04.01.15 – 1714 – Log – Jackson
The gold laundering plan is going well. Levi and Zane (aka Joseph) have claimed their land and have started cashing in their gold for currency. Kate has asked them to buy Levi’s. Some of the money went into household stuff…the girls bought it. We have been scattering the purchases around, and have been trying to figure out a good place to store the stuff. There has been debate over leaving it at Thearn to age or just bringing it here. Leaving it there is probably better, we can put sensors around to let us know about trespassers.
Kate has built a truck that I would have loved to have back on Thearn. We roughed it up to make it look well used. She made a nice livestock trailer to go with it. It’s really weird to see tires. Her next project is a 70’s era camper.
04.01.15 – 1841 – Log – Kate
I have to laugh, we harvested trees from Thearn, ringed them here, built a cabin and ringed it back. In a few ‘years’ a proper house will be built there. We can fill it with all the stuff we buy and put a proper lock on the door. The property has sensors everywhere so we know when we have visitors and can have someone there to greet them. There is a river with gold in it and we even put in a mine. There is actual gold in that too. Very handy.
04.01.15 – 1911 – Log – Audra
They have a plan to buy stuff on Thearn with actual currency. They are going through this elaborate process to do it. They could just ring the stuff they want away and leave gold as the payment like Kate did with the bread and cheese. It’s not just that they want a fair trade, they do. I think they want the challenge.
04.01.15 – 1951 – Log – Jackson
We have sold enough antiques to buy our fruit trees and bushes, some cattle, some fancy rabbits, more seed, all the different kinds of potatoes that we could find and some hand made items that we haven’t managed to make here yet. We have also collected some ‘food’ items to scan for the fabricator. Levi went a little crazy with the candy and junk food. We got items that people have had occasional cravings for. We got Mick D’s french fries, the original kind before they changed the fry oil and ruined them. Those could be dangerous to have. Somebody wanted fancy chocolate, and somebody else wanted soda pop. Grace got a bunch of oil paint and Kate and Dakota got watercolors. A bunch of us got hand tools – the new antique kind. We got critters too. Pets, mostly doggos.
04.01.15 – 2002 – Log – Audra
We are taking a community vacation of sorts. We are off to the beach for a couple of days. Miss Whitman is excited because she hasn’t been to the sea in ages. Kate is ringing her RV and the catio so that when she is ready for a break she has a familiar place to rest. Some of the brave ones are packing tents. The rest of us are doubling families up in the RV’s, so that we don’t have to bring so many of them. The children are all excited to have sleep overs on the roof.
04.01.16 – 1602 – Log – Jackson
We are at the beach. Its like my dream. Even the doggo, Kate found her and named her Bear. She said all farms have doggos named Bear, it’s a rule. She is a sweetheart of a puppy, the children adore her.
04.01.28 – 1602 – Log – Kate
I’ve been looking into Emmy’s teacher. The one she had before their mother left. Emmy used to make herself sick just thinking about going school so I started homeschooling. She said one odd thing about the lady one time and it has stuck with me. We have the technology available here to find out what actually happened. I’ve made several insect sized drones and sent them to view the year before Emmy, the time Emmy was in her class and the year after. There was a pattern of abuse so I moved them to the ten years before Emmy and made the observation both in school and out of school. Then I went back twenty years, and then thirty years, just to be sure. There is a strong pattern of abuse. Oddly enough she picks on the bright, the ones that struggle, the poor children, the disabled and the shy. If you’re average she leaves you alone. I showed what I found to the group at our meeting. There is a wish that something be done, but we aren’t sure what. We all have known people like that, the ones that never seem to get in trouble for what they have done.
04.02.11 – 0530 – Log – Kate
I think I figured out what to do with Emmy’s mean teacher. I’m going to run the idea past Jack and Cam and ask if they think it’s too much. The thought is to set her up in the frontier west. It isn’t likely that she would be allowed to get away with the shenanigans in that time like she does now. She would still be able to teach, though she would have to learn how they do it. I can keep an eye on her with the insect drones.
04.02.11 – 1440 – Log – Zane
I knew it! Kate does have a side that you don’t ever want to see directed your way.
Sweet Emmy had a bully of a teacher before Kate started homeschooling her. Well Kate vetted Pete’s new family with success, so she did the same with the teacher, and found a monster. She showed us decades of abuse, and people with the power to stop it, letting her get away with it. We didn’t have any ideas for what could be done at the time. Kate has put some thought in. Her plan is to set her up in the west in the same or close to the time that we went. Kate had questions. ‘Is it a time line risk? Would some other place or time be better? Would an earlier time be better? Should she be isolated?’
We don’t want to bring her here.
