Thinking & Feeling

“The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.” Horace Walpole

Monday 21 September 2009

Hard labour good for the soul

The boys and I joined a work organised community house build event on Saturday.

Kids are not actually encouraged to go - since it is a full on building site and not a play ground - but mine go pretty much wherever I do, so off we all went.

It was much harder work than I expected but also a LOT of fun. The houses were mere ground level concrete floors when we got there so it was proper building, not just painting and finishings we were doing. I worked my ass off, mixing big piles of cement, sand and water into 'dugga'(sp?), and then laying the (14kg each!) breeze blocks - it's quite technical you don't just slap them down hey!

The boys worked hard too and really learned a lot and enjoyed themselves a lot.

Griff worked with my team, and Quinn was with some of my colleagues on another house nearby. Which worked out good for everyone - Q can be a bit stroppy with me but likes doing what others ask. I think G may have worked harder than Quinn though and he certainly sustained focus for much longer. He was a star! At one point he went off with a wheel barrow to collect those HUGE 'bricks' on his own. I could only lift one at a time! He was that dedicated to the cause. I was very impressed.

They both got a lot of praise and compliments for their behaviour and work ethic. Oh, and I was told I build very well for a 'malungu' (sp?) and esp a lady. 8)

It was a fun and busy day and totally free. All our transport, equipment and food was provided. And we did something good and worthwhile too.

I think we'll do it again. Very rewarding and memorable. I recommend it.

Pics below:



8 comments:

  1. Looks like hard work and lots of fun.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lady Di showing her kids the real world.

    I love it

    ReplyDelete
  3. i like it. keep DOING.

    "thinking", on the other hand, tends to sink humans. avoid thinking. Just do.

    when in doubt, trust you instinct. in fact, before you get into doubt, consider your gut feeling.

    just a thought, really. keep close to your close friends, keeping your adult connections close to your recent memory.

    routine, eating, sleeping, dishes, children, adult interaction, running (health), working, reading (mental stimuli), brushing your teeth, are your only targets.

    everything you need, will come your way.... whatever you nurture will grow. whatever you don't, will atrophy... you get to choose.

    pretty awesome, hey?

    humility is your friend, ego is soooo september the 10th. leave that ego bully out of your daily dailies.

    [ego is different from pride]

    ReplyDelete
  4. aim for boring! think of another word for boring. then aim for that! eg, consistent. consistently achieving.

    ignore, IGONORE negative behaviour patterns. thank them for arriving in your consciousness, and let them go. pay negative behaviour nO (ZERO, boggeRalL, nuffin, zip, zilCH, blank, indIFFeRent) attention.

    if you're in trouble, keep going, said klipwen kerkbult, that dude what once priministered the anglos.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a nice thing to do. Glad the kids enjoyed it, Malungu. (Did you know it means white scum on the sea, lol)

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's great that you got involved with that. AND of course your boys would work hard and behave themselves! You do an awesome job raising those boys

    ReplyDelete