Re: Through the looking glass, #6 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: PattyMara (PattyMaraaol.com) | |
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 22:33:18 -0600 |
In a message dated 98-11-23 18:22:00 EST, Michael Donovan writes: << Patty, I just wanted to send a quick note to let you know that I have particularly enjoyed your descriptive messages to the cohousing-L list about life at Tierra Nuevo. Those of us much earlier in the process of developing a cohousing community (i.e., pre-site selection) often find the road ahead daunting, as I am sure you well remember. Oh, indeed I do. We had such a long road, full of disappointments and discouragements. Pre-site selection is a time of particular stress, but potentially bonding, as you get to know one another on very real terms. Hopefully your group has done the difficult work of revealing the economic status of each prospective member, and factored that in to what you can afford. And your collective vision can determine which site speaks to your group heart and group mind. We lost several families when we decided that we could not afford to build in San Luis Obispo proper, and needed instead to choose a less costly and more rural site, away from the city. >>Your letters from the other side give us a taste of what is coming, warts and all. I am committed to exposing the warts. It isn't all roses, this living in community...and there is such a variety of personalities and ages in our group of 28 households. Half of us haven't moved in yet, so I expect some big changes when that happens. There will always be a balance of joys and frustrations, I reckon. Our theme song could be "The Days of Warts and Roses". >>The messages are wry,warm and funny, exactly what I hope living in our community will be like. (the note about your "Santos-key" was especially touching and funny at thesame time, I shared it with my working group committee). Thank you, Michael. It is really wonderful to watch Santo at work. After shimmeying through a very narrow transom window, he hangs from the light soffet, stretches out his foot to the door bar, swings his body to exert pressure and pops open the door from his suspended position. Fortunately we all have keys now, the small metal kind, and we never lock the place anyway. So Santo is off duty, having a great time playing pool in the game room. >>Hope your Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks are fun, festive, satisfying, and full of collective bootie-shaking! Me too. You know, it isn't a guaranteed slam dunk that we will all like each other, all of the time. After so many years of dreaming about shared meals and celebrations, I'm finding that some of the gatherings are fun and cohesive and sparkling, and some just aren't. The alchemy of fellowship is illusive and whimsical. Hopefully, we'll hit the mark more often than not, and be gentle with ourselves when the events fall short of expectations. It all boils down to the difficult work of relationships. Which will be with us all, day in and day out, through all phases of development, construction, move in and the accumulating years of living in community. <<Michael Donovan Village in the City St. Louis MO >> I like your name, Village in the City. It says exactly what it is. Without using the C word, which for us has raised many questions. Perhaps in time the term cohousing will be recognized as a familiar, household term, but for us pioneers it has required many hours of education and explanation to media folk, neighbors and the general population. The next cohousing community to form in this area will have a much easier job of marketing, thanks to our efforts. Getting ready to turkey trot, Patty Mara Gourley Tierra Nueva Cohousing Oceano, CA
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Through the looking glass, #6 PattyMara, November 23 1998
- Re: Through the looking glass, #6 Stevenson/Bitner, November 23 1998
- Re: Through the looking glass, #6 PattyMara, November 23 1998
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