We leave Uganda exactly one month from today. Time here has gone so fast. I wish we could stay longer, and do more things, visit more places. Sam, the IT manager is getting nervous that he's never going to get to use my expertise with computers, because the building projects are endless. Speaking of which, the gueshouse saga is far from over, although we did finish the valleys as planned. First, we need to build 4 more trusses and insert them under the already finshed roof, because the load of the concrete ceiling is going to be too much for a 28 foot span with trusses 8 foot on center (imagine that) . So that is going to be a feat. Second, we need to bat-proof the ridge caps, which requires special foam pieces that fit the profile of the tin. However, the foam pieces are expensive, so Uncle Jay ruled that we have to figure something else out. The other common method is to put mesh over the peak and slap down mortar, which is difficult, messy, and not very effective; case is point, our banda is full of bats. So I was thinking about this as I was watching Mukisa try the mesh/mortar method, and I had the the idea to make molds so we can have a poured piece of concrete in the shape of the profile of the tin. Well, this is a good idea in terms of saving money, but it takes forever to make the molds, pour them, let them dry, rinse and repeat. We need like 150 pieces, so at 19 per shot, it's going to take a while. I'm going to try and let Abu and James take over, so I can move on and do other things. We'll see how that goes.
I can't remember if I've mentioned this before, but traffic around here, and especially in Kampala, is pretty crazy. Also, the quanity, bulk, and weight of items that are carried on boda-bodas (motorcycles) and bicycles is incredible. People go shopping for building supplies on a motorcycle, and the guy on the back holds the stuff as they weave through traffic. The other day i saw a bike with maybe 5 or 6 good sized unfinished armchairs stacked on the back, maybe 12 feet high. I've seen a man riding the back of a motorcycle carrying a whole car door, or 8 foot angle iron, or what is very common is a 6 foot wide sack of charcoal. But the scariest thing that I have seen ( and not just once, 3 times) is someone riding a bike with someone else sitting on the back, with a full size tank of acetylene (with no valve safety cap, mind you) on the rack in front of him, perpendicular to the bike. First of all, a full tank gas probably weighs 250 lbs at least, so thats a lot of weight to handle on the back of a bicycle plus the person holding it.. But more importantly, if that tank slides off and knocks off the valve, it becomes a 250 lb rocket that would literally rip through the car next to the bike, spinning through anyone and anything it hits for the next minute or so. Not to mention that it's extremely flammable. DANGER WILL ROBINSON! When i saw it the first time, I couldn't even believe my eyes.
This becomes even more amazing when you consider how insane the traffic is. The motorcycles and bikes constantly weave through all lanes of traffic, even the wrong side of the road if there is a lot of congestion. Plus, long-distance buses and transport trucks go wherever they want; you better get out of the way. And the mattatus (van taxis) are constantly jousting for position. Add to this pedestrian traffic, and the fact that intersections dont' have working traffic lights so it's basically a free-for-all, ( think lots of honking) , and you get a recipe for disaster. For the sake of my mother's mental health, I'll save the personal traffic stories till when we get back.
This weekend we have Kayaysu staying with us. She normally stays with IT sam and his wife sarah, but she isn't feeling too great, so Sam asked us if we would take her for the weekend. She is a toddler, shy and cute. She knows to use her eyes and smile on people.
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Uncle Tim ( a big arizonian who is a student at the Institute, who also used to be a strength coach/soccer coach/all kinds of coaches) has been encouraging the older boys to work out, lifting weights and running, especially the ones from the soccer teams (which he also coaches). So he bought a couple of dumbells in Kampala, but he really has a vision for having a whole set of bench weights. Those are really expensive here, so he asked me for ideas on how to make them out of concrete. One way they do it is to just stick a pole in two buckets full of concrete, and there you have it. But then you're limited to that one weight ( in their case, 170 lbs, which is a lot for the little guys, and even for guys like me. ) So they want stackable weights. I came up with some concrete molds that are reuseable of two different sizes, so they can stack varying weights on the bar. I was willing to help, but a bit skeptical about the desire of the average Ugandan to lift weights when their day consists of back-breaking labor. So I asked one of the guys who has been working out with Tim about that, and he said out here, not as many people would be interested in working out, but in Kiwoko just a couple km away they guys would love to access to facilities like those that Tim is planning. I was quite surprised to find that out. Anyway, all of this is a back-story to the fact that I'm supposed to be making a weight bench/squat rack right now, but I can't because the forge isn't open and I can't find Uncle Godfrey. So I get to relax instead. I am looking forward to welding, but not with the welder that they have here. Instead of having a dial to change the amperage, there are just different posts to put the contacts on, with no covers or anything. OH, I forgot to write about the welder that Jon pointed out to me in the market near his house in Kampala. The guy had made it himself, and it basically just looks like an open box with whole bunch of bare wires stuffed in it, and coming out of it. When it turns on, it smokes like crazy. Umm, scary.
If you are new to our blog, be sure to check all the old entries by scrolling down, and if you'd like to see more pictures, click on any of them to go to the picasa album where there are more pix than what I have posted here.
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