Community



Jax helps Mike bring in supplies while Flying Eagle watches (& intercepts Jax from actually getting inside! LOL.)

 KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR US
First, we wanted to share with you that we have potentially earth-shatteringly good news this weekend but we are keeping it under wraps until we are sure it will come to fruition. Even if it does we have come to know that we are in such urgent need of an electrician and plumber that we may have to end up hiring one. So, to repeat a previous plea: if someone knows a licensed electrician and/or plumber who may be interested in guiding us (or perhaps be willing to give us an off-season discount or maybe they need some graphics or website work done in exchange?). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send them our way!



Jax and I "hang" in the car.

 FINALLY LEARNING TO ACCEPT MY LIMITATIONS
This weekend was a flurry of activity as we met many new friends who wanted to be a part of our "adventure" (as I have come to call it in an attempt to stop the nervous twitching I get every time I think of the enormity of it all). This weekend my CFS caught up with me and I tried to do some work on Saturday and I had no strength left. I quickly realized that I was just in the way and it was best that I watch kids and let other stronger folks do the work I could not handle. For those that know me, you may be shocked. I am always the one that wants to jump in waist deep into berry vines or pick up a sledgehammer. I guess I have finally figured out that managing CFS is about learning that I can't be that hard-core "no one can outwork me" farmgirl anymore.

Chris greets brand new friend,
Mario,who has come to offer help.

I spent most of the day watching Jax either in our vehicle or walking around the neighborhood visiting neighbors (babysitting was not to be had and our usual refuge was not available). Sunday I was still too exhausted to do much but that was just fine because I had all three boys to watch today. I got to spend most of the day warmly snuggled up at a friends home (our aforementioned "usual refuge") watching Titan A.E. and the Shirley Temple version of Heidi with the boys. (They had a tough time for the first ten minutes watching something in black and white but after that they got sucked into the story. Mwhuahahaaaa!) My husband and Flying Eagle ended up running the show and meeting and greeting most of our visitors.




COMMUNITY
We had several people stop by to give advice and guidance and some jumped right in to the mayhem itself. Everyone that stopped by was kind and supportive and it really made us feel great to see so many strangers come by to be a part of the ahem...fun.

One of our volunteers was Mike Cano of Cano Painting. As we talked he promised to return early next week to help us prep the walls and trim, I asked him if he had a website so I could link it to our website and he said that he did not yet have one but really wanted one and hoped to get one together someday. (He had before and after pictures of his work that he really wanted potential clients to see.) I told him I would be happy to help (nothing fancy, as you can tell our own website doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles as my webmaster knowledge is pretty basic) and he became so excited. We all started grinning like happy dorks at how well it all seemed to work out for all of us. This was the perfect example of what Chris and I hoped to embody with this project: people helping each other as equals- community.

Illustration of the "community solution
puzzle" in today's church program. 

Sunday morning we went to church and I almost laughed aloud when I saw that the theme of today was on "community". It felt like today's message was perfect for us. Our pastor had a hands-on puzzle and invited everyone to try and help solve it. He had three butter knives, three glasses and a plate as a "roof" that needed to be supported by just the three knives and glasses at a certain distance from each other. Children and adults alike amassed the table and worked on the problem until the solution was found: the three knives had to be interwoven in a pattern where all three were supported and provided support to the others. It was a visual demonstration of "community" our pastor said. I was so simple and beautiful and profound and exactly what Chris and I hope that our barn raising achieves. This project has become less and less about the house itself and more and more about the connections we are making with those around us.

It may take a couple of days to get our Week 7 gallery up as we are doing some revamping to the galleries but in the meantime here are some more pictures from the weekend....

Justin came out of nowhere and became an instant part of the family. He threw his whole heart (and body) into the work and has been a source of great advice and enthusiasm. He has promised to return mid-week for another session and has been doing research and sending us lots of information.

I met Paul at Home Depot on Friday and was impressed with how extensive his knowledge was of the construction of the old East Sacramento houses. He said he owned a home in Tahoe park and has been a handyman for several homes in East Sac area. He was kind enough to drive down all the way from Shingle Springs (well, he did have a job in Fair Oaks but still he drove all the way down her just to help us!). Thanks Paul!

Somehow Stu snuck by me (I think I was putting Jax down for a nap) so I didn't get to meet him but I was able to snatch this quick shot. I have been in constant contact with Stu on email and he writes me pages long email as the loving but firm "Uncle" giving us reality checks and lots of advice and ideas. I can't wait to meet him in person, he certainly does have a way of writing an entertaining (if prolific) email.

Bernie (yes, that is her name) visited us and said she would love to come play in our garden once the time came. She is just about to turn 76 and is an eleven year breast cancer survivor. She asked if she could invite her lady friends to come play in the garden as well. I can't wait until spring and we get a bunch of ladies together to do some real mudslinging. :)

We are keeping one of our visitors secret because he is part of our hopefully HUGE COOL surprise. I hope it works out because it would be AWESOME! Stay tuned folks!

BEFORE WE GO...
Shout out to Shannon who drove and escorted me into Home Depot even though I was as weak as a kitten.  Thank you for taking such great care of me when you are already so busy with your own life. You ROCK SHANNON!