Post by pbbrown0 on Jan 17, 2022 19:43:24 GMT -6
Post # 29
Pete, Rob, Jorge, and Bruce had all loaded into Bruce's SUV the next morning and headed toward Lawrenceville. It would have been a short trip if, they had been crow, but the roads in this area were mostly gravel or dirt, up and down hill, narrow, and winding. Driving 20 miles per hour was pushing the envelop of safety, and the winding back and forth more than doubled the actual distance traveled. When they got to Lawrenceville, they went to the farm store there and walked as a group back to the plumbing section. There Jorge began gathering various plumbing parts and pieces, then he got down on his knees in the floor aisle and began lining up the pieces in an odd array. As he did so he explained how the water flowed in one end and through the connected pipes to the “one-way” flapper valve at the far end until the flow rate closes the valve. The sudden attempt to compress the water then forces the back wash to open a different one-way valve to open and let a spurt of water through before it is closed again by the weight of the water being lifted up the hill. As he was explaining the principles the group of men squatting down on the floor were huddled around the parts looking closely to study this novel mechanism.
As they were studying this arrangement Bruce asked, “You are using galvanized steel and brass parts for most of this. Could you make it work with PVC or with the new flexible plumbing materials?”
Jorge thought for a few seconds before answering. “There are many different designs that have been used. Some are made using all PVC. Some even use an inflated bicycle inner tube inside a large PVC reservoir to soften the shock wave. The water hammer effect can be pretty strong depending on how much drop there is between your water intake and the pump mechanism. In some countries where many people cannot afford to buy or cannot obtain the one-way valves they have crafted their own mechanisms. The size of your intake pipe and the particular design and size of the one way valves you select can also affect the power of the pump. There are even tables published by the Department of Agriculture to help with the sizing.”
“Oh wow!” Pete exclaimed. This could be a great learning opportunity for the kids. Think about how much they could learn about practical applications of physics and using math to design a more efficient pump.”
“Aha! You must be the people I've been looking for!”
Pete was startled to hear a woman he had not heard approaching exclaiming right behind him. He tried to turn and look up at the same time to see who it was that was eaves dropping on their conversation. In doing so, he lost his balance and fell over against Rob, who then tipped over against Bruce. Jorge was the only one who managed to stand up straight before getting caught in the string of falling dominoes. Three of the four men were now scrambling to get up off the floor in a very undignified manner. Jorge was looking at the woman had who slipped up behind Pete, trying to remember where he had seen her before. She in turn was trying, unsuccessfully, to stifle her laughter. Her mirth though was muffled somewhat by the mask she was wearing.
“I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare everyone. Though I have to admit it turned out kind of fun – for me at least. It's just that I heard about you indirectly and I didn't know how I was going to hunt you down without drawing unwanted attention to you. Then I heard the four of you talking and got excited when I realized I had stumbled upon you accidentally.”
Everyone was on their feet now but there were some very puzzled looks being passed around. Finally Pete spoke up. “Please forgive me, but I don't remember seeing you before. So, I am curious as to who it is you think you've found.”
The lady paused a minute before replying in a much more subdued tone. “Look, I get it. You don't want to advertise who you are or what you are doing. I understand that completely. There once was a time when I would have been troubled at what you are up to, but the world has changed, a lot. The smart thing to do now is to adapt and adjust because of those changes, and to do so very quietly. My name is Christie.” She paused a moment and started digging in her purse. “Here, I know you won't like these, but you'd better put these on before you draw more unwanted attention,” she said as she handed out disposable face masks to the four men. “I'm guessing you don't get into Lawrenceville or listen to the local news station very often. There is a local ordinance in addition to the state recommendations that 'both customers and staff in any store with more than 10 customers and staff present, must wear masks.' Of course no one is standing at the door counting. What are they going to do if the tenth person walks in? They're not going to run through the store telling everyone to “mask up” when the tenth person enters.”
Pete, Rob, Bruce, and Jorge mumbled a thank you through their new face coverings. Pete continued speaking through the newly acquired voice muffler, “We appreciate the update on health regulations, but I'm still not sure why you have been stalking us, if indeed we are whom you have been hunting.” Pete now had a smirk on his face that Christie missed seeing through the mask.
