No Snow

This week has been a strange combination of overwhelming and slow.
Steph and her family headed back to Minnesota a while ago, so I'm in charge of the store until (roughly) two days before I leave the village. We got in our big order of fair trade items for the year. There's no other word for the sight of this huge pile of boxes from SERV (each about 3ftx3ftx1ft) than "overwhelming". I started checking items in with my student worker, Raina. We got through three of these boxes! I was so proud until I realized it made no visible dent in the stack of boxes taking up a good portion of our store. *sigh*
Another batch of close friends left the village including one of my "partners in fun", Ben, and his fellow Maverick, Will. Although there are still a lot of good people here, it just feels a lot emptier. The village is under 50 people now and we don't really have any guests outside a visiting artist from the Grunewald Guild in Leavenworth, WA (nearby). He's a stained glass artist, but also dabbles in painting/drawing. I've been talking to him a bit about the Guild and it sounds like an interesting place. I'm thinking of looking more into it... more to follow on that train of thought at a later date.
http://www.artfaith.com/
The only short-term staff that was here when I arrived will be leaving Wednesday. As soon as my wonderful Aneta disappears around the corner, I will be the last of us from the summer (discounting the families, etc. who have been here long-term for some time and are committed for at least a year). It's strange to realize how many people I will have "out-stayed". The village has changed entirely from the busy buzzing hive of summer with so many college-aged kids stopping in for a few weeks and refreshing the community with dance parties, art shows, late night games and talks... the last few nights have been fairly lonely and quiet.
Yesterday I realized that I haven't been keeping up with drawing, dancing, or even conversing with anyone. I've become a lot more introverted than I'd like to be and it was starting to really get me down. So... I pulled out the sketchbook my wonderful family sent me. I've been carrying it around with me all day every day for weeks, but hadn't really been adding to it. The ability to express myself through either dance or paper has always been important. Even when my doodles appear to have nothing to do with my life, it helps to know that I'm putting things down. Straightens my thoughts. Usually, it helps me figure out just where I am in life, too. Sort of like a meditation. So, I sat down and started drawing. I spent most of yesterday sitting in the dining hall either doodling or conversing with people. It was a very needed break from my mostly self-imposed solitude. In the evening I invited my friend Katie, a new villager, Chris (and several other people who did not come) to watch some episodes of the first season of The Office (American version). It was nice to have company like that. It was nice to give myself a little "dip" in expression, too. I also spent some time going through the boxes I never unpacked from my last move and started a nice pile of stuff to give away/ get rid of. Funny how one accumulates despite their every intention not to. I'm preparing to leave Holden in about two weeks. Such a strange feeling. I'm excited to do everything that isn't available to me here, but I also know that I'll miss this place when I'm gone. I'm excited to see my family. I'm excited to drink a "soylattie" with dad while doing a sudoku, excited to have the freedom to travel and see friends, excited to participate in art and performance opportunities. Just excited. I know I'll miss Holden, but I also know that it will be here if I desire to return. Part of me will be sad that it will grow and change while I'm gone, but it's changed in the time I've been here, too. It is an ever-changing place.
Currently, we have no snow and everything is covered in a thin, but very slick layer of ice. It's been raining often and cloudy. Up on the peaks and ridges, there is beautiful white powder, but down here, I'm fearing I won't get to participate in the infamous Chalet Hill sledding I've heard so much about before it's my time to leave. When we did have snow, I thought it would be better to wait for more... that'll teach me to delay satisfaction!
I know that I have yet to write about my out to Olympia and all the fun I had, but I think it's going to have to wait for another time. In the process of writing this, a fire alarm went off and I scurried away (thankfully, AFTER saving it) to be the porch captain and send in search teams to the Village Center. A sprinkler system is low. All in a day's work... but now it's dinner time and I've never been one to skip that. So, here I go. More to come later.
Love, love, love to you all.
Peace, Lauren