Journal: December 9, 2006
Saturday, December 09, 2006
There are only a few of us here since the team from Kentucky just left. Our home team is like family now and it’s nice. The Rogersons, with their three children, are just delightful. Alicia is sick and has been in bed the past two days so Asa has spent his time with the kids doing schoolwork and stuff. Last night Anitarae had the kids over for a video so the parents could get a break. We watched "The Little Rascals." Actually, I enjoyed watching the kids’ reactions more than I did the movies. The Hoffmans, a couple who came two weeks ago, are also enjoyable. They are Roamers, like us (R.O.A.M.) They plan to be here for a few months. We wish we could stay longer. We love the family atmosphere and I enjoy the kind of work I do, but we don’t like the cold. I think this is the last day of it for a while. Next week will be highs in the upper 60’s and lows in the 40’s at worst. The last couple of nights in the 20’s are too much like NY.
Until this Thursday, I have been continuing to work on the Aultman’s house in Biloxi. Part of this team helped me for a day and a half and we accomplished a great deal. We installed laminate flooring throughout most of the house and a ceramic floor in one of the bathrooms. Also, the kitchen countertop was installed and the whole place got picked up so it looks more like a home and less like a construction site. Previous to their coming to help, I stained and finished a ton of door trim and chair rail and installed that and did a lot of painting. The house looks nice. I’m sure it’s a step up from what they had before the storm. I’ve enjoyed working on this house because I enjoy finish work and also because Diane, the mother, is so excited about the improvements. She works all day and arrives home after I’ve gone, but often calls me with her excitement and appreciation. However, we (NDR) are going way past "dry and tight" which is the level of completion usually targeted. Part of the directorship (Dee) has been wanting to stop for a while and part (Jim) wants to help this particular family in a big way. So there is conflict and controversy on the Response Team. When I reported that I had been hanging a wallpaper boarder, there were strong reactions. When I said that Diane wants to clear out the bedroom that has been housing all the "stuff" and hasn’t been touched and put laminate flooring in it, my time there came to a screeching halt. Apparently, Jim and Dee had a little talk and Jim said, "Al, we’re going to take a break from work at Aultman’s." It took me a half day to pick up my tools and clean up my mess. But, I did take time to install baseboard in one bedroom so they could transfer all the stuff from the untouched room.
Now I am working on the little house that is owned by Crossroads Church (where we are) and which will become housing for Jim and Dee since they will be here for years. Right now they are in a broken down motorhome which was left on the premises by the former director. It’s rough and they deserve better so I am excited to be able to help speed up the work on this house. My work so far has reminded me of past times in my life and has brought back memories … some good and some not so good. I had to replace the asbestos siding tiles when I owned the Janet St. house. I didn’t enjoy it then, but it’s interesting how a better purpose changes my attitude. The double hung windows in this house are in great disrepair. I spent all day yesterday digging out old glazing and removing broken panes of glass. I did nine windows and there are eighteen panes to replace. I still have six windows to go. I could be days on this and all the while I’ve been remembering working with Denny and Vinnie. We painted houses for several summers and usually the first couple of days were spent glazing, I have many good memories of our paint crew. We worked hard, but we had a good time together. I especially remember the donut breaks and the "ant attacks." An ant attack, so dubbed by Vinnie, was when we would all put our ladders within an arm’s reach of each other and scrape and paint the side of the building in blazing speed. The best memories of our painting days were often shared around the faculty lunch table and were usually quite embellished. One of would start with a memory and another always continued until we had the whole table in stitches.
Today, I hope to rest, read, watch football, and take my honey out to a Japanese restaurant.
There are only a few of us here since the team from Kentucky just left. Our home team is like family now and it’s nice. The Rogersons, with their three children, are just delightful. Alicia is sick and has been in bed the past two days so Asa has spent his time with the kids doing schoolwork and stuff. Last night Anitarae had the kids over for a video so the parents could get a break. We watched "The Little Rascals." Actually, I enjoyed watching the kids’ reactions more than I did the movies. The Hoffmans, a couple who came two weeks ago, are also enjoyable. They are Roamers, like us (R.O.A.M.) They plan to be here for a few months. We wish we could stay longer. We love the family atmosphere and I enjoy the kind of work I do, but we don’t like the cold. I think this is the last day of it for a while. Next week will be highs in the upper 60’s and lows in the 40’s at worst. The last couple of nights in the 20’s are too much like NY.
Until this Thursday, I have been continuing to work on the Aultman’s house in Biloxi. Part of this team helped me for a day and a half and we accomplished a great deal. We installed laminate flooring throughout most of the house and a ceramic floor in one of the bathrooms. Also, the kitchen countertop was installed and the whole place got picked up so it looks more like a home and less like a construction site. Previous to their coming to help, I stained and finished a ton of door trim and chair rail and installed that and did a lot of painting. The house looks nice. I’m sure it’s a step up from what they had before the storm. I’ve enjoyed working on this house because I enjoy finish work and also because Diane, the mother, is so excited about the improvements. She works all day and arrives home after I’ve gone, but often calls me with her excitement and appreciation. However, we (NDR) are going way past "dry and tight" which is the level of completion usually targeted. Part of the directorship (Dee) has been wanting to stop for a while and part (Jim) wants to help this particular family in a big way. So there is conflict and controversy on the Response Team. When I reported that I had been hanging a wallpaper boarder, there were strong reactions. When I said that Diane wants to clear out the bedroom that has been housing all the "stuff" and hasn’t been touched and put laminate flooring in it, my time there came to a screeching halt. Apparently, Jim and Dee had a little talk and Jim said, "Al, we’re going to take a break from work at Aultman’s." It took me a half day to pick up my tools and clean up my mess. But, I did take time to install baseboard in one bedroom so they could transfer all the stuff from the untouched room.
Now I am working on the little house that is owned by Crossroads Church (where we are) and which will become housing for Jim and Dee since they will be here for years. Right now they are in a broken down motorhome which was left on the premises by the former director. It’s rough and they deserve better so I am excited to be able to help speed up the work on this house. My work so far has reminded me of past times in my life and has brought back memories … some good and some not so good. I had to replace the asbestos siding tiles when I owned the Janet St. house. I didn’t enjoy it then, but it’s interesting how a better purpose changes my attitude. The double hung windows in this house are in great disrepair. I spent all day yesterday digging out old glazing and removing broken panes of glass. I did nine windows and there are eighteen panes to replace. I still have six windows to go. I could be days on this and all the while I’ve been remembering working with Denny and Vinnie. We painted houses for several summers and usually the first couple of days were spent glazing, I have many good memories of our paint crew. We worked hard, but we had a good time together. I especially remember the donut breaks and the "ant attacks." An ant attack, so dubbed by Vinnie, was when we would all put our ladders within an arm’s reach of each other and scrape and paint the side of the building in blazing speed. The best memories of our painting days were often shared around the faculty lunch table and were usually quite embellished. One of would start with a memory and another always continued until we had the whole table in stitches.
Today, I hope to rest, read, watch football, and take my honey out to a Japanese restaurant.
Comments
sounds like a hard place to draw lines, it must be so fun to give someone a nicer home then what they started with, after so much trauma, especialy if they work hard....
i must say, i love to read your posts! you manage to help get families back into homes by day....... and thrill your wife with japanese dinners by night!