Yesterday we saw an impossible feat of strength and stamina.
At eight a. m., six small, slight Mexican men got on Bob and Ellie's roof. It is a steep two story house and the heat was scorching. They were all over that steep roof running. By ll a.m. they had stripped off a layer of laminated shingles, another layer of shingles and lastly and most horrendious a layer of wood shingles. They cleaned as they went and at about 2 p.m. they took a small lunch break. They were going so fast that the neighbors sat on a curb watching them. At six p.m., Ted and I went over to see what they had done and they were finishing up and cleaning up, the new roof was on and absolutely beautiful. It was l00 degrees at noon.

Poverty is the motivating force behind their work ethic and I admire and empathize with them. I hope they can get citizenship one day. They are so deserving of a better life. I think they were all illegals because only one spoke a rudimentary bit of English. I wish that I had a magic wand to give them the skills they need, education and the ability to speak English so they can aspire to something less strenuous.