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Hard to believe first week is almost over! It was so easy to fall in sync here. Monday--my birthday--was also a AHV day off...but a crew was asked to volunteer to paint for a lady who'd been waiting over a month for help. Since AHV services does not include painting--"volunteers" from the AHV volunteers could only do it on their day off. Amazingly 9 (including us) climbed in the van & headed to Karen's where we painted the entire interior of her home--some even got second coats--scrapping the bottom of 10 gals of paint! With much enthusiasm, Karen told us about how crazy it was when she woke up to water pouring in & her daughter slapping her face & shouting, "Momma--get it together & DO something!" She grabbed a few things then waded out to her truck & headed for higher ground. There strangers started filling her truck bed with their children and ran saying they'd be back. She ended up with a truck load and a baby in her arms praying their parents would return! It took 3 days for the water to recede...& when her neighbor opened her dryer--3 snakes slithered out! John (retired air force), our crew leader treated us to shrimp Poor Boys for lunch and Janene insisted on stopping for DQ on our way back. It was Taiki's first DQ. After going out for a Mexican dinner, Rog surprised me by baking me a cake & the group gathered to sing Happy Birthday. When we played games. At one time kids from England, Kenya, Brazil, Turkey, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia & USA sat around a table playing Cards Against Humanity--and I surprised them by winning. (Thanks to Jake & Sarah for teaching me the winning strategy.). Certainly a fulfilling birthday!
Tuesday was back to real work. We worked in a gutted trailer that barely survived the flood and an earlier fire. Really. Nothing was square. Holes everywhere. We struggled to fit drywall pieces with some precision. But with lots of measuring, cutting, shimmering and lots more humor, we made progress. After a mashed potatoes & BBQ chicken dinner, we were introduced to several new people & said good bye to Zak. Gotta love the fluctuating group of hard working, fun-loving people!