“Oh, no. Please, I have not been stalking you,” she said in an almost panicked whisper as she looked around to see if anyone else in the store had heard his accusation. “I am a teacher, a math teacher in the high school here. In addition to our regular classroom teaching, which is not exactly regular this year, we have also been teaching virtual classes, that is the students are supposed to have access online to the lessons every day, and they submit their work online as well. A lot of students in this expanded district live in the country and the internet service is not the same everywhere. When the students 'don't show up' that is there is no record of them opening the lesson file for the day, or log in for the video conferencing with their teachers, we don't know if they have moved, don't have access, or simply are cutting classes. With so many not accounted for the school has put the burden on the teachers to make contact with them. The administration is unwilling to accept, 'I've tried, phone, email, and letters, but I can't get any response.' You see the state pays the school district a set amount per day for every student that is present. So the administration is really putting the pressure on the teachers to count the students present whether they are or not.”
“Christie, I'm sorry, but the four of us are a little old to still be enrolled in your high school, don't you think? I'm afraid you can't count us present no matter how much pressure you are feeling” This time Pete was very straight faced so Christie was not missing anything behind his mask except his gray mustache. She could at least see his mostly bald gray haired head.
Christie almost laughed again, but a an experienced teacher she managed to answer Pete with a straight face in return. “I'm sorry, Mister... ?” Pete did not answer so she continued. “I was giving you far too much information. It is just that there are all kinds of rumors being passed around about kids being home schooled. Every once in a while I hear someone mention a group out in the forest that is home schooling a bunch of kids, which might explain why so many are absent.”
This time Christie clearly saw the wrinkles pop up on Pete's forehead. “I was right, wasn't I. I saw you not wearing masks and heard you talking about teaching the kids with practical applications of math and physics. You're the ones starting an alternative school out in the forest!”
Bruce's eyes got suddenly big, then narrowed significantly. “Ma'am, you need to be less reckless with your accusations. Yes, we were talking about home schooling our own children. My buddy here,” he motioned toward Rob, “and I only have one child each, and we just recently moved here from out of state. Our new friend here,” he motioned toward Jorge, “was simply explaining to us a new kind of pumping device. All three of his children are too young to be in school. So I don't think you have adequate basis for accusing us of competing with your school for students or for causing your elevated truancy numbers.” Bruce's demeanor was clearly defensive.
“Easy, Bruce. From the glint in her eye, I don't think Christie was looking to make any accusations or cause trouble. So, Christie, how about you finish your explanation. You seemed excited to find these Home Schooling entrepreneurs. Do you mind explaining yourself, especially about the 'I found you' part? ”
“Okay. I do not mean any harm. I actually think it is a great idea, especially the way I heard you talking about your teaching approach. The truth is,” Christie lowered her voice and her head, “I want to talk to you about maybe letting my kids come to your school.”
Christie was still not looking up. Rob had been listening, while he was watching to see if they were drawing attention from other customers or store staff. “Christie, I think we would all like to know why you – how you decided that, but I think maybe you would prefer a more private place to talk. Am I right?” Christie simply nodded but kept looking down. “Okay. We have to talk more about parts for our pump and check out, then we need to meet you somewhere. Can you suggest a place we can meet without nosy gossipers being a problem?”
Christie thought a minute then suggested a hamburger stand she knew of where the car hops brought the food to the cars. After they ordered they could talk through rolled down windows without raising attention. She gave them directions and told them what kind of car she was driving. They agreed to meet there in half an hour. When she left the four men continued their conversation about variations on the pulse-pump configuration. At the burger stand they managed to find an open drive-in slot on the driver's side of Christie's car. They picked up the conversation again with Pete asking about Christie's interest in how she as a teacher was interested in someone else homeschooling her own children.
“I don't want to rehash everything that has happened in the last year, actually more than a year.” Christie said. “Let me try to explain the straw that broke the camel's back. Last spring, as you know, it started hitting the fan. I guess I can see giving the schools a pass for the last three months of the year. Nobody was prepared for the scope of changes that were handed to them, and they had to just punt. This year, however, they had time to make a plan for how to handle things. The problem is that instead of just changing the plan for how to deliver the teaching, they basically decided to only pretend to teach. What I mean is they lowered the bar so low that you can barely call it a bar. The teachers first were told to cut out everything but the bare minimum on their teaching goals. In other words they had us pick the easiest 25 percent of the state requirements for what a student needs to learn in order to pass the course. Then they came back and said 'nobody fails this year'. If the student didn't turn in all their work, just grade what they did turn in and if their grade is still too low, help them do it again until they pass. If they turned in nothing give them a 'reduced', which means next to nothing, assignment to make up what they missed. Just don't let them fail. If they miss too many days to pass according to the state rules, find them so we can give them a makeup attendance day to count for all the days they missed. Your job is to pass all of your students, no matter what it takes.”
