NUTS AND BOLTS AND SCREWS – OH MY!

Another week on the job site.  It rained three days last week which hampered doing any work outside, however, we did try to get some stuff done in between raindrops.

Ken has been working on installing the steps to the front of the house, which has been a bit tough.  The specs were a little off (1/2”) and they had to redo them for it to pass the inspector's scrupulous eyes.

The infamous steps and railing Ken has been working on

I have been nicknamed “Cage Room Queen”.  The Site Manager wanted to have the UMCOR trailer organized, so I put in screws to hang hoses on, nails to put other tools off the floor.  Then I took inventory of all that was in the trailer.  I made sure the people on site returned everything at the end of the day.  One of the things I had to do was put the nuts, bolts and screws that were just thrown on a table into the correct box.  Betsy where are you when I need you – I know you would know the names of these blasted things.  (Betsy & Gregg owned Fairview Hardware a few years back and Betsy was always doing inventory and could identify everything!)

Julie after organizing the UMCOR trailer

The mish-mosh of nails and screws to be sorted

We had a team from York, PA come down for the week and they worked on a roof and picking up debris.  Their last day, they began hanging sheet rock on the ceilings.  Ken sheet rocked a closet while waiting for the rain to stop.

Team from York, PA and Ken & Julie

Ken found an aerial picture of the subdivision we are working in that was taken 3 days after the storm.  The arrow points to the house we are rebuilding. Compare this to the Google picture of this same subdivision before the Tornado.

Before the tornado at 122 Juanita Drive

After the tornado at 122 Juanita - note house is next to arrow - this is the house we are working on

 We were invited to the Construction Supervisor’s lake home.  He told us it was a “pole house”.  To me a “pole house” is a like a “pole barn”.  Was I surprised!  It took him four years to build it and the “poles” were telephone poles that support the house.  The largest pole was 45’ tall.

Our hosts:  BeBe & Marvin McKinley

Inside the "pole house" - notice
the poles along the wall

Of course, you don’t have a great view of Lake Tuscaloosa without going through logging roads and dirt roads.  In fact, the road to his house was quite steep (see picture).  We had to take a running start to get up the other side.  But, very worth it!

The long, 45 degree slope road

 The weather here turned out to be quite chilly…27 degrees when we woke up this morning (Sunday).  They are predicting snow flurries for tomorrow morning and rain the rest of the week.  We went to First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa this morning for their 11:00 Contemporary service.  The service is called “The Bridge”.  They have an awesome praise band and an amazing sound and projection system.

Praise Band at FUMC - The Bridge

 Here is a picture of our “home away from home” and our construction vehicle complete with Asbury Mission sign - more updates next week.   K & J

Home away from home aka
our rolling condo

Proud to be part of a Mission Team from
AUMC