2022.02.21 Sunday
The dress Nila made for me and the pretty collar she gave me were quite the success.
I dropped Andrew off at church and then went on to Folsom Pioneer Village. I was a good bit early. Which meant I got to park close to the Village. The other Living History Specialists were very welcoming and friendly. They showed me around and let me “shadow” them. I spent most of the time helping visitors pan for “gold.” Partly because it is fun and I get quite a kick to see how excited they are to find their “gold” flecks and pieces. Partly because I could lean on the water trough. I wore my back brace and knee braces which helped. I was surprised how much my leg muscles hurt from standing. Later I realized that it was probably because my boots have a little bit higher heels than the sandals and crocs I usually use. Changes the angle and puts a slightly different stress on the legs. I enjoyed working there, but I was exhausted when it was over. Some of that was due to the stress of everything being new.
Wisely, I had put a pot roast in the slow cooker before leaving in the morning. When I got home (and removed my historical trappings), I added rice and carrots. Teresa and David brought salad.
2022.02.23
When I bought Storm (2019 Honda CR-V to replace the one that was rear-ended) , I was disappointed that she didn’t have a CD player, but I didn’t think it was a really big deal. Turned out, I missed it greatly. And when I think of a long, long drive, I really want to have books on CD. My children tell me that I can put any CDs I want on MP3, but frankly, I don’t even know for sure what MP3 is and I sure don’t know how. I bought a CD player that you can use in a car. IF the car has an auxiliary port (or something like that) which Storm does not. I send it back. The disappointment continued. But I think the problem is solved. I got a portable CD player with speakers and anti-skip protection. I used it on a short drive on errands yesterday, and it worked!
2022.02.25 Friday Sacrament, CA well, mostly Folsom
I worked at the Folsom Pioneer Village today. Met more volunteers. There are two groups, the Living History “Specialists” and the blacksmiths. There must have been half a dozen blacksmiths working today. At one point, one of them noticed several children in the courtyard area, had them gather and sit on benches in front of the blacksmith shop, and gave them a short demonstration.
I, again, spent most of my time at the gold panning. I enjoy it and it seemed short staffed. Much of the time I was the only one in that area. At the Folsom Pioneer Village, I have a third name tag which stays there. It says “Barbara - Interpreter - Folsom Historical Society” (if I remember correctly). One visitor, reading “interpreter” wondered if I spoke her language. Unfortunately, no. She is living in Sacramento now, but was born in Thailand. In Thailand, not far from where she lived, they pan for rubies!
We get visitors from all over. Today I talked to people from Massachusetts, Arizona, and Missouri that I know of. I spoke to at least three people who had spent time in Alaska. One was a bush pilot. Well, almost a bush pilot. He flew into places that had dirt runways. Apparently bush pilots might have less.
We have a replica cabin that early settlers would have been fortunate to live in. Although it is no bigger than any room in a modest middle class house (not counting the bathroom, of course), it certainly beat a wagon box covered with canvas, or a lean-to, or tent.
Not far from the cabin is an outhouse. Much too close for authenticity. But it serves the same function for the volunteers except it actually does have plumbing. Sunday when I was volunteering, I responded to nature’s call and was using the outhouse when a group came by and spent some time discussing outhouses. I waited quietly until they moved on. Wouldn’t you know that this afternoon, the same thing happened again! A boy kept saying he wanted to open the door and look inside. As it is not authentic inside, the door is kept locked and visitors are not allowed. As they were beginning to move on and I was preparing to leave, a key turned and the door opened! Apparently the blacksmiths have their own key! He was even more flustered than I. Now I know that just because the key is available, that does not mean the outhouse is.
Again, I came home quite tired. Joseph was cooking up some hamburgers for a rather late lunch. Surprise that was their dinner. I had finished food from the lunch I packed on the drive home, so I was not hungry. I sat down and napped before feeding the animals and watching Jeopardy and MASH, then family prayer & scriptures. Now headed for bed.