“I can't change the system to make it fair, or so that it actually educates the children. It is just too far gone. I have to do my job the way it is dictated to me, even if that is ineffective, but I want my children to learn things they need to know. They need to know not just facts, but also how to find solutions. I don't want my children to waste their time before becoming adults merely occupying a desk so the school system can get it's money from the state. I've given up on worrying about the games that are played by schools that are trying to show impressive reports on their accomplishments. I just want my kids to learn. I'd quit my job and teach my kids myself, but I simply can't afford to do that.”
Christie paused to catch her breath and looked anxiously across the space between her car and Bruce's SUV. She could not read the expressions of the four men who had been listening.”I'm going out on a limb here. If the wrong people heard what I am saying – I would not be surprised if someone found an excuse for firing me from my job. You guys don't strike me as being over the top preppers. I mean none of you are even wearing camo ball hats. I'm sorry. That was an uncalled for stereotype. You seem reluctant to tell me too much. I don't even have any of your first names. You seem like decent intelligent men and you were talking about a teaching opportunity for your kids. Is there any chance I could talk you into helping me teach my own kids? They are just missing out on so much this year and they are honestly bored and discouraged about school.”
Pete finally responded. “I can understand your sentiment, Christie Your rumors about someone starting an alternative school in the forest, and blaming that for the decline in attendance is a serious concern to me. The last thing we need is for some anti-whatever group putting a bullseye on us, just because we don't live in the city, and stirring up trouble for us over imagined wrongs that have little or no substance. Look around you, Christie. That the kind of stuff that's been all over the news media for month's now.”
“Mister, I... I promise you I will not breathe a word of this to anyone. I do not know where any of you live, or what your names are. All I know at the moment is that two of you are from out of state. If you can't help me, then I will understand, but I think you can help me and I am willing to pay what I can for your help. I asking you to please help me.”
Pete looked around at Rob, Bruce, and Jorge questioningly. “Christie, my name is Pete. How old are your kids?”
Christie's eyes lit up. “I have a son in High School, a daughter in ninth grade and another daughter in seventh grade.”
“Christie, I need to talk with my wife, who by the way is – was a public school teacher. Is there a different place, that just she and I could meet with you and your children about this without creating anymore gossip?”
It was a little over a week later when Charles, Allison, and Amy Norton “moved in” with the group for weekdays in the forest. On weekends, their Mom, Christie would make the trip from Lawrenceville to the “Smith, et al.” enclave. The first weekend she took her brood back home on Friday night and returned with them on Sunday night. In the weeks that followed Christie sometimes would spend a little time there on Saturday and take her family home on Saturday night. The accommodations were not spacious, but her kids looked at it like they were at summer camp, only it was winter. They were involved in tending the animals which now included quite a few chickens, some rabbits, and a growing herd of goats. They were also involved in the plans to build more living space and garden preparation (composting, building frames for covered seeding beds, learning about cold weather and warm weather crops, etc.). During this introduction period Christie made the acquaintance of Joe and Cathy Boatwright
Almost everyone was delighted to see the Pulse Pump installed and working. The younger children were intrigued with the way it was constantly spurting water up and back out into the creek in a steady pulse. The real work that intrigued the adults, however, was the smaller but steady flow of water over the top of the hill into their water tank. They shut off the electric pump and decided to hold that in reserve for backup.
When the men had been in Lawrenceville with Jorge's help they had purchase a number of PVC and Flex plumbing tubes, valves, couplings, clamps, PVC cement, plastic glue,and such. They also bought some sodas of various sizes in plastic bottles and some small bicycle inner tubes. Once the main Pulse pump was started and proven, they started talking more with the kids about how it worked and why. They then challenged the youngsters to come up with other ideas for making similar pumps and possible applications. The discussions among the youngsters that followed were fascinating to the adults. There was a real interaction among the older teens and the younger students. They talked about providing a separate water pump for the live stock and the garden areas so there would not be so much dependence on the one pump providing water for the people. Young Jeff and Bobby Boatwright got their heads together and soon were insisting that they should make a fish pond and pump water from the creek into it to fill it up so they could fish.
