Hello again! Thanks so much everyone for sharing some of the things your families do to save money - it was so nice to get your comments, and thanks also to everyone who phoned to tell me their ideas. What I love most about all this, is that most of the ideas are really quite simple and easy to incorporate, and really a lot of things we should all just be doing anyway. Hopefully in another couple of weeks, I can add some more things to the list. For now, though, I just wanted to stop in quickly. I don't even have any new photos uploaded or anything. Some weeks I'm so on top of all this, and some weeks I'm just not. It seems like we have had a busy week, visiting with friends and enjoying being outside with Griffin as much as possible. He started giving kisses earlier this week, and has been kissing Jai and I with abandon. It's the sweetest thing... ever!
And in addition to all the things we normally try to fit into a week, I have taken on a new project. For years now, I have been lobbying town hall to try to get a playground put into the park behind our house. The sad truth is that the only playground in town is situated on the elementary school grounds, which is far from ideal (half of the classrooms look out onto the playground, and you just can't go there during school hours.) Anyway, maybe this will sound bad, but our town council is made up of older men, and they have less than zero interest in putting playgrounds anywhere. Our town recreation officer has just been kind of shrugging his shoulders and telling me that if I want it that badly, I will need to design it myself. So I did. Finally.
It's a natural playground, made of boulders and logs and sand and stone and wood. Plus a hill. The place where they have agreed that I can put it is among a nice little stand of trees, so I have designed a little dry stream bed (otherwise known as a gravel path) that winds through the trees, with stepping stones and log bridges and fern beds and sand pits and boats. And my preliminary sketch got approved! Tomorrow I am getting together with another local Mom who does cartography and geographical mapping in the hopes that she can help me transform my tiny sketch into a beautiful presentation. The day after that, I take on the World! Just kidding, but it is pretty exciting. One of the first things Jai and I realized about living in a small town is that one person with a vision can
really make a difference. There's a lot of work to do, but maybe, just maybe, that person can be me this time. Wish me luck!
And in addition to all the things we normally try to fit into a week, I have taken on a new project. For years now, I have been lobbying town hall to try to get a playground put into the park behind our house. The sad truth is that the only playground in town is situated on the elementary school grounds, which is far from ideal (half of the classrooms look out onto the playground, and you just can't go there during school hours.) Anyway, maybe this will sound bad, but our town council is made up of older men, and they have less than zero interest in putting playgrounds anywhere. Our town recreation officer has just been kind of shrugging his shoulders and telling me that if I want it that badly, I will need to design it myself. So I did. Finally.
It's a natural playground, made of boulders and logs and sand and stone and wood. Plus a hill. The place where they have agreed that I can put it is among a nice little stand of trees, so I have designed a little dry stream bed (otherwise known as a gravel path) that winds through the trees, with stepping stones and log bridges and fern beds and sand pits and boats. And my preliminary sketch got approved! Tomorrow I am getting together with another local Mom who does cartography and geographical mapping in the hopes that she can help me transform my tiny sketch into a beautiful presentation. The day after that, I take on the World! Just kidding, but it is pretty exciting. One of the first things Jai and I realized about living in a small town is that one person with a vision can really make a difference. There's a lot of work to do, but maybe, just maybe, that person can be me this time. Wish me luck!
4 comments:
OOOOO exciting! I'm sure you'll make it happen & your design sounds wonderful x
That's fantastic, Lauren! Well done! Can't wait to see the finished thing - or even the sketches? x rachel
That's fantastic - good for you! I can't wait to see it. And maybe bring the boys to play someday. :)
What a great project to take on!! Good luck! And as for cost-saving measures, never underestimate the possibilities of bartering. It's a great way to make new friends and get stuff done without having to lay out cash.
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