At this house, we have a top-priority mission of supporting people to achieve their dreams and goals. Be it freeing themself from a “job” and making a deeper livelihood, working on a health goal, doing some inner work, using the quiet pared-down atmosphere to recharge, or whatever.
There is no work requirement here; a person’s “job” is to move forward with their own stated goals and dreams, intentions, plans. That is what we are here to support.
That said, oftentimes people do want to help with daily chores or special projects, and it can be beneficial to the person as well as to the house. In my previous post I made a list of the most repetitive tasks around our house that anyone can do.
Here, I’m starting a list of our household tasks that require a little bit more knowledge and practice.
• The main extremely repetitive task is managing the rainbarrels and tubs. The rainwater is used in various ways around the yard, including watering plants and also putting water on concrete for evaporative cooling. In the wet season, water needs to be used steadily and deliberately in order to make room in the barrels and tubs for more rainfall. In the dry season, water needs to be stewarded carefully in order to tide us over til the rains come. In general, I like taking care of this. It’s good exercise and allows me to keep a handle on the quality and quantity of our water supplies. But there are times when help would be great.
• Another repetitive task is trimming vines and other vegetation around the perimeter of the property so as to avoid encroaching on the sidewalk.
• Setting out the solar oven, turning it to noontime sun position.
• Melting down old candle pieces and making into new candles w fresh wick.
• Repairing/replacing bamboo lattice, outdoor shower walls, and other outdoor privacy structures.
• Refilling outdoor hand-wash / foot-wash stations with fresh rainwater.
• Sweeping and mopping the house’s beautiful, easy-care white tile floors is a steady daily thing (and in winter, shaking out and airing the scatter-rugs we put down for warmth), but (other than appreciating help with keeping the entryway halls swept and entryway rugs shaken out), I like taking care of that myself because it’s good exercise and allows me to check on things in each room that might need attention.
• Keeping the books arranged neatly on the Little Free Library shelves. And helping to stock new books (books are available for free or cheap at the public library, some local bookstores, and some thrift stores).
I’ll add others as I think of them.