The youngsters were asking many questions about sizes and which materials were best to use. Those questions were then gently turned back to them. They were led in discussions about the principles behind each part and how they fit together. It was recommended that they fit the selected parts together with clamps or threaded couplings and avoid using the cement until they were confident their configurations worked the way they hoped. The group that was working on the plans for the live stock came up with the idea of providing water for the chickens and the rabbits thought it would be a good idea to have a small but steady flow that returned to the creek. That way the water would not get stagnant and need to be cleaned out so often as their current watering troughs.
The chickens were notorious for quickly getting their water very dirty. The kids came up with an idea for splitting some PVC pipe to make a trough and then cutting a thinner section of PVC to place inverted over the flow of water down inside the trough to keep the filth out of the water. They wanted to drill holes in the top piece of PVC so the chickens could get their beaks into the water flowing through the trough. After a lot of discussion they realized that simply using only a smaller PVC pipe with holes drilled in the top would work better. It would not take as much water as the wider pipe to provide a deep enough flow for the chickens to drink. This would also make it easier to clean off and less likely to catch dirt and chicken poop than a semi-covered trough. The same concept would work for the rabbits with larger holes for the rabbits tongues to reach in. With a little experimenting they realized that a 2-liter plastic bottle had enough give and flex so they did not need a inner tube to cushion the shock wave inside their pulse pump made primarily of PVC. They attached a faucet with a garden hose to the end of the PVC tube so they could direct the outflow to the garden or back to the creek down the other side of the hill.
Meanwhile the young Boatwright brothers were busy digging out a small low spot near the creek. They were not so worried about the power of the pump since they had chosen a spot for their pond only slightly up the hill on the creek side of the hill. In truth they had found a place where a puddle often formed after a rain. They worked with the energy of excited but determined young boys to deepen and expand this slight depression. They realized it was actually a spot where a large thick layer of solid rock was slightly back tilted into the face of the hill. They were clearing out loose dirt that had eroded down the hill onto the layer of solid rock. They then gathered rocks to stack and pack with mud on one end of the tilted rock next to the hill side. At the other end of the flat rock they piled loose rock without the mud to let the water drain down the hill and back to the creek. When they were finished they had plenty of help making a pump with another plastic bottle and tubing to lift the water and begin filling the pond. Now they just needed to find some fish!
The Shadows Deepen !
Pete, Rob, Jorge, and Bruce had all loaded into Bruce's SUV the next morning and headed toward Lawrenceville. It would have been a short trip if, they had been crow, but the roads in this area were mostly gravel or dirt, up and down hill, narrow, and winding. Driving 20 miles per hour was pushing the envelop of safety, and the winding back and forth more than doubled the actual distance traveled. When they got to Lawrenceville, they went to the farm store there and walked as a group back to the plumbing section. There Jorge began gathering various plumbing parts and pieces, then he got down on his knees in the floor aisle and began lining up the pieces in an odd array. As he did so he explained how the water flowed in one end and through the connected pipes to the “one-way” flapper valve at the far end until the flow rate closes the valve. The sudden attempt to compress the water then forces the back wash to open a different one-way valve to open and let a spurt of water through before it is closed again by the weight of the water being lifted up the hill. As he was explaining the principles the group of men squatting down on the floor were huddled around the parts looking closely to study this novel mechanism.
As they were studying this arrangement Bruce asked, “You are using galvanized steel and brass parts for most of this. Could you make it work with PVC or with the new flexible plumbing materials?”
Jorge thought for a few seconds before answering. “There are many different designs that have been used. Some are made using all PVC. Some even use an inflated bicycle inner tube inside a large PVC reservoir to soften the shock wave. The water hammer effect can be pretty strong depending on how much drop there is between your water intake and the pump mechanism. In some countries where many people cannot afford to buy or cannot obtain the one-way valves they have crafted their own mechanisms. The size of your intake pipe and the particular design and size of the one way valves you select can also affect the power of the pump. There are even tables published by the Department of Agriculture to help with the sizing.”
“Oh wow!” Pete exclaimed. This could be a great learning opportunity for the kids. Think about how much they could learn about practical applications of physics and using math to design a more efficient pump.”
“Aha! You must be the people I've been looking for!”
