Act one: We agreed to make some kitchen caddies for the Culinary Center at the Free Library of Philadelphia. We have some preliminary specifications and have some initial designs. The director there lets us know that we should probably not build out of wood for cleaning/sanitary reasons — hard to clean and keep germ free.

Everything stops. Kids worry. I worry

Act two: We’re reading William Kamkwanba’s The Boy who Harnessed the Wind. It’s going reasonably well. His ingenious methods of solving problems — using hot metal as a drill — and re-using all materials — melted PVC can be formed into anything — are part of the reason why we picked this book. And I hope the book serves as inspiration for the students.

Act three: KH bursts out with idea: why don’t we build caddy out of PVC?

I should retire today. Just grow vegetables or something.