corner for the most happening place on Vashon- the grocery store. I never realized how much of my social life was based on running into people around town until that stopped happening. But the grocery store is the last vestige of those old times, where you could park your carts to block the aisle and chit chat.
We’re mourning the loss of Endolyne Joe’s, a restaurant in West Seattle we often stop at when there’s a long break in the ferry schedule. But we’ve been told not to mourn it publicly because that might hurt a local business’s feelings, and businesses are notoriously sensitive. They see a compliment to someone else as an implied insult to them.
Now that we’re not leaving the island to shop and eat at Joe’s, we get everything delivered. How do we show appreciation for the delivery drivers for all they’ve done this year? They have it rough, especially the FedEx driver who got stuck in a ditch and had to wait until one in the morning to get towed out. It’s unfortunate his company wouldn’t let him call Engels. Whenever I get stuck in my own driveway, they come within the hour.
Some people are leaving treats for delivery drivers on the porch. Others are answering the door naked. We all give what we can.
It kind of snowed a little almost! There was definitely a layer of frost on my car. Enough to get a handful of snow and toss it. Expectations for what constitutes a good time are low this year, so I’m gonna call it snow.
With New Year’s Eve approaching, it’s the time of year to be nostalgic, and we have so much to be nostalgic for. We miss the mud bog days, we miss Endolyne Joe’s, we miss each other. We’re even reviving year-old threads about ordering pizzas- truly the good old days.
Hanukkah has just passed, which is a holiday about celebrating the small miracles, even in the darkest times. So let’s run through the minor blessings we’re closing out this year with.
A very good dog was leashed outside of Thriftway. He greeted customers, and thanks to astute group members, we’ve learned his identity is Nanook the malamute. With that kind of exposure, he’s got a good shot at cinching the Unofficial Mayor nomination.
Two babies have been born this week, and if all goes as planned, vaccines will be widely distributed by summer, and we’ll be able to meet again and hold each other’s babies.
You can paint a rock and leave it at the library. Maybe paint a friend’s name and see if they can find it. Drop off rocks starting January 5. They’ll display them through February.
Have a happy Christmas, and we look forward to seeing you next week. Be sure to post pictures of your Vashon-themed Christmas loot on the groups.
Author: Anna Shomsky
I'm a former teacher and a data engineer living on Vashon Island. My writing has appeared in Five on the Fifth, Women on Writing and on the Post-Culture Podcast. I wrote and produced the radio show Whispers of Vashon for 101.9 KVSH. I’ve had short stories published in the anthologies Island Stories and Chicken Scratchings, as well as through the Open Space Literary Project.
