Playgrounds - GO !!

Angel checks the slide ladder level

Don Benito mixes concrete - campo style - on the ground

Metal tubes all set in the ground

Goyo & Angel - a great team -

After waiting endlessly for the Muni jack-hammer to be repaired, we finally bit the bullet and went ahead without it. The playground site was once a concrete plaza , so it seemed unreasonable to me to ask the Muni crew to do this by hand. But, they did, without complaint. I fed them a steady supply of Inca-Kola, sweet rolls , water and aguas. Don Benito led his crew with glee – they seemed excited about building a playground. With holes dug to ½ meter, we took one of the big garbage trucks to Vidal’s welding shop and loaded all the playground equipment. Then we swung by the stadium and loaded the used tires and 4 sacks of cement. The equipment was placed in holes, leveled and concrete and large rocks to fill the holes. After the concrete set, the holes were filled and the area leveled. The next day, Vidal showed up with his primitive welding rig and attached the see-saws and swing set top bar. Everyone did their part and did it well.

Next day, I worked solo, installing wooden seats on the see-saws and putting up the swings. I had just completed the first swing, when a gang of kids descended upon the park. As the Borg say – Resistance is Futile. I stopped work and played with the kids. They really didn’t care that nothing is painted or that the safe sand base is not in. A dozen rascals jumped right in and played on everything and anything. The tire mountain and tree are not done, but they just rolled them around and made their own piles. A gala time was had by all.

One thing I was not prepared for – none of the kids knew how to “pump” a swing. They’ve never been on one before. So, the old gringo got on and showed them how. They caught on right away. They also got a short physics lesson about weight placement on the see-saw – matching weight on the ends and shifting forward or back to get the balance right. Somehow, I assumed that every kid is born knowing how to play on a playground. Silly me.

Two more swings complete and the slide body installed and my work is done, except for the tire mountain and tree. From here, the fathers club will paint the equipment, Muni crew will build a 5” brick containment wall around the park and fill with clean beach sand. Angel and his graffiti /mural crew will paint wall murals about teeth brushing, hand washing, good eating and a special tribute to Peace Corps and all you wonderful Playground Donors !!

  

Two final notes – The weather has been unusual lately. We got our annual rain – all ¼” of it the other night. I actually enjoyed hearing the pitter-patter on the roof, though I did not enjoy the two mud puddles that appeared on the floor. Remember that my roof is bamboo poles for beams, with split bamboo over that, old cement bags, topped with dirt. And it’s been HOT – highs in the 90’s the last few days and only dipping to about 80 at night. This is just about the limit of comfortable sleeping for me – even with the fan. Of course, Fernando constantly warns me of the danger of sleeping with the fan EVERY night. It’s sort of his way of saying Good Night – “It will make you sick, Goyo”. “Good Night, Fernando.”

Speaking of Fernando – it’s his birthday (59), which means 1- the kids will be coming “home” and I get to see the little rascals and they can FINALLY play on the playground I’ve been promising for the last year and 2- he’ll make his annual visit to the local house of prostitution (La Casa Blanca). He wanted me to go with him last year, and I’ll decline again this year. My rule is to say “yes” whenever possible to adventure and new experiences. This, however, is one of those times to heed Betty Ford and “just say NO”.