And then there was....

SNOW! Was it really only yesterday morning I had on sandals and short sleeves?! We're told (although our "sources" may be just putting us on) that it was in the 80's here on central NY as well. Nevertheless it's very good to be home. Until our next trip...

You fill in the blank.

Still moving north...

At some time today we were in Tennessee where the redbud and dogwood are in bloom. It was beautiful driving. Then we checked off Kentucky, then Ohio and finally into Pennsylvania before giving it up for the day. Soooooo close to home but our butts were protesting!

We just had dinner at an Irish pub in Erie, a bit bigger than Riley's but with the same atmosphere. It was packed. Lots of folks of all ages talking and having a good time and, amazingly, not a cell phone in sight. Great to have something different to eat although the turnip greens, fried okra, slaw, and pinto beans that I had for dinner last night does have a certain appeal...

Bye, bye...

After a full day of laundry, "doing" the last of the thrift stores, picking through my sister's discards, convincing John to pack all my "finds" (even though he's not coming home empty handed either), and enjoying last minute company and good food with my mother and sister including (true confessions) ice cream twice in one day, we caught a few quick winks and headed off well before dawn this morning.

The destination - Natchez Trace Inn at the state park in Tennessee. I called in the afternoon to make a reservation and was told they had plenty of room but the desk closed at 8:00. We arrived at 7:15 to a beautiful facility but dark, locked and deserted. NOT what we were anticipating at the end of a long driving day. Soooooo, back in the van we drive on to Hurricane Mills. Loretta Lynn lives just down the road and has a dude ranch but somehow John just wasn't up for any more excitement so we're staying in a motel of MY choice (not the $29.95 version John spotted when we took the exit).

A done deal...

In response to Jane's comment at the beginning of the build that we women don't wear underwear, Jane was presented with a bra in case she or the women on the next build needed a bit more "support". She wore it to work this morning to which John said "Brava!"

It was a VERY busy day... 1 hour before the 2:00 p.m. dedication...

45 minutes before the dedication... Note - in addition to Rose Mary hand mopping all the floors in the house (she's on her last knees here), the clamps are still on the kitchen counter waiting for the glue that's holding on the backsplash to set.

30 minutes before the dedication... The last of the planting is underway.

But we made it and the house is now in the hands of the new owner. None too soon either as it was in the 90's again today. Waaaaaaaaaay too hot for a New Yorker! The photo is of the new owner (or her head anyway) and the quilt Becky made for her. Everyone who worked on her home signed a block of the quilt and where they are from.

How many men does it take?

The grandmother of our new homeowner bought her a beautiful black enameled cast iron sink for the kitchen. The one thing is it took two strong men or five old guys to wrest it in place. (The grandfather bought us all lunch today. We thought it was a pretty good deal.)

While the task list seems to be getting shorter, the appliances have caused problems this year. A late delivery (they didn't arrive until last night). This morning in the unpacking they found the dryer severely dinted so it has to be returned and the dishwasher was white instead of the all black (and, no, it didn't mean simply turning the front panel over). Both have to wait for replacements. Otherwise, there's a bit more work in the kitchen and some general cleaning and it's ready to go on the inside. 

 Outside, the porch posts are done and the sidewalks poured. The crew on the left have started work on the gutters. And there's some landscaping (if that's what you call working on this dry red Texas dirt in the wind).

All fenced in...

How many slats does it take to fence in a yard? Far too many if the number of moans and groans I heard tonight are any indication. And this was even after the wonderful dinner (with drinks) hosted by our site supervisor. (John is beginning to think this may be a 15 lb. build instead of the 10 lbs. he usually gains.) Is the fence done? Well, not quite. There's still a gate to build.

The appliances were finally delivered at 6:00 tonight. The sidewalk is ready to be poured tomorrow. The kitchen counter is glued down and looks great with the backsplash yet to go. Touch up painting is still in progress etc. etc. etc. It's still up in the air if we'll be done by Friday afternoon. Stay tuned....

Checking things off..

With only 2-1/2 days to go ( the dedication is Friday afternoon) we're both on schedule and behind. On the plus side the painting is moving along and the blinds are going up.

The trim crew put the last of the trim up this afternoon (yes, even the pull down stairway gets trimmed) and everything is caulked and ready to have a finish coat of paint if it hasn't already.

The person who they'd contracted with to install the kitchen counter backed out. None of our volunteers have ever done Formica but, guess what, they're learning. Of course this task has taken them from other things they should be doing. The appliances were to be delivered last week but once again they didn't come today.

Outside, the porch posts are being finished, gutters installed and the fence is almost ready for the slats.

We did manage to break for lunch hosted at a country ranch. It was hard to tear ourselves away... (Please note, that's an actual hill in Texas. Mason is on the edge of what's considered hill country.)

From the archives...

Since I'm still sans camera today plus it's a non workday, I thought you might like to see the backyard of our BBQ guy who lives right next door to the home we're helping build. I took the photo the first day we were on the job mainly because he had a garden planted which you don't see many of these days. Then I began noticing all the BBQ stuff/contraptions laying around. I particularly liked the blow torch going under the spit. His business setup is very professional (he uses three of those barrel type smokers) but his home setup is much more interesting.

PS - Since the photo was taken his tomatoes have tripled in size and our crew has begun installing the six foot high fence that separates the two properties and encircles the backyard of the Habitat house.

A big old soak...

