Yes, it has been months since I last posted here.
I started this blog more than three years ago, to chronicle my quest for sustainable community in my adopted city. In the intervening time, I have made many discoveries that support my belief that moving here was a good decision for us.
The geographic location was an important prerequisite for sustainable living in a time of climate instability, rising energy costs, and economic uncertainty: temperate climate, good fresh water supply, nearby agricultural land and small farming. Western NY is also an area of great natural beauty. The small city environment of Jamestown is big enough to have all the services we deem necessary (although if you want to debate about the meaning of "necessary," we really don't "need" many of the things we think we do) -- unquestionably boosted by the nearby Chautauqua Institution. But it's at the same time small enough to easily navigate and to make everything accessible -- in the sense that, if you have a question or issue to discuss with somebody like the mayor, go find him and talk to him about it. We don't have as many layers of bureaucracy and gatekeepers here. Everybody knows everybody else.
The upshot is that we seem to have found our community on several layers, from neighbors who look out for and share (food and tools and services) with each other, fellow church members that share all that plus deeper convictions, and friends and acquaintances in the larger community who are dedicated to common goals for improving the hometown we share.
So now I seem to be doing more and writing about it less. Our newest project is the rehabbing of a rental property we acquired for that purpose. In its present condition, it is not habitable. There is no heat, no plumbing, and only in the fast week have we had (limited) electricity. We're currently jumping through the urban renewal agency's required hoops in order to qualify for rebate money (from a community block grant) when our rehab is completed. Today, the lead inspectors are coming.
And a snowstorm is also coming, so we'll need to get out to the store for whatever we need for our quiet Thanksgiving at home. The weather will prevent us from spending the holiday with our grandchildren and their parents this year, unfortunately. I'm afraid it's the new normal.