Pete was startled to hear a woman he had not heard approaching exclaiming right behind him. He tried to turn and look up at the same time to see who it was that was eaves dropping on their conversation. In doing so, he lost his balance and fell over against Rob, who then tipped over against Bruce. Jorge was the only one who managed to stand up straight before getting caught in the string of falling dominoes. Three of the four men were now scrambling to get up off the floor in a very undignified manner. Jorge was looking at the woman had who slipped up behind Pete, trying to remember where he had seen her before. She in turn was trying, unsuccessfully, to stifle her laughter. Her mirth though was muffled somewhat by the mask she was wearing.
“I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare everyone. Though I have to admit it turned out kind of fun – for me at least. It's just that I heard about you indirectly and I didn't know how I was going to hunt you down without drawing unwanted attention to you. Then I heard the four of you talking and got excited when I realized I had stumbled upon you accidentally.”
Everyone was on their feet now but there were some very puzzled looks being passed around. Finally Pete spoke up. “Please forgive me, but I don't remember seeing you before. So, I am curious as to who it is you think you've found.”
The lady paused a minute before replying in a much more subdued tone. “Look, I get it. You don't want to advertise who you are or what you are doing. I understand that completely. There once was a time when I would have been troubled at what you are up to, but the world has changed, a lot. The smart thing to do now is to adapt and adjust because of those changes, and to do so very quietly. My name is Christie.” She paused a moment and started digging in her purse. “Here, I know you won't like these, but you'd better put these on before you draw more unwanted attention,” she said as she handed out disposable face masks to the four men. “I'm guessing you don't get into Lawrenceville or listen to the local news station very often. There is a local ordinance in addition to the state recommendations that 'both customers and staff in any store with more than 10 customers and staff present, must wear masks.' Of course no one is standing at the door counting. What are they going to do if the tenth person walks in? They're not going to run through the store telling everyone to “mask up” when the tenth person enters.”
Pete, Rob, Bruce, and Jorge mumbled a thank you through their new face coverings. Pete continued speaking through the newly acquired voice muffler, “We appreciate the update on health regulations, but I'm still not sure why you have been stalking us, if indeed we are whom you have been hunting.” Pete now had a smirk on his face that Christie missed seeing through the mask.
“Oh, no. Please, I have not been stalking you,” she said in an almost panicked whisper as she looked around to see if anyone else in the store had heard his accusation. “I am a teacher, a math teacher in the high school here. In addition to our regular classroom teaching, which is not exactly regular this year, we have also been teaching virtual classes, that is the students are supposed to have access online to the lessons every day, and they submit their work online as well. A lot of students in this expanded district live in the country and the internet service is not the same everywhere. When the students 'don't show up' that is there is no record of them opening the lesson file for the day, or log in for the video conferencing with their teachers, we don't know if they have moved, don't have access, or simply are cutting classes. With so many not accounted for the school has put the burden on the teachers to make contact with them. The administration is unwilling to accept, 'I've tried, phone, email, and letters, but I can't get any response.' You see the state pays the school district a set amount per day for every student that is present. So the administration is really putting the pressure on the teachers to count the students present whether they are or not.”
“Christie, I'm sorry, but the four of us are a little old to still be enrolled in your high school, don't you think? I'm afraid you can't count us present no matter how much pressure you are feeling” This time Pete was very straight faced so Christie was not missing anything behind his mask except his gray mustache. She could at least see his mostly bald gray haired head.
Christie almost laughed again, but a an experienced teacher she managed to answer Pete with a straight face in return. “I'm sorry, Mister... ?” Pete did not answer so she continued. “I was giving you far too much information. It is just that there are all kinds of rumors being passed around about kids being home schooled. Every once in a while I hear someone mention a group out in the forest that is home schooling a bunch of kids, which might explain why so many are absent.”
This time Christie clearly saw the wrinkles pop up on Pete's forehead. “I was right, wasn't I. I saw you not wearing masks and heard you talking about teaching the kids with practical applications of math and physics. You're the ones starting an alternative school out in the forest!”
Bruce's eyes got suddenly big, then narrowed significantly. “Ma'am, you need to be less reckless with your accusations. Yes, we were talking about home schooling our own children. My buddy here,” he motioned toward Rob, “and I only have one child each, and we just recently moved here from out of state. Our new friend here,” he motioned toward Jorge, “was simply explaining to us a new kind of pumping device. All three of his children are too young to be in school. So I don't think you have adequate basis for accusing us of competing with your school for students or for causing your elevated truancy numbers.” Bruce's demeanor was clearly defensive.
