11 November 2009 - Another Day, Another Shilling

Here’s a record in pictures of some of the action at the property today, Wednesday.

This is the plan that the guys from H-Tess use to construct the sub-flooring of the childrens' houses.

Each of the pine peelers, set in colored concrete gets a dab of bitumin (we call it black jack)

before it gets fitted with its silver hat.

A stainless plate, from the supermarket,

flipped over and plopped on. These are termite shields. keeps the little guys from crawling up into the wooden structure.

Then a bit of metal strapping, like the mukua we used between courses of stone in the kitchen building gets screwed on top

and eventually screwed on to the floor beam placed on top of it.

Gilbert and the guys we wailing away with the pick-axes and shovels again today,

excavating the area for the water tanks. We're getting rid of the black cotton soil, and then we will make four inch concrete pads for each of the six 24,000 liter tanks that will go here.

The door to the cooking area is in and curing.

While the laziest dogs in the world relax on the just finished steps between the servery and the dining area.

Joyce came to cook lunch for the guys, as usual

and brought a friend who shouldered the firewood.

and little Ani

A guy comes by on his bike most everyday now, and sells Gilbert the vegetables for lunch. Sukuma wiki, spinach, tomatoes, and onions.

They were in the ground a few hours ago, and are much cheaper than buying them in the dukas by Daystar.

Today's haul cost 40 shillings, about 55 cents.

Ani and her pal, whom I hadn't seen before,

were getting to know each other better

while Joyce was cooking.

Bronx belly cheers

initiated

and reciprocated

Tomorrow were pouring the floor finish. Very exciting in our world. We’ll tell you all about it.

David

Comments(6)

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Jon Gustorf says
November 11, 2009 at 2:32 pm

Looking good David, very inspiring indeed!
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Chris L says
November 11, 2009 at 6:19 pm

Wow. Easter Island’s turned into Shambhala in just a couple days. You’ll have to put away your carving tools and pick up a a calligrapher’s quill to paint on Kathmandu eyes on each little stupa now.

Those three-way steps between kitchen, indoor eating, and residences look like the soul of graceful function.

I loved your blog before being in person at the orphanage myself. Like others who have visited, I’m sure, I can’t quite begin to tell you what each image-as-its-own-story means to me now…

Thank you, brother.

(And by the way, whence has arisen this recent bloggerly tailwind?)
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Peggy says
November 11, 2009 at 9:40 pm

Love seeing life as it is lived in this distant land. Watching the little ones (my life’s work) reminds just how much we have in common.

Yea, for the vegetable man! And does Sabobo have anything to do with those lazy guys on the steps?

Love,
Peg
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david says
November 12, 2009 at 11:31 am

Hi Jon,

Thanks. You’ve been a consistent follower of the proceedings over here, and always a big encouragement. Great seeing you last summer.

David
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david says
November 12, 2009 at 1:05 pm

Brother Chris,

It would be fun to decorate the foundation supports, lovely as they already are, before they move into mostly darkness. Knowing they were adorned would comfort and help us, I think.

I couldn’t agree more. The servery steps are the best thing on the eight acres, and, I’ll remind you, they sprang into conceptual existence one late afternoon when you and Debi were helping me find the flow of things there. They have some of the soul of each of you in them, and so are beautiful and full of grace.

The photos, each a touchstone to something so personally referential to you must be strange and wonderful. Life is a trip, eh Homes.

Been listening to Bon Iver lately.

David
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david says
November 12, 2009 at 1:36 pm

Hi Peg,

Your life’s work must now be wrangling expense records from the delinquent. Mi dispiace.

The vegetable man rocks.

Check the picture of the day for a partial answer to your last question.

Love from this side,

David

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11 November 2009 – Another Day, Another Shilling

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11 November 2009 – Another Day, Another Shilling