Another work day done. We went to a mobile home to add an insulating skirt underneath to help with the heating bills. When we got there, we found that the electric company had cut off their power. So, no power tools. Not the most promising start. All we had to work with were a few cordless tools until the batteries ran out and hand tools. We also were not able to use the table saw to rip the final wooden covers that will go over the insulation and actually stop the wind.
Once again, the kids did a fantastic job. Sam to to use a reciprocating saw, which she handled with aplomb, along with brushing up on her hammering skills. Nicole practiced with a hand saw and enjoyed it so much she went looking for more wood to cut once we finished cutting the cross members.
Because there was no power, there was not enough work to go around. But, no one complained about being bored. When given direction, each of them tackled it with gusto.
The rolls of insulation were just a little short for the frames to tack them into place properly, and a few times we’d get the frame into place only to have the insulation fall down. I got to climb under the mobile home in a space about as large as I am when lying prone and crawl down its length, nailing the insulation back in place where it had fallen. There were a lot of spiders, apparently many of them poisonous. Huzzah, no bites! Art, one of the leaders from the Danvers group told me he’d never be able to do that. I’m glad the kids did not try it either.
There were also lots of grasshoppers and a pair of dogs showed that the kids nicknamed Rabies and Dead. For the record, they did not have rabies and did not die. April is writing in the group journal today, so I’ll leave it to her to cover that in more detail.
After getting back I drafted April and Theo to help me in the kitchen to bake a birthday cake for Brian. Again, a classic example of these guys not stepping up, but leaping at the opportunity to help out and do more.
Our 3rd speaker tonight. Not quite as engaging as last nights, but still quite good. He gave a more detailed creation story and described a lot of the parallels between Christianity and Native American stories. Plus, info on the 7 sacred ceremonies. Twice in a row now, Brian has gone to talk with the speaker afterward. Awesome!
The cake went over well. Brian was completely surprised, even though probably everyone else had heard about it by this point. Julie would be proud of me. The oven didn’t work right but I still managed to get both cakes baked with no burning (though some sticking, don’t trust Crisco spray).
Next morning
I forgot to write about a conversation I had with Ted that clarified my concerns about the trash issue. It turns into an excellent lesson about the extreme poverty. We spent a lot of time picking up trash during our first workday, and yet they tell us stories about how important it is to respect the earth as part of the Lakota culture. But, when it comes down it, they have to choose between buying food and buying trash bags. Given that families already run out of food before the month ends, food always wins. So, the garbage gets thrown under the deck, or in a hole in the ground. The wind picks it up and it goes everywhere. There is a trash pickup service, but you have to pay for it, and it’s not cheap. Garbage collection is a luxury your average Lakota simply cannot afford.
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