Coffee at Penguin

This weekend I was up in Anacortes because my sister was in town from California. I'll write more later on our time together, but first I must tell you all about Penguin Coffee in Anacortes. This coffee shop opened up, I think, my last year of high school. Lets just say, it wasn't the hottest place in town to hang out then. Looking back, I'm not sure what was... but it wasn't Penguin. Over the last 10 years though, this tiny coffee shop has become an Anacortes icon... and an instrumental source of health and life for my family. Deep theological discussions have been had there. Forgiveness has been given... confrontations have happened. Milk and coffee have, I'm sure, been choked upon because of uncontrollable laughter. Love has been confessed, anger expressed, peace of mind achieved and joy had. I truly don't know if they are the ones keeping my family alive or if our business is keeping them alive, but either way it is a mutually beneficial relationship.

This weekend I was reminded how important this business is to my family...

Lance was the only man in the family around on Saturday, so he told us he was going to "Penguinate" which in Van Deusen language means go use wifi over a cup of coffee at Penguin Cafe. While in line ordering, the young woman behind the counter said--hey, did you know your picture is up here? Apparently, Penguin recently hung our family picture behind the counter with other incriminating photos of their regulars. This is the first sign that our existence's are interwoven--when there is a photo of your family posted but you don't work there, date anyone who works there and aren't related to anyone who works there. It is also the sign of a good coffee shop--posting pictures of those who rely on their nimble fingers for a dose of caffeine.

My Mom, Laura, Kelly and I ended up at Penguin after a long, very cold and rainy walk around the Loop, for which we were too frozen to make our own hot drinks at home. Although we went through the drive thru, we decided to run in because Lance was inside--which meant we ended up "running into" a handful of others we knew. On my way out of the bathroom, I glanced out of the first drive thru window (you know how some places have 2 drive thru windows, the first one that really isn't used and you always get confused because you don't know if you should stop there or continue to the second one risking missing the first?). Well they have one of those in what is a hallway now--and I glanced out and saw one of my favorite high school teachers, who proceeded to unroll her window. So I of course, opened the fake drive thru window, leaned out and caught up with her. Oh the glory of feeling comfortable somewhere--you can just throw open a drive thru window to catch up without fear of reprimand.

Last night my immediate family (minus Lance and Ben) were all at my parents' house for the first time since May. We were planning to just be together and catch up. As happens often, good friends and neighbors stopped in to talk. It was 2 girls who qualify as "nearly family" to us, causing us to struggle to figure out how to politely tell them to go. (side note: hundreds of people qualify as nearly family in the Van Deusen book) My mom pulled me aside and suggested we go to Penguin. I agreed and the announcement was made. We're heading out as a family to Penguin. We piled in the car and trekked a mile down the road to Penguin Coffee. As we walked in the shop, the owner behind the counter greeted us, "Van DEUUsens!" I explained to him the irony of the situation--that we had come to his shop because we couldn't get family time in our house... and he said, "Well then, welcome Home!" A few hot chocolates, a decaf coffee and a green tea later... we were all sitting around a table talking about our weekends and changes in our lives.

Although going to Penguin coffee means we'll always see other people to whom we'll need to say hello to, it is still a slice of happiness in my family's life for which I am very grateful for.


I couldn't find a picture of Penguin Coffee, so I'm settling for the cutest penguin in Anacortes--Madelyn Schelling. Laura made this costume, for which I am very impressed...