Doors and Floors

This was our last week at 122 Juanita Drive and a lot has happened in this short time. 47 volunteers from Wisconsin descended upon us – one carpenter, one painter and all the rest - amateurs, but willing to learn.  At one point, there were toooooo many people in the house and not quite enough jobs to go around because of some ‘re-dos’.

Volunteers everwhere!

  Monday started out relatively calm, but then when the doors were to be put in, it was determined that the rough opening frame for the door was too small for the standard door that came in.  So, Ken re-worked all the openings so the men could get the doors in. 

Ken fixing the first of 8 incorrect door openings

Ken and Chuck(from Wisconsin) installing door

                       

                                                       

Of course, that put the painting behind schedule so we had about six women who had nothing to do. 

Painting trim

Painting Doors

But then it all seemed to come together.  Painting was completed, interior doors installed, trim around windows and doors installed and painted, kitchen cabinets were installed, electrical outlets and covers installed, ceramic tile installed and laminate flooring started.

Hanging Kitchen cabinets

Installing fans

 Ken did make the people who trimmed out the window, take it all down and re-do it.  He asked them if they would like to see that in their house and they said no.  So why would you do it in someone else’s home, he queried.  Once they re-did it, the remainder of the window trim was done correctly.  One lady insisted on putting a ton of nails in one spot (to make sure it was secure).  I counted ten nails in one seam.  Marvin gave them the correct way to do it and said that if you put it in the right spot, you won’t need ten nails. 

Cleaning and prepping floor

Installing Ceramic tile

Bathroom floor 

On Friday we had a very short day.  We were under severe storm alerts, the schools closed at noon, and UMCOR pulled all the volunteers off the job site at 10:30 am.  We listened to the storm reports all evening.  We got a lot of rain and wind, but no tornadoes in Tuscaloosa.  Our electrician however lost his roof to straight line winds Friday night.

Wisconsin Volunteers leaving after a short day on Friday

I have been doing a lot of ‘go-for-ing’.  In fact, the cashiers at Home Depot began counting as to how many times in one day I would be there.


Along with ‘supervising’, I got handy with the screw gun.  Here I am screwing down the permaboard before the ceramic was being put down.

Julie hard at work

Her favorite new toy!

Left to be done this next week is laminate flooring, plumbing fixtures, final electrical and plumbing inspections -- Then Deloris will be moving in.  How exciting to see completion nearing the end and how exciting it would be to see her face when she sees this.

Ken installing wood flooring

Kitchen base cabinets installed

At church today, the pastor brought us up to the front of the church to tell of our workings here in Tuscaloosa and other areas we have done disaster recovery.  Of course, Ken would not say much – he let me do all the talking (go figure).




On Tuesday next week, we will be heading to Moss Point, MS where we began our inaugural initiation into becoming Disaster Recovery ‘Junkies’.  We received a note from the pastor’s wife wanting to know when we would be arriving, as people have been expecting us.  Then onto Beaumont, TX to visit with Pastor Billy and his wife, Dawn, who we worked with in Galveston. 

Make a note:  those of you planning on doing a mini mission trip, please sign up for June 11-15 to eastern PA to help with the flooding.  If you have never done one, this is an experience you won’t forget and will learn more about helping others.  Who knows – maybe you will become a Disaster Junkie!  So keep posted as we lead members from our church to experience this wonderful ministry.
More to come as we come to an end of our mission trip. 

Posted:  March 4, 2012