The Labour Day weekend has been and gone, so fall can't be far behind. It's been a wonderful, if all-too-brief, summer full of fun events.

Our last social at Al and Linda's was a great success. But now it's time to get back into the swing of things.

We've been working hard at finding the right location for our community. Katie McCamant has offered some good advice on our search, and we've found a couple of sites with great potential. Our next step is a members' study session to examine all the sites' possibilities and how they match our priorities.

Now that we're considering sites, we'll soon have to think about the kind of houses we'll want to live in.

Of course, cohousing is about more than well-designed homes with small footprints. It's about socializing and mutual support, learning new things and getting involved in new ventures too. See what Pam and Len like about KCC.

A community is like a ship: everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. -- Henrik Ibsen

Al and Linda’s Hoity-Toity Tea Party

If there's one thing KCC'ers like to do, it's getting together to sit in the shade of trees on a bright sunny day to chat, sing songs, enjoy a libation or two, and eat good food.

Thanks to the hospitality of Al and Linda, that's just what we did at their beautiful home just south of Peterborough. The weather couldn't have been better, and there was plenty of fun and fellowship.

Whatever the season, we hope you'll be able to join us at a future Social. Watch this space for details on future events!

How Small is Big Enough?

Or should that be how big is small enough?

This article in The Globe and Mail, "Smaller homes could make us happier" may provide a few answers.

Given that KCC is moving closer to purchasing a site, we'll soon have to turn our thoughts to what size we want our homes to be. Those of us who have done the downsize dance are starting to realize that a lot smaller is in fact plenty big.

Those of you who have yet to be convinced: this article is worth a read.

Our Members Speak - Len Buchanan and Pam Lootsteen

We have lived in Toronto all our lives and in the same house off the Danforth for the last 25 years. We heard about co-housing in a Globe and Mail article and were intrigued. Living in a real community, sharing resources, having a small footprint — it all sounds good to us!

We had recently helped Pam’s mom visit old age homes and found institutionalized living to be really depressing. The idea of aging in place with a caring group of people is a much better option.

Our research led us to Kawartha Commons. At our February introduction to the group, we were impressed by how well organized they were. There's a great mix of smart, funny, fun-loving people that really care about creating a social atmosphere. We look forward to moving through this adventure with them.

Come see what we’re all about

We've made great strides in just a few months. This time last year we were just a handful of dedicated people who believed in cohousing and were willing to make it happen.

Now our community comprises dozens of people who have established strong bonds with each other and have created many new friendships. Kawartha Commons truly has become a central part of our lives.

But there's always room for more! We invite you to attend one of our monthly business meetings - we only ask that you attend an Orientation Session first.

Our next Orientation is from 1:00pm to 2:30pm on Sunday, Sept. 22 at Activity Haven, 180 Barnardo Avenue in Peterborough (enter through the back door).

After the Orientation, you're welcome to stay for our business meeting, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. That's followed by a potluck dinner, and you're invited. We wrap up at 6:00pm.

You can RSVP at membership@kawarthacommons.ca. We look forward to meeting you!