Thursday, June 15, 2006. This is a draft of my LCS manual. I would appreciate comments, corrections, etc.
The Laundry Process
There is a
washing machine provided for your use. It only has cold water and nothing comes
super clean. Washed clothes are hung on the line to dry. There is an indoor line
in the little greenhouse for inclement weather. Ask for instructions the first
time you use the washer. It's quirky.
Recycling and Trash
Anything to be
discarded has to be stored until it is hauled off. To minimize storage problems,
we separate food wastes from the rest of the trash. Any food waste that the
animals will eat (including bones) can be fed to them, other food waste goes
into the compost. We then separate the trash into "true trash", which has to
go to the dump, from stuff that can be recycled at the San Juan County recycling
center. Look for marked receptacles in the kitchen or in the by the doors in the
guest wings. No point in hauling floor sweepings from Largo into the next
county, so there are special receptacles for sawdust and floor sweepings that
get put in the compost pile.
Staying
safe
Safety is your own responsibility - Dress for the weather. The
brush is prickly. There are seasonal sage gnats and mosquitos. At this elevation,
you burn quickly. Long sleeves, hats and sunscreen are good.
There are powertools in the shops, they are dangerous by nature. If you need to use one ask, don't just help yourself. The rocks in this landscape are soft and crumble, don't put yourself in a position where crumbling rocks make a difference. The fire truck is 45 minutes away, it has never been needed, be very fire safe and it never will. Animals are unpredictable and equines especially so, don't think they can't hurt you accidentally. If you get dizzy, you aren't drinking enough water; it's easy to become dehydrated in this landscape. There are first aid supplies in the emergency kits near the bathrooms. In an extreme emergency, they will send in a helicopter. It will land in the arena. Get the horses as far away as possible and tie them up should an emergency evacuation be neccessary. There is "quicksand" in the Largo, stay up on the high ground even if it all looks dry. Wet driving conditions are quite dangerous. Flash floods are common. You should never try to ford a flowing arroyo. You will loose your vehicle faster than you can imagine.
Your attention to community hygiene will be appreciated. Use hot water and soap to wash dishes. Don't wipe the floor with a dishrag. Be germ conscious.
The Animals
Meet the crew, know their quirks. Horses are always dangerous, don't mess with them if you are not a horse-person. Donkeys are loveable but they can hurt you bad if you stick your hands in their mouth or put yourself between two. If the animals want to be left alone, please respect their wishes. We hand feed but only on the condition that they perform, so if you just handfeed them, you will be untraining them. Only give them food from a feed bucket. The dogs like most people, but if you are one of the unfortunate few that arouse their suspicions or if you fear dogs, let us know and they will be confined. If you fear cats, hmmm.. ..there's only three of them, but they will know you don't like them and probably target you for special abuse, it can't be helped. They are not indoor animals.
Time Management
I hate to wake people up; if you need waking bring an alarm clock or work out for someone else to do the dirty deed. On most days there will be a posted schedule (whiteboard in the dining room). If you miss mealtimes, well, it's your choice to ignore the schedule, we'll figure you are on a diet.
Chores
30 minutes a day for EVERYONE. Chores get assigned by the lottery system. You draw a card at breakfast to see what your chore for the day is. If you neglect your duty, we will have a special duty for you the next day - no more lottery for you! If your group chooses to hire someone to do their chores, the fee is $125 per day. Chores turn out to be a good team building activity.
Food
It's your responsibility to
inform the staff of special dietary needs before you arrive. By the time we meet
you, we will have already bought food for your stay. There is no running to town
to get something special. Our diet is based on old-fashioned cooking of
unprocessed foods. If you need junk food, bring your own. If you need to drink a
lot of milk, bring a cow. Unless it is a designated snack item, the food in the
refrig and cupboards is for a meal, if you snack on it, the cook will be really
upset. There is a list of snacks on the kitchen white board.
Community
Living at Largo brings everyone on the premises in some degree of intimacy. To get along it's important to respect other's need for privacy while at the same time it is not productive for visitors to isolate in their own tiny space. The dining room or outdoors is the place to congregate and chat. The gym is the place to get loud and rowdy. The library is a place where people are studying. The kiva is a place where they are meditating. The bedrooms are where people are sleeping. Consideration of noise levels in those areas is important. Group leaders are under intense social pressure, please respect their space and need for a private moment. Do not go into the private area reserved for the leader without explicit invitation.
Resolving problems is preferable to sweeping them under the rug. If you are getting aggravated by something, please bring it up. Misunderstandings can be cleared up that way, but if you are just secretly harboring resentment, nothing can be fixed. There are rules of engagement for conflict resolution. Avoid screaming and ask for help.
Focus on why you are here.
Kids
This property is not really
kid safe. The roads, the large animals, and the powertools all pose dangers for
unsupervised children. Children should be supervised or be doing structured
activity.
Resource Use
Water
and electricity are not free. We expect you to use a minimal amount, but when
you start leaving lights on, running space heaters, using lots of hot water, we
pay for it. If you need to use more power or water, please contribute some extra
money to cover the costs.
What to Bring
vs. What is Provided
We have blankets, sheets, pillows, towels,
dishes for you. Bring sturdy shoes, durable clothing, gloves, daypacks, water
bottles, binocs, personal toiletries. Bring pjs and a robe as the bathrooms are
not adjacent to the bedrooms. It is important to have a flashlight. If you need
an alarm clock to wake up, bring it.
Volunteers vs. Paying Guests
Volunteers
are expected to work 4 hours a day (every day you are here) in exchange for
their room and board. Schedules and duties are posted. You will be expected to
show up at breakfast and for "morning meeting" to get organized. It usually
happens after breakfast unless it happens before. Paying guests have 30 minutes
of chores to do and otherwise are on the schedule of the event. If you are
paying for a clinic, you are a paying guest.
Alcohol and Tobacco
Smoking is strongly
discouraged for a variety of reasons. Groups with smokers will be required to
post a $100 butt deposit against we will charge you $5 per cigarette butt found
in the yard at the end of your stay. Moderate alcohol use is fine, but rowdy
drunks will be evicted from the premises. Anyone with illegal drugs will either
be turned over to the State Police or taken down to the hanging tree, depending
on our mood.
Communicate with the Rest of
the World
The phone number here is 505-568-9131 or 505-568-9412 (in the kitchen). People can call you or you can use a phone card. You can use the internet to check your email. Don't be browsing porno sites though as you will loose privileges. If you need to get snail mail, it comes three times a week. The address is HC Box 80, Counselor, NM 87018. UPS and FedExpress don't deliver here... any deliveries can be made to %Navajo City Roadhouse, 8775 US Highway 64, Blanco, NM 87412, phone 505-320-4432.