Our goal for the day (yesterday) was to build a "carriage" for Guru Rinpoche, the statue in the Enlightenment Stupa. It was clear to us last Saturday that we would need to work for several days on the interior chamber of the gau (where Guru Rinpoche lives) and that would entail removing him each time (he MUST stay with the Stupa). At approximately 100 lbs, on the edge of the Stupa steps, that's not an easy task. So we pondered and brainstormed an option...building a chair-like platform with runner on the back which could be used to track along the ladder, so we could use a pulley and some guide ropes to lower the Guru, securely strapped into his seat, down the ladder safely. It still involves getting him into the seat, but it's a functional option relative to others (if you'll recall last year, Chuck, a sangha member, hefted the Guru up the ladder on his belly!). It took the entire day to come up with a concept, gather supplies, and then dig into the construction of it...but we did it!