Five of us were back on Hawthorne – after successful recent visits to the Tov Bus and Tabor Bread – discovering another fine place in  which to hang out.  In fact, we favor this Coava outpost over their SE Grand home, which has some wonderful intriguing things to look at, but is a challenge to hang out in.

While Grand shares its space with a manufacturer of bamboo floors and furniture, Hawthorne’s shares space with a housing complex; as such there are a couple of couches and wall art, as well as wonderful metal work.  And maybe those elements were what encouraged us to spend almost 90 minutes there in spirited discussions.

T, who was raised as a foster child, started out the session by proudly reporting the milestone that he recently was in phone contact for the first time with the family of his birth mom.  His mother had passed, but his new-found aunt and cousins back in NJ embraced him totally.   J then told us of his family milestone in securing a nursing home spot nearby in NE for his 96 yr. old mother-in-law, whose family caretaker had suddenly passed away in Salem.  G. next relayed the difficult situation his ailing mother-in-law in hospice in Spokane, is going through, and the challenges for his wife D who’s been by her side for more than a week.

Switching subjects, H told about attending the lively Mardi Gras Ball the night before, and recommended the upcoming parade on Mississippi on Tuesday; he was awed by how bouyant several older couples were on the dance floor.  D then posed the challenging questions that the planning subcommittee he is on faces with regards to Portland attaining equitable housing and transportation for its citizens.  These are gnarly issues and he didn’t think they could be solved without some radical actions.  Today’s conversations were particularly provocative.

2631 SE Hawthorne        coavacoffee.com