Day 2 and We're All Still Standing!!

Our dining and living accommodations.

Scribe: Cindy and Dave A.

Last evening we discussed work projects at our group meeting. All sites are going full steam ahead and we're adding a 6th site at some point tomorrow. The stories are just amazing. For example, we're working on one sight where parents and 2 kids with their kids live in 3 houses next door to each other. The grandparent's home has not had one thing done to it, because they wanted to be sure that their grandchildren were taken care of first. Only hitch is that FEMA is about to kick the grandparents out of their trailer because they've had it "long enough." The blessing and curse of having your family live next door is that you are all together in a disaster. Good for support, not so good if you need another place stay. Down here FEMA really is a 4-letter word!

All the houses are being raised on stilts. Most are 8 feet off the ground. Some people have chosen not to raise them. I don't know what will happen if another storm hits.

Enduring images for today:

****Bill S. helping the 80-something Mrs. P up the two stories on her front porch so that she can go in and see how the work is coming. Did I mention she's recovering from a stroke?

****12 year old Austin and 7 year old Mattie playing Nintendo DS side by side as the crew prepares for the new ceiling in Austin's room. Austin loves NASCAR and lost all his collectibles in the storm. He'll have a NASCAR bedroom from top to bottom.

****A 10 year old girl brings her friend into her home to "show off" all the work that is being done.

****A young boy is anxious to show the crew at his house his "swimming hole." Not much more than a big puddle but he splashes around and then tells them how happy he'll be to be in his new home.

****Mrs. R presenting individual thank you cards to her crew, even though they aren't done yet. They are addressed in the pet names she has given them - Serious Dave, Quiet Chris, Big Cindie, Little Cindy, among others. She fed them gumbo yesterday, sandwiches today, and is preparing a Cajun pork roast tomorrow. I've received a special invite to lunch. I wonder what "Cindy" I'll be!


The weather has been the most daunting thing about this trip. It gets to be about 95-98 every day, with about 80% humidity. The air is so heavy, it's like wearing 3 layers of clothes. We take breaks often and consume many beverages, mostly Gatorade. Thankfully, the shower schedule and the additional hotel showers available to us make us mostly presentable by dinner time.

It's getting late and tomorrow is an early day. Much more tomorrow night. I will post a couple of pictures following this entry.

Shalom.