Jack suggested an island off of the west coast. He said that he was told a story about remains that had been found in the early 1900’s on an island that was previously believed to be uninhabited because it was so hard to get to. It was a legend in the area. The locals had named the lady ‘the sea monster.’ Over a dozen boats had been lost in that area. The currents made that area hard to navigate, people avoided it. He said the story jumped out at him because it was a mystery how the woman got there, and who built the cabin. The cabin was a bit unique. It was log cabin style. The wood used to build it was not identified, though they tried. Nothing like it grew in the area. It was extremely well preserved and well made. Dowels were used in a few places. There were no machine or tool marks on the wood and the construction method was described as ‘unique.’ Everything fit together perfectly, and in places looked like a puzzle box. There was no chinking material needed. The nails and hardware used were antique, but not really aged. They wanted to move it off the island to study it, but they couldn’t figure out how to do it without taking it apart. And they weren’t entirely sure how all of the parts went together. In addition to that there were fruits and vegetables everywhere.
04.03.12 – 0700 – Log – Becca
A plan is coming together to deal with the bully teacher. The group has decided that thirty years of tyranny deserves thirty years of restriction. Kate has been tasked with building a log cabin, which she says she has never done before. Zane, Tyler and Kurt are going to get her the trees for it. Jack has gone to get iron for the nails and hardware.
04.03.14 – 1745 – Log – Kurt
The colony is moving Emmy’s bully to her own island. We got Kate the trees to make a log cabin. Tyler and I offered to help, but I’m pretty sure we are both just getting in the way. This is the coolest project ever and we both want to see how it’s done. She has a computerized set up that she builds traditional homes with. She has made some adjustments to it for this. Tyler is recording the process.
04.03.14 – 1844 – Log – Tyler
Kate is building a log house, half the colony is here watching. Zane set up stadium style seating by putting chairs on top of extra pallets and lumber.
She started by scanning all of the logs. Each one was assigned an initial number and the computer sorted them by size. The bigger ones went on the bottom. The computer finds the best position for them, cuts the length, notches the ends, and is leveling and notching the tops and bottoms of the inner logs. Chinking won’t be needed. This is not a traditional log house. She built a sand box in her workshop to place the logs in so that they don’t roll. A little bit of the sand will go with the house when it is ringed out. It has gone together fast. The walls are up, the openings for the doors and windows were cut and assembled perfectly. Tomorrow the gable ends, roofs and possibly the windows will go in.
04.03.14 – 1847 – Log – Grace
Kate is building the cutest log cabin. It even has a porch. It is going to have three windows. Marta is making curtains for them, a mattress that we’ll stuff with straw and the bed linens for it. Alana and Zane are making a bed, chair and table. We will buy blankets and other household items from the era.
04.03.16 – 0805 – Log – Jackson
The log cabin is done, even the outhouse for it. The children want to keep it. It’s a charming little house. The girls have made it even cuter if that is possible, with the curtains, a braided rug and all the fixings inside. Zane made a porch swing for it.
She won’t have power. She will have candles and kerosene for light, a wood stove for heat, and there is a spring nearby. We’ll put in a garden for her and set her up with non-perishable food. Kate is giving her an emergency box, and pencil and paper so she can ask for stuff. She is also getting a ‘magic trash can’ for removal of glass and tin. We are also putting in other monitoring on the island.
04.03.17 – 1205 – Log – Neil
The sea monster moved into her new house today. I was in charge of making sure she has everything she needs. It took slightly less than seven hours. She asked for chickens, and some other small things. We had to make a trip back for some of it, so I reviewed all of the requests for all the years before we did it. Might as well get everything at once. Easy peasy. She was in her forties when she went to the island. She passed after about five years from aspirating a sip of water.
04.03.21 – 2100 – Log – Audra
Kate just put in an enclosure for mice! I know they can’t get out but eww. She lets the poultry in and they enjoy it. She grows bugs for her birds too, but they are in a separate building and she kills them before she gives them to the birds, so I really don’t give it much thought.
04.04.01 – 2102 – Log – Jackson
Everyone has family here now. Now we start bringing in extended family and friends. We have taken an inventory of available housing. Kate has kept making homes and we are keeping her stocked with materials. We have fourteen single family homes, one triple decker – each floor is an apartment. Several people have also offered in-law suites for singles, there is the apartment in Kate’s workshop and the RV’s.
04.05.32 – 2000 – Log – Maci
Dakota and I went to make soap with Kate this morning. Kate made some ‘rainbow unicorn’ soap for the children. We also made some practical and some other fancy soaps.
04.06.11 – 2145 – Log – Audra
Finn had the latest new person spot and he brought in a buddy from college. Owen. He seems like a nice man, though he is a bit eccentric. He was shown all of the homes and he picked the workshop apartment. He said he liked the area and wouldn’t have to worry about being loud. He plays the drums and keyboard. Kate doesn’t have a problem with it. She even offered to make one of the storage rooms into a studio for him. Cam perked up a bit with that. He plays the guitar. I wonder if we are looking at the start of a band.
