Wednesday, November 22, 2006

giving thanks

The new space seems to be unfolding, and each day Kismet feels more like a restaurant and less like a construction zone. When will we be open? that's a good question.. We are hoping for the second week in December, so keep your eye out for us.. Last weekend was the last Montpelier farmer's market. It was exciting to see how much local food there is still available and it gave us an opportunity to connect with farmers and to see familiar faces. For the last several months we have been totally and completely absorbed in the renovation process. Everyday we meet and try to tackle the random jobs of this new business. In the face of this huge endeavor we have had to take on jobs we never before attempted. Industrial cleaning, demolition, painting, design, and repair have been our focus while trying to complete the necessary and equally intense tasks of maintaining our business through permitting processes, budgeting requirements, and idealistic goals. While working 12 and 15 hour days, we have also tended our children, and tried to keep our homes in order. There have been so many late night phone conversations, early morning dramas, and emotionally exhausting ordeals, it is hard to explain to our friends, family, or community just how intense this whole process has been. Perhaps the most profound part of this experience, however, is that despite all of the ups and downs, things keep happening that remind us that this is all meant to be. Just when we think things aren't going to work out, something shifts and we are on track again, proof that when we really put ourselves out there with total faith and honest ambition, we are rewarded with truth and humble joy. Every time we get to a place where we really need help, help just appears. We have been honored to have been able to receive help from all directions, and are so thankful for everyone who made themselves available when we were on the verge of breaking down.
Big thanks
Thank you.... maggie, johnny and marianne for your letters of encouragement and support; stefi for being ultimately available, compassionate and empathetic and for helping us with the kids, for painting and cleaning and helping the space glow; emily for making time to clean when we were about to give up; humbert, beck, kate, and theresa for your immediate response to our painting dramas; stephanie smith for your patience and attentiveness concerning our zoning questions; john armstrong for your generous support and engineering expertise; eric at capital copy for stepping in during our little crisis (you know the one); fred for being flexible and professional with your plumbing know-how, kate and lindsay for your photography and for making time when we know how busy you really are; peter next door for your encouragement, enthusiasm and pie, margaret at cvcac for being so abundantly available; jen for trusting in us, coming to new york and helping us stay on track, and all those other things you do to keep a smile on our faces; esme for the many hours you've devoted to give us much needed and appreciated support in painting, venting, and childcare; maggie and michelle, each for finding time to check in and giving us links to the right places; aaron for your patience and legal advice (we'll be in touch soon); daniel for your readiness to help with whatever we toss your way; nutty steph for your spreadsheet support, community capital of vermont for believing in us and lending us the money; kelly and trevor for being great landlords and for being open to our plans while charging us a fair and reasonable rent; kyle for getting those grills clean no matter what; Golga for being so damn generious- the cooking, the shopping, the childcare, the editing, the enthusiasm, the endless support, and the never ending love; Mariann and Terence Pratt for co-signing our loan; Paul and Pam Dorf for your loving support, informative business books and kitchen supplies; Judy Dorf for your love, encouragement, and prosperity blessings;
krista
, kristen, raven, steph, esme, trish and aliza
for you childcare support, compassionate flexibility and comfortable charity; Kate and the vermont localvores (http://www.vermontlocalvore.org/), who provide information and are creating a network to help people find local food (thanks for listing us on your sight!); our moon circle who really listened and helped to manifest this opportunity, dave thurston for letting us use your space, your insight and your extra materials; our children- Nihyahbinghi, Moses, Avery Dusk, and Fela for your unconditional love, laughter, and acceptance even through all the interrupted parenting time - you boys are truly gifts to us all; and Damian....who kept with it even when he was overworked, overwhelmed, and under compensated (you've done an amazing job).
Thanking you all and and looking forward to celebrating with you soon.
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