Separate lives in a way. But, you know, I'll bet that's the way it is with most couples after they've been married as long as we have." But, Mom, you ...eserve more...Why, you know, I'll bet we have talked more together in the few days I've been back home than you and Dad did the whole time I was gone."Mom laughed, a bit ruefully, I thought. "I'm afraid I wouldn't want to bet on that one...I think that you might be right."I wanted to go on further, but I was afraid of pushing too much. We sat in. I gave each man an axe and a sharpening stone and gave the group three ten-foot two-man felling saws. While Tizemt plied the market, buying slaves, I took the men into the forest and showed them several different varieties of trees I was interested in, then showed them how to use the axes and two-man saws safely. I gave them permission to use two of the wagons, and showed them how to use the wagons and how to use teams of horses to drag large trees.I taught them how to use block and tackle sets. My biggest problem was going to be convincing people that I was serious about the job of councilor. I did have an opponent, but he was the proverbial "used car salesman," and most people did not trust him. He was older than me, 38, so he was a legitimate candidate in the eyes of most people. His age would probably get him elected, but I intended to make him work for it!My girls were very enthusiastic about this campaign, mostly because they could actually work on it in meaningful jobs. Mom even. I had let myself in to feed theircat while they were on vacation last summer, so I knew where they hid thekey to their back door. I quietly unlocked the door. "Hello," I called,just to be sure. When there was no answer, I quietly walked through thehouse and up the stairs searching for Jill's bedroom. My heart waspounding so hard, you could probably hear it if you listened closely.Jill's room was the quintessential little girl's room. It seemedeverything was either pink or ruffled, maybe.