04.08.05 – 2212 – Log – Jackson
We got a welder and a metalsmith!! Carter something. Seems like a down to earth kind of guy, loves to fish. He and Levi hit it off right away. He wants to bring his sister with him and one of his neighbors. He picked out a place and put it not too far from Kate’s place. We should probably put some roads in. She’s going to build him a workshop. He asked for a metal structure. Kate is going to have another audience when she makes that. It’s fascinating to watch the structures go together so neatly, efficiently and quickly. Tyler has fabricated actual stadium seating that folds away when we aren’t using it. It’s safer than the pallets and lumber piles.
04.09.16 – 2320 – Log – Audra
Carters sister is a botanist! She is going to stay with her brother for the time, but remarked on the gorgeous tree that sits way down the prairie. We don’t have a name for the tree type. We don’t have names for a lot of the plants and animals. Kate had it in the yard the next day. Ringed the whole tree. She has been picking her brain to try to find out what kind of house the woman wants. Carla. Carla is her name. A gentle quiet person.
04.09.26 – 2100 – Log – Kate
I’m going to get for trees to make another log home.
04.10.18 – 0815 – Log – Tyler
Kate is making another log home and her auditorium is full. This one is going to be bigger than the last one. This one is going to be modern.
04.10.18 – 1420 – Log – Carla
I was told to visit Kate’s workshop this morning. It would be worth my time. At least half of the village was there watching a home be built. The system is amazing. She has most of it automated. It’s going to be a log home. It isn’t going to need chinking. All of the joins and spots where the logs meet are perfect. She’s even using dowels. All of the walls are up. Tomorrow the gables and the roof go up, and possibly the doors and windows. It going to have a large, functional kitchen and a sun room.
04.10.20 – 1645 – Log – Ashley
It feels a lot like we are collecting people now. It turns out Owen has woodworking skills and wanted access to Kate’s workshop. He has made a bunch of cool things. A rack for Levi to put his fishing poles in, a display case for Miss Charlotte’s rocks, and a loom for Kate. Its the kind that sits on the floor. He made the wood shine. Zane and Tyler were properly impressed. It lives in the everything room. It took Audra hours to get the warp on it. Everybody has been by to see it and give it a whirl. It’s meditative.
We got a new villager today, her name is Elisabeth and she came with a dog. His name is Mr. Darcy. She is a fan of pride and prejudice. He is adorable and very well mannered. She picked the top floor of the triple decker. She said she loved the view. She is excited to have her own garden. Oh and she is a veterinarian!
04.10.20 – 1845 – Log – Kate
Owen made a floor loom! It’s gorgeous. Audra put a warp on it and everybody has tried it out. Think of the pretty things we can make with that! She is making plain kitchen towels right now, because that is the yarn that we had. We may have have to take a trip back to Thearn for pretty yarn and thread.
04.12.04 – 1832 – Log – Audra
Charlie is in need of new socks, Ashley bartered search time for three pairs. Kate had the sock knitting machine out and was making some darling bright fuchsia socks when Jack came by. He got sucked into the process. She was finishing the heel and he was surprised by it. I think he has only had tube socks. He detests socks and shoes. She told him to go and wash his feet and he could try them on. (He was barefoot.) Charlotte’s feet are about the same size as his. If he liked them they could make a pair just for him. So he did. He loved them. They were soft and fit just about perfect. Kate took him to her yarn stash and told him to pick out what he wanted for his socks. He picked one that was a lovely salmon. It was a soft baby alpaca/angora mix, and was labeled ‘Jack – Mitten liner.’ He said thats my name and pointed to it. I had to smile at the choice. Kate used a scanner to measure his feet and modified the pattern only slightly. She got it started and then let him run the tool. They did the toe first, which was tedious but well worth it for the fit. They read the pattern together and counted the rows. She taught him how to work the heal and then after some more easy rows finish it off. Then they did it all over again. She fabricated some shoes that Maci would prefer to not be allowed in the house. He loved those too. If the socks weren’t pink and the shoes weren’t foam rubber Maci would be ecstatic that he was willingly wearing both.
04.13.12 – 2000 – Log – Audra
Miss Whitman passed in her sleep last night. She was so feisty yesterday. She had all the children in her suite to read stories to them, and had her afternoon nap in the yard.
04.13.20 – 2100 – Log – Jackson
Kate has a street to put the houses on. We paved it.
The ranch that I wanted for my mama was there today. It was a different color inside and out, but the layout was the same. I claimed it for her.
The Great Experiment 