This week I'm out on a project and I'm lucky that I've had any Internet access to post anything. My week started off great. Our project started off well. In my midst are all three people who work for me plus seven others. I am the state's representative so the final say comes from me on any decisions that need to be made. At least until I call up to Sacramento and fill them in on our adventure.
Early this morning I had to run over to a military post to teach for about an hour and a half. It was an hour and a half drive each way. I wasn't going to get back to my project until right after lunch. I left one of my staff in charge. The class I taught was very productive. I think everyone learned something...at least nobody was sleeping or playing on their cell phones when I was talking.
When I returned to my project I found my staff all working together and the rest of the people running amok, backhoe operator included. My group said that the others didn't want to listen to them so they decided to ignore them and let me deal with it when I returned. What a mess they made but it was a blessing in disguise so I suppose I'm not too upset. You see, their back hoeing dug up burials. This wasn't discovered until I arrived back on the project. About 10 minutes after getting back one of the others brought me a bag with bones. I opened the bag and shut the bag. Not good.
I called Sacramento to tell them. What I got in return was unbelievable. They wanted me to keep on working. Not to try to cover this up but to dig it up so we could see it better. They were just curious. We can't do that, don't you know what state law says? Oh yes, you are state law. So I called a group meeting and gave the group our options. We aren't required to formally report this until tomorrow, we have 24 hours. We can do A, B, or C. HQ wants A. Immediately our group started quoting laws telling me why we couldn't do A or B. OK then, just wanted to make sure everyone was on board with it because I'm going to tell the big-wigs to take a hike. If they want to come here and take over then so be it, but as long as I'm in charge I'm going to follow the law when we dig up dead people.
I even had one person in Sacramento explain why we should do A. After all, we can't be sure the bones are human. What do you mean we can't be sure? Do you know how many experts I have here? Even though I'm the boss, I'm the least expert and I know a head sticking out of a trench. Sure I've seen several heads sticking out of trenches, and rolling down hills, and other unpleasant ways to find body parts but this is obvious. I bet the grand kids would know it's a human head if I called them over to look. Fortunately they are too busy playing in the dirt piles.
So what's the bright side? I just saved the state about half a million dollars by finding this now rather than in the middle of their project. They aren't looking at it like that yet. Perhaps next week they will calm down a bit. After all, they aren't used to me refusing to do what they want.
OK, so not too much to write about prepping. Life in our 21 foot travel trailer is working out fine during my week in the field. I discovered the kids took their sweatshirts out of their clothes bin in the trailer because they wanted to wear them at home. This means no sweatshirts to wear during the day and it's been a little chilly, especially today. Too bad for them, they can get a little cold. (Don't worry, I won't let them get sick) It will be a good lesson for them that they need to keep their preparedness things together and not to borrow from them.
The grand kids saw a huge rope ladder today and wanted to make one for themselves. I gave them a roll of a knockoff paracord and showed them how to make the knots and put together a climbing ladder. They spent a good deal of the afternoon working on it. Tomorrow morning I'll help them with it then we'll throw it over one of the trees here on the project. They can spend their day up a tree. Perhaps I'll join them!
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