Conversations with a founder and a rainy work day

As I stated in my last post, I came out this past Monday, May 4, and had the most wonderful conversation with Mary Morgan, Jan's partner and one of the founders of SuBAMUH. I sat down and started talking with her and the next thing I knew it was 2 hours later and I had to hurry back to OU for classes. It was amazing to hear about how SuBAMUH got started and to hear about her views on the women's movement and feminism today. I can't believe how SuBAMUH has been built up from a run down farm with no property value to what it is today. I would post our entire conversation, but believe me, 2 hours of talking translates to lots and lots of pages of text.

One of the most interesting things I think we talked about was how SuBAMUH has evolved. Mary explained how it never really did become the thriving women's community they had hoped it would be, but in my mind it is still amazing that it has lasted 30 years and still provides a safe living environment for women. She seemed surprised when I said SuBAMUH seems like an amazing resource that is underused by both the university and the community...and I was surprised that she was surprised! I think the women's and gender studies department should be organizing camp outs, hikes or sessions out at SuBAMUH...Girl Scouts should be camping out there and opening girls eyes to the different lifestyles there are...WAC and EWO should be utilizing their resources for socials, etc...anyway, I guess it is still just the sheltered suburbanite in me that is continually amazed at the type of life the women lead in SuBAMUH!

Then this past Wednesday I came out for a work day during the usual Wednesday afternoon torrential downpour...by the way, it has rained every Wednesday this quarter. I wasn't really sure if anyone would be there working. Luckily I heard the sound of power tools and made a mad dash to the campground area in the hopes that that is where everyone would be. And I was right! Michele, Jan, Crissa, her girlfriend and a camper were all working hard to clean up the campground area in preparation for the group from Columbus that was coming on Memorial Day. I helped check out the many old chairs that were there to make sure they were safe for sitting, helped shuffle around some random things in the campground area and rewrote some of the "rules" of the SuBAMUH campground on the chalkboard. The big excitement of the day was a nest of little mice that Jan found living in one of the cupboards...definitely not as cute and friendly as in Cinderella! It was wet and cold so I was glad we didn't do a whole lot outside.
The other big news was that I had my first experience with a tick. Not very happy about that, but I suppose it is a danger that comes along with working out on a farm! The little guy hadn't really dug himself in yet, so my friend was able to just pick it off...eww, I actually can't even think about it at this point it grosses me out so much. Yet another reason I don't think I am cut out for this extreme country living!!