Cohousing-L Mailing List: No Sweat Sweat Equity

[/PN=GAGIS/PRMD=ICBC/ADMD=TELECOM . CANADA/C=CA/ (/PN=GAGIS/PRMD=ICBC/ADMD=TELECOM.CANADA/C=CA/]

Gareth Fenley wrote:

"...there is no use pretending that my contributions to a construction
project, in terms of actual building, can be anywhere near those of more
able-bodied and muscular folks."

  You are right, and wrong in your statement, IMHO.  I live in a house with 6
other people and we try to share the work.  Many of what has been said here
recently about "Sweat Equity" has been amazingly close to how I have felt
about some of the challenges we have faced (but we're only renting -- it's
gotta be way tougher when you own the place!).  But I digress.  My point is
that one of our group has a VERY bad back.  She can't really lift anything and
so can't help with any kind of gardening or home repair project but we have
found a way to make it work.  The rest of us work -- she cooks.  It's great to
be able to focus on what you are doing and when you start to get hungry or
thirsty someone offers you food and/or drink.  Keeps things going.  Another
way of helping out is doing the errands thing for people.  I need this
tool/thing to keep going, we're out of _________, whatever.  A designated
person to take care of all those chores is great to have.  Other simple things
like (in our situation) answering the phone make a ton of difference (that way
only the person the call is for has to stop working, not the person who runs
in to answer the phone (I don't know why but it's NEVER for the person who
answers it...).  What I'm trying to say is that there are a lot of tasks
involved in any work party that don't require a lot of physical labour.  Even
just sitting and talking to someone who is (for example) painting a small room
alone is a good thing to do so they enjoy themselves more and will probably
accomplish more.  I think that most people are happy for any assistance as
long as it's genuine effort and not just for show.  What you are doing matters
less than how you go about it.

 Gary Gisel
 The Big House
 Vancouver