Lopez Island Library

There are many things about Lopez Island that are top notch. The library is definitely on this list (along with the food served in the school cafeteria; Vortex for juice, wraps, salads, and soups; our sense of community; outdoor beauty and of course the presence of my family). In fact the library and I have always been close. Back when my mom didn't work except on our farm she volunteered at the library, then when I was in high school she was hired as an assistant librarian. And she taught me to adore books-- we checked out teetering stacks of books (and I was required to treat them with great care, ironic considering that I now prefer to buy books so I can underline and comment all over them).

Lopez library has musical instruments, DVDs, books on tape, computers, a reading room, a meeting room, wi-fi, inter-library loan services, children's book readings, hosts community events, and displays rotating exhibits of art by locals. And there are a lot of books. And cool librarians. I'd be there regularly except it's 10 miles away and I just don't like to make such a large carbon footprint. 

Reading Room:

Stacks of books:

Young Adult Books

DVD Area 

Children's Area

Central Reading Area with Fireplace

 Looking from fiction stacks past new books display to DVDs on the left and young adult books on the right. Non fiction is along the wall on left and behind the DVDs, the far wall has the magazines. The circulation is among the highest in the state (per capita) year after year, and a money-raising book sale in the summer makes room for new titles.

Computers for public use (there are about six total)

Circulation desk with some instruments for circulation (and a kind volunteer)

 Reference Section opposite circulation

Art at the Library

Meeting Room (it has a projector, a coffee maker, and can be accessed from outside with prior reservation so meetings can happen even when the library is closed.)

 And the library is beautiful from the outside, too!!!

The Seattle Central Library

My friend Rebecca and her husband Michael decided to go away for a sweet little vacation and their regular cat/housesitter wasn't available. Yay for me that the timing almost perfectly matches Karjam's days off here at the end of the year. Although we'll miss dad and Irene's New Year's Eve party on Lopez, I'm just so happy to get out of our usual routine!

Rebecca and Michael's cats, Bandit and Cleo, are indoor but social and semi-social housecats. They appreciate a good pat and are used to being talked to-- and they're totally gorgeous examples of regal cat-hood. We arrived on the evening of the 27th to get oriented before Rebecca and Michael left, although when we arrived I wasn't feeling well and K had to get most of the instructions by himself.

For our budget Seattle experience on the first day (the 28th) we headed to the Seattle Central Library. All photos below are from the Push Button Dummy Camera, I don't even have the cord for my good camera with me.

Waiting for the Bus

The library is an architectural landmark and prize of the city, plus, of course, full of great book collections. Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus were the architects. Karjam doesn't care much about the names of architects, but he loves taking photos of and checking out cool buildings. We started at the tenth floor (where the best views are) and proceeded down through each floor to the street level. It was really impressive- lots of good spots for reading, desks to sit and compute at, all very inviting. Plus cool views, a feeling of space, and the fun floor where everything is painted red/hot pink.

Elevator

Escalator

My Favorite Sci-Fi Author

Outside while I was framing an ultra-wide shot on my good camera I got a sudden surprise. Amanda Hardeman, a good friend from my undergraduate at COA and former roommate back when I lived in Seattle in the early 90s, approached us. She looked exactly the same, although she pointed out some lines, they only accentuated how much time she spends laughing and smiling. I figure I was meant to see her, running into her on the street like that!

Cool Tree

K and I walked to the International District (lots more photos and building ogling on the way). We went to Uwajimaya where I ate lunch, then we looked elsewhere for a restaurant for Karjam that would have real Chinese style beef-noodle soup. But (and I told him this could happen) he got a bowl of noodle soup so disappointing that when we returned to Uwajimaya he had an entire other meal, there. We bought several items to prepare while we're in Seattle, and plan to go back with the truck on our way out of town to really stock up.

Back at the house we relaxed and did some computer work before I made a dinner that K was much in favor of-- perhaps principally because I had brought his favorite condiment from home.