Tuesday:

We finished putting up the walls and putting the caps on as well as the braces to be sure the home was square.

It was so humid, I sweat more than most, needed windshield wipers on my glasses as the water was running down them so it was hard to see trying to hammer the caps on. Trying to keep that hard hat on bending over the top of the walls hammering nails was another challenge, but we finished. Made a Wal-Mart run and purchased a head band so I'm ready for tomorrow!

I think our team is the oldest one in their history. Our clean up Captain will be 87 in one month, another is 84 and 2 over 70, one in her 40's, Mr. New Jersey 32 and me still a teenager at heart. So it is difficult to hear someone say I'm too old to make one of these trips. The ladies from KS want to come again this year if possible, as they think 5 more back home want to come, they're excited. Talked with Lindsey and only trip available is the end of Sept. that hasn't been taken. Maybe another will open up if they can't get it filled.

Had a volunteer work with us who is getting his Sweat Equity hours in to qualify for his home today. If I understood Greg correctly, they are building 40 homes in this area of Gulfport.

Wednesday:

We put on all the sheeting today and insulated another home. Tomorrow we will cut out the windows in the sheeting, build the front porch and the rear storage patio.

Stopped by to see the home we worked on last year and it really looks nice. The home is occupied, landscaped and a very nice addition on Thrivent Lane. The addition is called Trace, est. 2009. There are other homes in this addition not occupied yet as some folks are still qualifying for them. I understand Stan and his crew toured this addition last week.

Today when we were wrapping up I saw our Building Supervisor we had in December, was good to see him. He said to be sure and greet the December crew.

Today we had a little breeze so it wasn't quite as sweltering, We shouldn't have any toxins left in our bodies when we leave Mississippi as we sweat them all out yesterday and today.

Tomorrow night we go on the Swamp Tour ending with a Shrimp Boil, may see some alligators along the way, so we're looking forward to it to take some photos. Decided not to do the BBQ thing at the Shed in order to go on the Swamp Tour.

I'm ready to hit the hay.

This has been quite a day in Gulfport, MS.

It rained cats and dogs at Camp Victor at 6 AM, after breakfast we left for the work site and it stopped raining so we worked the whole day.

Spikes, our supervisor cut his thumb on a router while he was cutting out the windows in the sheeting so he had to go to the hospital before we got there. Mark , another supervisor came over to fill in for Spikes along with a group of Pharmaceutical Salesmen from Alabama and Louisiana . About 11 AM, Channel 13, WLOX came out and filmed us while we worked and interviewed all of us on TV. I asked them if we could have a film clip but the Reporter said to just go to the web site as they didn't do that. We were on the 6 PM and 10 PM news tonight. There's quite a write up on their web site about our day.
We even had a home recipient work with us, she has most of her hours completed but hasn't picked out a home yet. She is going to look on Thrivent Way, in Long Beach to see if she likes one of those homes we built in December.

On Saturday, the Governor of Mississippi will be at our Trace Addition (Thrivent Way) for a ribbon cutting as the anniversary of Katrina is August 29th. Since our flight doesn't leave until 4:30 PM, Darrell and I will go for it to take some photos. The ribbon cutting is at 11 AM so we should have enough time for that and Jefferson Davis Mansion before we leave.

Tonight we went on a Swamp Tour and Shrimp boil, on the Pascagoula River, the shrimp were caught this morning in the Gulf, never seen such large shrimp they were bigger than my thumb, with the heads on and their long tenticals. Had to brake the heads off and peel the rest to eat. They were delicious, along with the sweet corn and new potatoes and sweet tea. The swamp tour was great too, saw some baby allegators, Momma wasn't around which maybe a good thing. Saw alot of birds and Mullets jumping in the water. The culture and people are interesting. Have to listen close to understand what they are saying.

The folks always thank us for coming and making a difference in their state with Habitat. Makes you feel good that you are a part of it. It's been a great week.

This week has really gone fast. We got showers in the early AM hours and worked all 4 days. Yesterday we quit a hour early as Mark our Site Supervisor received an emergency phone call, his Dad had gone in the hospital for a routine appendix operation and developed some heart complications so we wrapped up at 3:30 PM.

Elmer and Dorothy headed for Wichita, KS from the job site yesterday. At lunch time I took Robert to the airport to go back to New Jersey and this morning I just got back from the bus depot after taking Ellen and Grace there to catch their bus (it got away) HA! Darrell is still in bed so will have to get him up so we can go meet the Governor of Mississippi at 11 AM.

It has been great weather all week however this morning was a little humid on the way to the bus.

Going across the Biloxi bridge this morning there was a beautiful Sun rise and of course my camera was back at Camp Victor. the swing section of the railroad bridge was open to let a barge thru.

Went thru Jefferson Davis mansion after we left the work site as they close at 5PM, this tour wasn't as interesting as it was in Dec. They are going to add the cook house behind the mansion soon.

When I took the KS girls (Ellen and Grace) to the bus, Grace told me " Well, I made it" ! "I want to come back again next year and we'll bring more Kansan's"!
I gave Grace the Red Thrivent Builds shirt that they give the Team Leader for bringing a team here. Grace was our "Spark" on this trip, everyone she met loved her. The cooks gave her a hug this morning too. Last night Habitat told me our team was the oldest group here, guess you know where that puts me.

We had dinner with a recipient family last night, young couple with 3 kids. They are moving in their home the first of Oct. , 28 Thrivent Way, Long Beach, MS. Took their picture of mom, dad and 2 girls ages 3 and 4, then saw their little baby in car seat under the table, baby boy about 4 months old.

I best get Darrell up so we can get going.

See ya'll up yonder next week. (It wore off on me since I've been here)