The End of Digging

Well, if you dig long enough, you find the bottom. Of what I’m not so sure, but I believe we’re there. This is really part 2 of the last entry. So I’ll let it go at that. Here goes.

Tent room with a view ...of the afternoon rain

It rained for about 30 minutes before I left...

$and in that time the road to our place, formerly completely dry, became impassable. Gilbert, Benson, and two of the Eldoret guys pushed me while I was on the gas and slipping and sliding all over. It isn\'t muddy in the conventional sense of deep wet muck. This is like a layer of black ball bearings covered in super glue.$ and in that time the road to our place, formerly completely dry, became impassable. Gilbert, Benson, and two of the Eldoret guys pushed me while I was on the gas and slipping and sliding all over. It isn\'t muddy in the conventional sense of deep wet muck. This is like a layer of black ball bearings covered in super glue.

This is the next day. Getting ready to take sight levels.

$With this, our inherited level...long story, which I think I\'ve told you. If not, just nod anyway.$ With this, our inherited level...long story, which I think I\'ve told you. If not, just nod anyway.

$Mildred, with David in her arms getting her first look through a thing such as this. A week or so ago, I took Mildred and her neices, Chi Chi and Cecelia into Nairobi so the girls could catch a bus back home. I parked in the parking garage at the Intercontinental Hotel. We got in the elevator and when it descended it was like your first time on the Giant Dipper. It was the nieces very first time on an elevator...and Mildred\'s too.$ Mildred, with David in her arms getting her first look through a thing such as this. A week or so ago, I took Mildred and her neices, Chi Chi and Cecelia into Nairobi so the girls could catch a bus back home. I parked in the parking garage at the Intercontinental Hotel. We got in the elevator and when it descended it was like your first time on the Giant Dipper. It was the nieces very first time on an elevator...and Mildred\'s too.

Taking the depth of the trenches.

Benson took this. Not bad for a first.

What the aliens see when they are looking for a place to land.

Isaiah in need of a foot bridge.

Stonehenge - dopo terremoto.

$Joel and I left in his truck at 4:30 am to go to Kakuzi, a tree place out past Thika to get these. 14ea 5-6\" 14\" long poles. They are beautiful and stronger than you can imagine. They will hold up the roof on the outdoor sections of the kitchen/dining area we are building.$ Joel and I left in his truck at 4:30 am to go to Kakuzi, a tree place out past Thika to get these. 14ea 5-6\" 14\" long poles. They are beautiful and stronger than you can imagine. They will hold up the roof on the outdoor sections of the kitchen/dining area we are building.

$They were set aside and marked -- Saundies (that\'s me) 14 5-6 14 ea. They are dried and treated and straight.$ They were set aside and marked -- Saundies (that\'s me) 14 5-6 14 ea. They are dried and treated and straight.

And I love them.

$That\'s Joel.$ That\'s Joel.

And Joel in his truck.

$A few of the \"on the way home through Nairobi sights.\"$ A few of the \"on the way home through Nairobi sights.\"

The matatu Prince.

If you need a furniture mover...

or some unrefrigerated meat delivered...

for a luncheon with a few thousand friends.

My lovely poles unloaded,

and tucked in.

Gilbert, just a little off of the pot of gold.

I’ll be back in a day or two with the next thrilling installment. Take a sedative if the anticipation becomes too much.

Yours for removed dirt,

David

Comments(10)

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Janine Reimann says
September 12, 2008 at 10:20 am

David –

I love your writing! Who needs an engineer if you can have a poetry teacher managing a construction site! I cant wait for the next story. If you keep going like this I might consider going back to school learning something my current collegues (all engineers and scientists) would call useless. They just cant see the beauty!

: ) Janine
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Chris says
September 12, 2008 at 1:17 pm

This is reading like a novel now. Just when you left us thrilled with the beautiful grid of trenches, piled stone and earth — and some sahib’s canvas caravan — before we can even anticipate them…here come these beautiful poles (which I am not so secretly lusting after). I’ll trade you. You bring back one of those with you, and I’ll bring you a not-so-straight, but also beautiful, madrone pole from Rocky Creek.

Hey, play along. I sent you an invitation to a little salon. If you want to find out where Debi and I are now, you have to play a little hide-and-seek.

And here’s how much I want one of those poles. I’ll even throw in a Rocky Creek footbridge for Isaiah into the bargain.
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Matt and Jody Madion says
September 12, 2008 at 6:10 pm

DAVID,
AMAZING PROGRESS IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE WE VISITED. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

MATT MADION
TRAVERSE CITY,MICHIGAN
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martin says
September 12, 2008 at 7:25 pm

hmm, all of a sudden i am craving pecan saundies.

martin
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Jamie Welsh says
September 13, 2008 at 1:27 pm

I am so excitedat the progress, i want to go and see it first hand so bad. I just have to keep saving!! I love you guys so much and am always praying for the project!!!

Jamie
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david says
September 13, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Hi Janine,

Tell your colleagues I’ll write each of them a poem if they’ll engineer us out of some of our water problems. And to answer your rhetorical question, the only people who probably need an engineer are the poor souls laboring under a former free-spirited literature teacher- turned anal retentive sight level checker and concrete composition inspector.

But I love you taste in writing and am nominating you for a spot as New York Times Literary Critic!

I miss you and Migdalia and still benefit from the planning work you did during your working stay here last year.

See you soon, keep the City sunny until then, as Miggy says, tippy top love to you both,

David
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david says
September 13, 2008 at 11:22 pm

Dear Chris,

The poles are going up Monday, and I didn’t buy a spare, but I’ll send one along to Myanmar, or the Caucuses, or Lamu or wherever you and Debi will be when it catches up to you.

I tried to play along but took a wrong cyber turn and landed in 2007. I’ll renew my efforts.

I hope the madrone pole will awaiting me at Uncle Jim’s.

Love from this side,

David
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david says
September 13, 2008 at 11:25 pm

Hi Matt and Jodi,

Thanks for the good words. Don’t be strangers…you’re always welcome here, and two years is far too long not to visit your friends. See you soon,

David
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david says
September 13, 2008 at 11:26 pm

Martin,

As long as it’s not McVittie’s Hob Nobs.

David
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david says
September 13, 2008 at 11:28 pm

Jamie,

Your unmatched energy comes across even in your emails. Can’t wait to see you and TJ. Either here or there. Love to Aunt Rosie and all the family.

Your proud uncle,

David

PS Did you guys get the kayaks?

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Comments(10)

Janine Reimann says

Chris says

Matt and Jody Madion says

martin says

Jamie Welsh says

david says

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