“Easy, Bruce. From the glint in her eye, I don't think Christie was looking to make any accusations or cause trouble. So, Christie, how about you finish your explanation. You seemed excited to find these Home Schooling entrepreneurs. Do you mind explaining yourself, especially about the 'I found you' part? ”
“Okay. I do not mean any harm. I actually think it is a great idea, especially the way I heard you talking about your teaching approach. The truth is,” Christie lowered her voice and her head, “I want to talk to you about maybe letting my kids come to your school.”
Christie was still not looking up. Rob had been listening, while he was watching to see if they were drawing attention from other customers or store staff. “Christie, I think we would all like to know why you – how you decided that, but I think maybe you would prefer a more private place to talk. Am I right?” Christie simply nodded but kept looking down. “Okay. We have to talk more about parts for our pump and check out, then we need to meet you somewhere. Can you suggest a place we can meet without nosy gossipers being a problem?”
Christie thought a minute then suggested a hamburger stand she knew of where the car hops brought the food to the cars. After they ordered they could talk through rolled down windows without raising attention. She gave them directions and told them what kind of car she was driving. They agreed to meet there in half an hour. When she left the four men continued their conversation about variations on the pulse-pump configuration. At the burger stand they managed to find an open drive-in slot on the driver's side of Christie's car. They picked up the conversation again with Pete asking about Christie's interest in how she as a teacher was interested in someone else homeschooling her own children.
“I don't want to rehash everything that has happened in the last year, actually more than a year.” Christie said. “Let me try to explain the straw that broke the camel's back. Last spring, as you know, it started hitting the fan. I guess I can see giving the schools a pass for the last three months of the year. Nobody was prepared for the scope of changes that were handed to them, and they had to just punt. This year, however, they had time to make a plan for how to handle things. The problem is that instead of just changing the plan for how to deliver the teaching, they basically decided to only pretend to teach. What I mean is they lowered the bar so low that you can barely call it a bar. The teachers first were told to cut out everything but the bare minimum on their teaching goals. In other words they had us pick the easiest 25 percent of the state requirements for what a student needs to learn in order to pass the course. Then they came back and said 'nobody fails this year'. If the student didn't turn in all their work, just grade what they did turn in and if their grade is still too low, help them do it again until they pass. If they turned in nothing give them a 'reduced', which means next to nothing, assignment to make up what they missed. Just don't let them fail. If they miss too many days to pass according to the state rules, find them so we can give them a makeup attendance day to count for all the days they missed. Your job is to pass all of your students, no matter what it takes.”
“I can't change the system to make it fair, or so that it actually educates the children. It is just too far gone. I have to do my job the way it is dictated to me, even if that is ineffective, but I want my children to learn things they need to know. They need to know not just facts, but also how to find solutions. I don't want my children to waste their time before becoming adults merely occupying a desk so the school system can get it's money from the state. I've given up on worrying about the games that are played by schools that are trying to show impressive reports on their accomplishments. I just want my kids to learn. I'd quit my job and teach my kids myself, but I simply can't afford to do that.”
Christie paused to catch her breath and looked anxiously across the space between her car and Bruce's SUV. She could not read the expressions of the four men who had been listening.”I'm going out on a limb here. If the wrong people heard what I am saying – I would not be surprised if someone found an excuse for firing me from my job. You guys don't strike me as being over the top preppers. I mean none of you are even wearing camo ball hats. I'm sorry. That was an uncalled for stereotype. You seem reluctant to tell me too much. I don't even have any of your first names. You seem like decent intelligent men and you were talking about a teaching opportunity for your kids. Is there any chance I could talk you into helping me teach my own kids? They are just missing out on so much this year and they are honestly bored and discouraged about school.”
Pete finally responded. “I can understand your sentiment, Christie Your rumors about someone starting an alternative school in the forest, and blaming that for the decline in attendance is a serious concern to me. The last thing we need is for some anti-whatever group putting a bullseye on us, just because we don't live in the city, and stirring up trouble for us over imagined wrongs that have little or no substance. Look around you, Christie. That the kind of stuff that's been all over the news media for month's now.”
“Mister, I... I promise you I will not breathe a word of this to anyone. I do not know where any of you live, or what your names are. All I know at the moment is that two of you are from out of state. If you can't help me, then I will understand, but I think you can help me and I am willing to pay what I can for your help. I asking you to please help me.”
Pete looked around at Rob, Bruce, and Jorge questioningly. “Christie, my name is Pete. How old are your kids?”