Directions to out in the middle/ scratch that, waaaaaaay out in the middle of Texas = drive out of Brady for several miles in some direction (it is hard to tell on a gray day); turn onto a dirt road wide enough to take a horse trailer (don't worry, traffic is, well, nonexistent); make several right angle turns (usually at the end of a fence row); drive over a couple of cattle guards where a road sign says "thru traffic only" (not that it would be possible to turn around); open a big metal gate being sure to close it behind to keep the livestock in/out (watch for rattlesnakes 'cause they're out and this is Texas); drive past a corral and stock pens and free ranging chickens and goats (and probably snakes); stop in front of a beautiful home lovingly built by the owners out of mostly salvaged materials. And if my camera that Mr. John the fix-it man "fixed" had decided to work on a consistent basis you might have been able to see it. Doniene does keep a daily photo blog so if you're interested in glimpses of life on the range you might visit it.  http://donienefullagar.blogspot.com

Luck was with me and one photo came out passible. The tub was purchased by Mike's great grandfather in the 1890's and has the distinction of being the first tub in the Lone Valley. It's 6 feet long and holds plenty of water to soak that weary body after a hard day of cattle wrangling.

The big orange...

No, I'm not talking about Syracuse University ( we won't think about this year's basketball season). It turns out Stephanie, the woman in the photo and our new homeowner, has wanted an orange front door ever since she was a kid. She actually picked out the color for the door first, then picked that nice teal color we painted the house to go with it. The final coat on the door was still drying when we left work today so we/you will have to wait until Tuesday for us to admire, that is if I can get a camera that works. I seem to have killed John's as well.

John was stretching and moaning this morning (he did this in his 60's too) in ear shoot of someone other than me. She told him "You're just experiencing withdrawal pains. Leaving your 60's is harder for some than others." 

 We did have a show of hands this morning. When John turned 70 it meant the over 70 volunteers are now in the majority. Is that good?

An old cowhand...

4/4/44 - How could any of us forget?! Especially since this was John's BIG 70! He began the morning as usual... Up at the crack of dawn ( thank heavens Mason is on the extreme western side of the central time zone so that means 7-ish). Granola down the hatch and coffee in the travel mug for the morning 5 minute commute to work. A quick devotional and prayer followed by everyone saying the slogan, "Habitat is not a hand out but a hands up". (As we all get older it may soon be it will be the volunteers needing a hands up as we work on tasks that are low to the ground.) Then it was a chorus of Happy Birthday for John before the work began for the day. (Still working on more of yesterday's tasks, but progress was made on all.)

Today was a First Friday which means in Mason, it's Art Walk day when stores are open later, lure folks in with wine and snacks, and feature works by local artists. We, of course, had to visit our friend Sue Kaan's (some of you met her last summer when she and Keith came to NY) gallery. Still looking for just the right gift for John I spotted Sue's painting entitled "Silly Old Goat". What could be more appropriate for John on his birthday? Sue (in the photo with John) insisted on just giving it to John so I had to settle on buying something for myself instead.

Back at the campground it was a potluck party featuring Texas Deadwood BBQ, Mason's best and the best brisket I've ever had. The party was topped off with homemade ice cream. Lucky for all of us, our fellow volunteers, Judy & Ron from Minnesota, travel with an ice cream freezer. Don't you?

And, although it exceeds my two photo limit for the day, John wanted a photo of some of the potluck party folks....

Another calendar shot...

You may think all we do is sit around and have a good time but we're actually hard workers most of the time. What you aren't seeing pictures of, again, is interior doors going in, trim installed everywhere, electrical finished (we now use switches to give us light and turn on fans!), caulking by the mile, painting, plumbing, more tiling, closets outfitted, and kitchen cabinets installed.

We think if the guys go together they could get a good deal on one of the little toys we're sitting on for each of us for Christmas this year.

Post hole drilling for the fence takes on a whole new look. Since when did John Deere start using a color other than green?

Indoor plumbing...

Today passed in a blur, for my camera at least. After serving me and this blog well all these years, it finally bit the Texas dust. John drove me back to the Habitat house (after happy hour of course) for the photo of the day on his camera.

While the port-a-potties are sheltered for our use under the car port not because of the hot sun (although it does probably lower the afternoon bake oven temps inside those things by at least 10 degrees), and not because of the rain (can you tell it rained all morning? Texas has VERY good drainage), but because they needed to get them out of the way so they could trench for the water and sewer lines and begin grading for landscaping. What the lawn chair is doing I have no idea. Use your own imagination.

PS - John did get the real indoor toilets installed today. Now for the doors and maybe some toilet paper...

Sweating in Texas...

The care-a-vanner group that was here two weeks ago gave our site supervisor a decorated sweat band made from the waist elastic of men's underwear. (Pretty clever.) Not to be outdone, Jane, a team leader and the woman in middle, thought we women could make a better fashion statement so got us glittery sweat bands. Of course when she had us show them off first thing this morning (the photo was taken at lunch), she said by way of introduction, "women in this group do NOT wear underwear" and then got flustered when she realized how that sounded. Needless to say our laughter delayed the workday just a bit.

Back at the Habitat house (we do work occasionally) Rosemary shows off her headband in work mode by finishing the grouting in the master bathroom shower. She gets double points because she stayed after quitting time in 90 degree weather to finish it up while the rest of us selfishly (and without delay) headed back to the showers.