You might be an islander if…

  • You don’t have to look at the printed ferry schedule.
  • You know the difference between AIA, AICC, AICFC, AICTF, AICAB, AIHS, AIFD and belong to more than one.
  • You see nothing wrong with stopping your vehicle in the middle of the road to talk to someone.
  • You catch yourself waving to passing cars when you are on the mainland.
  • You consider someone’s cutting in the ferry line to be a felony.
  • You are tempted to leave the island on summer holiday weekends.
  • You know at least two people who have had trees fall on their homes.
  • You own a generator and plenty of fuel.
  • When asked for your phone number, you give out only the last four digits.
  • When meeting for dinner out, the only answer you need is “when” and not “where.”
  • You suspect there are thousands of golf balls hidden among clumps of salal.
  • You know people who have the same names as some of the streets.
  • You think twice before taking a trip to the mainland on the Friday before a holiday weekend.
  • You don’t plant flowers in your yard unless you have a high fence.
  • You don’t consider raccoons to be “cute.”
  • You have mastered the art of trip pooling.
  • You can name at least three on-island bands.
  • You see more boats in driveways then on the water.
  • You know how to pronounce Vega Bay and Camus Road.
  • Costco has a special place in your life.
  • At one time, you thought you knew which plants were deer resistant.
  • You know the best spots for picking blackberries, but won’t share the locations.
  • You know at least three, unrelated families with the surname of Anderson.
  • You can immediately tell the difference between a red rock crab and a Dungeness crab.
  • You use the terms “Riv,” “Swimming Hole” “Farm” and “Old School.”
  • You never put your plaid flannel shirts in summer storage.
  • You know where on the island you can and cannot get cell phone service.
  • You know at least five different services provided by White’s.
  • You know which shed holds which items at the Island General Store.
  • You know precisely what time your mail arrives.
  • You think of “our” bald eagles as part of the family
  • You know the importance of the term “fuel run.”
  • You look forward to meeting your friends on the day the library is open.
  • You know that anyone driving on the road more than a half hour after the last ferry is probably lost.
  • You depend on the Island Sounder for accurate information.
  • You know what a Communication Box is.
  • You are able to recognize certain deer personally.
  • You wonder if the two consecutive sunny days you experience mark the end of the rainy season.
  • Without looking up, you can tell the difference between an Army helicopter and a medical evacuation helicopter.
  • You know which two mornings of the year that the sun rises directly behind Mr. Rainier.
  • You are aware that any airline travel may require at least one night’s stay at Sea-Tac.
  • You breathe a sigh of relief the weekend after Labor Day.
  • You never refer to the free phone books that are published by the phone companies for information about Anderson Island.
  • You get tired of explaining to people that you do NOT live in the San Juans.
  • You understand that people don’t have to agree with your politics or religion to be good friends.
  • You value the importance of planning ahead.
  • When someone asks you, “How are you?” they are really interested in how you are.
  • You think that the only force in the universe that can exceed the speed of light is gossip.
  • You believe that the Great Equalizer is not death, but the ferry.
  • No matter what you do, moss will grow on it or deer will eat it.
  • You eventually run into everyone you know at a garage sale.
  • You know that using the excuse, “I have to catch a ferry” will get you out of nearly every uncomfortable situation, whether you are on the island or the mainland.
  • This article gratefully used with John Mollan’s permission.