Around here….

Paul & Marty Ahart just got back from a 3400-mile, 3-week road trip to California & back - they tell me they had a blast. Paul says this next month is a super time to get over to Island Bicycles & get your wheels tuned up for the year...I know I'm going to.

It was a busy weekend, and even with the holiday yesterday, there’s a lot going on:

• Looks like Ruffles (J1 in J pod) hasn’t been seen since November…it’s still early, and the pod’s largest male sometimes wanders away from the group, but now people will be watching extra carefully to try & see where the 60-year-old killer whale might be.

By the way, by most people’s counts, this will be Granny‘s 100th year – yes, the oldest orca in the resident groups was probably born in 1911.

Broach, during the Shaw Island Winter Classic this past weekend. Photo by John Miller (thanks, John!)

• The Shaw Island Winter Classic was this past weekend, and John Miller was there:

Hey, Ian – went racing on Saturday – good day for mad dogs and Englishmen – wind was 15 – 20 with gusts exceeding 30. This picture (above) is soon after the start. The boat, a Santa Cruse 27, is “broaching”, i.e., excessive weather helm and subsequent knockdown – there were others!

It's tonight!

• Tawny from the Animal Shelter has an idea where you can eat tonight, and bring the fam…classical guitarist Amanda Brast & traditional folk dude acoustic new age songwriter & singer me will be playing tonight for the dinner – here’s more:

I wanted to remind everyone that Tuesday night from 5pm-8pm is the Annual Spay-ghetti Dinner.  Adults only $10, and kids only $5!

Where can you feed a family of four for $30.00 including dinner/deserts and FUN while supporting the low income spay and neuter program on San Juan Island? See you there!

• Teens at the Bean: Last Friday, Eric & Sheila at The Bean Café had a few friends over, and it was great! Here’s the story:

Dancing the night away....

Friday Night was Teen Night at The Bean Cafe. We had about 40-50 highschool students stop in for some fun.

They set up an XBox360 and did Dance Dance Revolution competitions all night. They played card games, had hot chocolate and cookies, and just enjoyed having the place to themselves. It was so nice to get to know more of the Friday Harbor teenagers.

We were really impressed by how polite they all are and by the respect they showed our restaurant.  We will be happy to make this a regular event at The Bean Cafe so our teens have a safe place to socialize. We hope you can post a picture in the Update and let the kids know we think they’re great and we’d love to have them back!

It was great to catch up with Melonie & Chris from Tif & Gif & share some laughs on the ferry last week - they were on their way to a concert in Seattle. Good to see you guys!

• Over at the Presbyterian Church, Sylvia has a class coming up in a couple of weeks:

Sylvia

Beginning Wednesday evening, March 9th at 6:30 pm, FHPC’s Youth Director Sylvia Sullard will be hosting a four week mini-seminar on current culture and youth.

Topics will include technology & cultural attitudes, styles of communication for generation Y and reasons for apparent lengthened adolescence.

There is no cost for these seminars and we will gather in the main hall at the Presbyterian Church.

If you have questions, please call the Presbyterian Church @ 378-4544.

That's the folks after the 8:30am Zumba class at XYZ Movement Arts - ready & happy for the day! Wahoo!

• Cynthia at XYZ Movement Arts says they’re filling the space with classes all day long – you can see what yoga class, dance session, kids’ program, and more fits your schedule by checking the website’s listings here.

On the walk: The Brann Homestead Cabin

• Eileen says about 75-80 people came last time, and this one should get a crowd, too:

Saturday, Feb. 26 at 1:00pm is the next Know Your Island Walk. Meet Dona Wuthnow, Director of County Parks, to walk the San Juan County Park and learn about its natural and cultural history.  Hear about the Brann Homestead cabin and its restoration; the national wildlife refuge just off the shore; see the film site of the 1998 movie, Practical Magic; learn of the early people who lived there; the trees and flowers to be seen, and the camping possibilities.

Meet at the San Juan County Park Office, just off Westside Road. The length is .25 mi. and one hour, the terrain is road and rustic trail, and the rating is moderate. Dogs are welcome on leashes. Rain or shine.

Twin sons of different mothers - it was good to catch up with Steve Keys (right) at Kings last week & see we were both wearing our IPS hats (there's a plug for ya, Jim & Kate!)...Louisa & Steve are off to Mexico this week for a couple of months - we'll miss you guys!

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