They say it takes all kinds, and of course that also applies to cohousing. I have lived in this cohousing community thirteen years, and while some years have been good, others have been even better. At first, the friendly sense of neighborhood and feelings of community were a real challenge for a curmudgeon, but thankfully there is still enough to be cranky about. 

This is a diverse community of 40 households and we live separately and apart, we mingle and cocoon, we go over to enjoy brunch or happy hour and we stay home to enjoy solitude. We are a community that includes vegetarians, Unitarians, and even some septuagenarians, a microcosm of the greater community of all Americans.

We're trying hard to be more civil, better neighbors, more accomplished listeners, and some of us believe a little wine at community meetings would lubricate the gears of consensus.