Day 2: Gray Skies, Sore Thighs

Surprisingly, most of us awoke on Day 2 sore but not as bad as expected. When we started we had nice weather but halfway through the morning, we had a few short showers. Immediately after lunch there was a long bout of heavy rain that ended up making our worksites soggy and muddy. The rest of the day was chilly and gray.

Our group was split up like yesterday between the two worksites. On the Washington Street house, we got half the roof done with plywood, completed about half of the siding, and on the inside, the rooms are framed so you can actually see how the floorplan will look. On the Blitz Build, the inside of the house got insulation, the wiring was completed, windows and doors went in and the roof was beginning to resemble a roof.

We all are amazed at how much progress we see at the end of the day. Even though it’s hard, manual work, there’s something to be said for the tangible results you can see after a workday. There’s also a great feeling of accomplishment from being successful at something you’ve never tried before (like siding the back of the house with the multiple windows—who knew you had to remember your fractions from 8th grade!)

On the way back from the site this evening, a couple of us took a detour to see some of the houses along the bay, just a couple blocks from where we are working. The sights are haunting. There’s one white house that’s completely leaning to the right—turns out the owners paid roughly $850K but their insurance is maxed out at $250K, so there’s a chance they may have to file for bankruptcy. There are the houses that only have the front porch steps left, which I find the most disturbing. And there are those that have the spray-painted messages that we all saw on TV: do not demolish, phone numbers, keep out, etc. There was one particular sign today that really tugged on the heartstrings: hung from a tree was a sign that said “Please protect my tree. Planted by my grandson.”

On a lighter note, we all have a sense of humor about our meals and lodging. We’ve been eating “roast beef” (quotes intentional) for the past three days. And at the end of the day, when your wrists are aching from hammering, it’s tough to shower while pulling on a rope. Yes, that’s right, our showers turn on only when you pull on a rope hanging in the middle of the stall. We think it’s a strategic ploy to keep the length of showers to a minimum. It certainly makes you realize the comforts of home, that’s for sure.

Yesterday’s dinner event with Hancock was great. They were extremely gracious and generous, and we were all entranced by their personal stories. Tonight a large group has gone out bowling, while the rest are just relaxing around. Tomorrow some of us may venture to the nearby casino, Thursday we are chartering a big bus to take us into New Orleans and on Friday, we’re planning a happy hour celebration.

Below is a picture from yesterday's event.