Christie's eyes lit up. “I have a son in High School, a daughter in ninth grade and another daughter in seventh grade.”
“Christie, I need to talk with my wife, who by the way is – was a public school teacher. Is there a different place, that just she and I could meet with you and your children about this without creating anymore gossip?”
It was a little over a week later when Charles, Allison, and Amy Norton “moved in” with the group for weekdays in the forest. On weekends, their Mom, Christie would make the trip from Lawrenceville to the “Smith, et al.” enclave. The first weekend she took her brood back home on Friday night and returned with them on Sunday night. In the weeks that followed Christie sometimes would spend a little time there on Saturday and take her family home on Saturday night. The accommodations were not spacious, but her kids looked at it like they were at summer camp, only it was winter. They were involved in tending the animals which now included quite a few chickens, some rabbits, and a growing herd of goats. They were also involved in the plans to build more living space and garden preparation (composting, building frames for covered seeding beds, learning about cold weather and warm weather crops, etc.). During this introduction period Christie made the acquaintance of Joe and Cathy Boatwright
Almost everyone was delighted to see the Pulse Pump installed and working. The younger children were intrigued with the way it was constantly spurting water up and back out into the creek in a steady pulse. The real work that intrigued the adults, however, was the smaller but steady flow of water over the top of the hill into their water tank. They shut off the electric pump and decided to hold that in reserve for backup.
When the men had been in Lawrenceville with Jorge's help they had purchase a number of PVC and Flex plumbing tubes, valves, couplings, clamps, PVC cement, plastic glue,and such. They also bought some sodas of various sizes in plastic bottles and some small bicycle inner tubes. Once the main Pulse pump was started and proven, they started talking more with the kids about how it worked and why. They then challenged the youngsters to come up with other ideas for making similar pumps and possible applications. The discussions among the youngsters that followed were fascinating to the adults. There was a real interaction among the older teens and the younger students. They talked about providing a separate water pump for the live stock and the garden areas so there would not be so much dependence on the one pump providing water for the people. Young Jeff and Bobby Boatwright got their heads together and soon were insisting that they should make a fish pond and pump water from the creek into it to fill it up so they could fish.
The youngsters were asking many questions about sizes and which materials were best to use. Those questions were then gently turned back to them. They were led in discussions about the principles behind each part and how they fit together. It was recommended that they fit the selected parts together with clamps or threaded couplings and avoid using the cement until they were confident their configurations worked the way they hoped. The group that was working on the plans for the live stock came up with the idea of providing water for the chickens and the rabbits thought it would be a good idea to have a small but steady flow that returned to the creek. That way the water would not get stagnant and need to be cleaned out so often as their current watering troughs.
The chickens were notorious for quickly getting their water very dirty. The kids came up with an idea for splitting some PVC pipe to make a trough and then cutting a thinner section of PVC to place inverted over the flow of water down inside the trough to keep the filth out of the water. They wanted to drill holes in the top piece of PVC so the chickens could get their beaks into the water flowing through the trough. After a lot of discussion they realized that simply using only a smaller PVC pipe with holes drilled in the top would work better. It would not take as much water as the wider pipe to provide a deep enough flow for the chickens to drink. This would also make it easier to clean off and less likely to catch dirt and chicken poop than a semi-covered trough. The same concept would work for the rabbits with larger holes for the rabbits tongues to reach in. With a little experimenting they realized that a 2-liter plastic bottle had enough give and flex so they did not need a inner tube to cushion the shock wave inside their pulse pump made primarily of PVC. They attached a faucet with a garden hose to the end of the PVC tube so they could direct the outflow to the garden or back to the creek down the other side of the hill.
Meanwhile the young Boatwright brothers were busy digging out a small low spot near the creek. They were not so worried about the power of the pump since they had chosen a spot for their pond only slightly up the hill on the creek side of the hill. In truth they had found a place where a puddle often formed after a rain. They worked with the energy of excited but determined young boys to deepen and expand this slight depression. They realized it was actually a spot where a large thick layer of solid rock was slightly back tilted into the face of the hill. They were clearing out loose dirt that had eroded down the hill onto the layer of solid rock. They then gathered rocks to stack and pack with mud on one end of the tilted rock next to the hill side. At the other end of the flat rock they piled loose rock without the mud to let the water drain down the hill and back to the creek. When they were finished they had plenty of help making a pump with another plastic bottle and tubing to lift the water and begin filling the pond. Now they just needed to find some fish!