Thoughtful Foods

Lovelies,

It's an overcast morning, teasing us with maybe-I'll-rain-maybe-I-won't in the manner of clouds & sun.  And, much like any mischievous deity, the sky does this with love & a wicked grin, knowing very well that we are simultaneously grateful for and cross about the drops that soak our washing.

Anyway!

Dewdrops & storm-clouds,

Yes, the shop is closed this week; but that does not stop the bulletin!  I thought ya'll could do with an hola, a como estan?, and a smidge of community news.   Seems a nice way to start the week.

So here it is, the good word:

My morning dew,

Oh what crisp and sunny skies! In northern lands these would be perfect autumn days, demanding soccer in the park, strolling arm-in-arm, and every manner of picturesque behavior that films are based on. If this is winter, I'm in.

Noon draws near so, without further ado, the good word:

The sun set, the rain began--gentle but persistent, and cold in the night. Less-than-slowly friends and vollies new and old gathered under our roof to celebrate Thoughtful Foods' cooperative goodness, to eat glorious food and sip organic chai, to chatter and laugh, to try to pop popcorn with our mobiles.

It didn't work, but there are pictures!

Thanks to everyone that turned up at the end-of-semester Cook-Up Thursday last; to those that didn't make it: we love you too & hope to catch you next time.

Gorgeous creatures of the wind & rain,

We bluster and blow across campus, soaked to the skin after sudden cloudbursts--bicycles uncooperative, umbrellas torn asunder. Oh Sydney winter, you humble me with your grumpy ferocity.
I am damp.
And cold. Perpetually, through the end of July. Funny that. Is it colder in your house than it is outside, too? These are things I wonder.

There are many important messages to convey this week, among them issues about eggs and the end-of-semester co-op dinner. You'll pay attention, won't you?

My turnip greens,

Thursday last, I popped into the co-op to say 'ello (& bum $5 off of Alice). It was abuzz with people, awash with what Alice later called embodiment of co-op: vollies and shoppers and just-say-helloers all shopping and helping and chittery-chatting in a perfect fusion of loving and sharing (takes a breath), and it was beautiful.

Another delightful weekend come and gone; the moon fades to crescent; the semester draws to a close.  It is week 12, a week of panic and bliss, of final assignments, the anticipation of final exams, and the warm knowledge of holidays.  It's also been beautiful, sunny, and crisp as apples in the late afternoon.  Between finishing projects, grading assignments, juggling work & domesticity, and hitting the gym, don't forget to have a smile at the blue-blue sky.  It loves you too.

What can I say?  I'm in a happy-hippie-in-harmony mood.  Might be the sleep deprivation, but I don't think so.

Tonight I write to you from the second floor FBE lab, a cold draft seeping in through the windows, intoxicated undergrads all 'round, the glare of florescent lights, the newest version of power point--almost impossible to use & incompatible with everything....

It must be week 11. The perfect time to have burrito night, to stubbornly walk home from Glebe, to dance salsa, for your laptop to crash.
Thank goodness Uni students thrive on stress.
Don't we?

Sometimes the sun sets and sweeps winter in without warning. Unpleasant though the chill may be, it is an excellent excuse for curling up with hot tea and classic literature, or somebody you love. The cold also eliminates the university student's temptation to frolic in the sun all day instead of studying. Though some of us may prefer to bundle up and wander across Centennial with the wind in your hair.
The clouds are lined in the most interesting shade of silver, aren't they?

My foodies, my loves,

Can a co-op really ask for more than vollies like you? Never before has the shop been so clean, so organized! Many thanks to the volunteers that chose to utilize some of their gorgeous Saturday to pretty up the co-op, and to Andrew (ponytail, long black jacket, can't miss him) for organizing and running the whole operation. It looks fantastic. I know popping into the shop at sunset and seeing its radiant beauty certainly put the final happy touches on my really brilliant Saturday.

We'd also like to send out a joyous thank you to Naomi for smarting up Thoughtfulfoods.org.au. Ya'll should have a look.

And on those happy, happy notes, the good word: