At the Habitat Work Site

We spent another couple of days working at the Habitat for Humanity this week at the construction site not far from where we are staying.

You never know what is going to go on each day which makes it interesting.  About 6:30 AM we start forming up (circle up) and one of the leaders goes over the main tasks for the day.  Usually a couple of people buddy up and go off to an assignment.

Since we volunteer Tuesday and Thursday we don't often do the same thing two days in a row.  And we see definite progress on things every time we show up.  And we get to see all kinds of different tasks being done.
Yesterday as I was going back and forth getting tools and such, I saw a load of 4' x 12' sheets of wallboard get delivered.

These two guys made quick work of the heavy sheetrock with the lift!
And the guys working on the sidewalks and driveways were real pros too!

Tuesday Pam got a staple gun and worked on the outside of a couple of houses finishing up the 'mesh'.  The chicken wire/mesh can't be hanging loosely on the house or the stucco won't go on correctly.  I worked inside with Charlie and we spent the day hanging closet doors.

Yesterday we got a new assignment and we cleaned the concrete floors on one house.  After a while Pat joined us and worked with us the rest of the day. These particular floors are going to be finished concrete.  Sometimes we have seen laminated wood and carpet put or linoleum tiles -- but these floors are going to be polished concrete.

So we worked on getting them cleaned and scrubbed.  After they are scrubbed and cleaned with the buffer (with a scouring pad on the bottom), they are mopped a few times.  Then sealers and other treatments are put on before they are buffed out and finished.

I spent the whole day scraping paint off the floor (sometimes grinding it and other droppings out) then Pam and Pat went slowly over the floor.  Pam and Pat were mainly on the buffer and the wet vac while I used the 7" grinder and went over each room inch by inch.

Later in the morning I interrupted the ladies for another photo.

Then before we left for the day, another one with the ladies with hats on that they traded.

Pat is a special lady. She and her husband left New York and New Jersey and they have lived in Tucson for over ten years.  While her husband volunteers as researcher at the University of Arizona, she spends her days at Habitat.  She does a lot of different things, but she is the 'face' of Habitat in many ways.   She is a regular at Habitat and the first person new volunteers meet.  She gets everyone signed in and set up with a name tag and hard hat and answers all of kinds of questions.  This affiliate has over 300 volunteers a week!

Pat is a friendly, smiling and giving person.  And she works hard.  She is always moving about helping with this and that and doesn't waste time.  And she enjoys it and helps everyone else around her enjoy it.  I was working with Charlie and he told her what a great job she does.  She must hear that a lot but she takes it in stride -- she is a very humble person and everybody's friend.

It rained and blew hard on Monday but then it got right back to nice weather - high 70's.  We have been here almost a month and had one day that wasn't all sunshine.  That's another reason we like Tucson!

Thanks for joining us on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Until next time ~