February 25 & 26, Rain and Roofing Days

Wednesday we awoke to rain, the kind of rain that just decides to stay all day so you can't really work outside. Because of the weather conditions we instead decided to work in the habitat house where we are staying. This house is used to house working groups like ourselves and needed a little facelift. We painted the kitchen cabinets, installed a new range hood, put new towel racks and accessories in the bathrooms. While our crew leaders were picking up supplies Sharon and I and another couple drove to Fairhope for lunch.

By this morning the rains had moved through and although it was still chilly at 34 degrees, our crew headed down to the work site. We were able to start putting the roof sheeting boards on. We didn't get completely finished but we would like to get the roof shingled before we leave on Saturday. Guess we will see how it goes tomorrow.

Tonight we ate dinner out at Ed's Seafood Shed. It is a tradition started when the team came down a few years ago.

My Alabama catfish dinner.  Yummy!

Buckeye Builders 2015Crew

February 23 & 24, Bayou La Batre Habitat Build

When we arrived Sunday afternoon in Bayou La Batre it was 80 degrees. This morning it was rainy and 35. It stopped raining by 8:30 and we were able to get a full day of work in that was comprised of setting the roof trusses. It was hard work but very satisfying to see the bones of the roof taking shape.

Trusses up and our Buckeye banner hung deep in bama country!

 

Tuesday, no rain but still cool in the morning. The guys had to add smaller trusses to the front and back while Becky, Sharon and I nailed in the hurricane hangers or braces to hold the trusses in place.

This morning, Wednesday, the forecast is rain all day so we started with another fine breakfast from our team chef and then we will be doing home improvement projects in the habitat house where we are staying.

It is great to have Beth on our team. She has cooked our breakfasts and dinners. We take turns washing dishes and packing our lunches to take to the worksite.

February 21 & 22, New Orleans

We checked out of our efficiency apartment on Saturday morning and drove to Louisiana where we finally found warm weather. When we checked into our downtown hotel, the Pierre Maisonne Lafitte, on Canal and Roosevelt streets. Temperature 75 degrees and on Sunday it was 81.

This hotel was built in 1840

 Saturday afternoon we went to Jackson Square and toured the city without all the Mardi Gras madness.

On Sunday morning we did a walking tour of the St. Louis Cemetery #1.

We met our tour guide art the Déjà Vu

The infamous Marie Laveaux, the voodoo queen is thought to be buried here

Nicholas Cage has a crypt here though no one knows why



This is where the protestants are buried, in the back of the cemetery

Friday, February 20 (Last day at the Beach)

Brutal cold up north equates to colder than normal temperatures here in the south. The temps never got out of the 40s but compared to home that would be a welcome sight! The one saving grace today was the sunshine so we felt a little warmer. We spent most of the day walking the beach, probably about 2+ miles between our walk at lunch and then again at sunset. Sunset was a bust as it became increasingly cloudy as the day wore on and the winds were pretty strong as well. But we braved the cold winds and did see a decent pre-sunset. Tomorrow we are off to New Orleans with hopes of warmer temperatures on Bourbon Street.

Sharon eye to eye with a gull