Thursday June 24th 10:50 p.m.
No one can possibly know how I am looking forward to this day. This will be my only day at a work site as we have home crew tomorrow. We will be going to Bonnie and Virgil’s house to build porches on the front and back. They bought this two bedroom prefabricated house after a fire took their original home.
Houses like this do not have porches and the front porch is especially important in this part of the country. Sitting on the porch with friends and neighbors is something I’ve come to appreciate.
As Virgil is confined to a wheelchair, the back porch includes a ramp. It covers ¾ of the length of the house. Bonnie was anxious for us to finish so she could sit and watch the deer come down the mountain in the evening.
Jessie worked at this site yesterday. She said I should pay particular attention to the fine work on the ramp.
The house was only 10 minutes from the Farm which is nice. When we arrived Steve showed us what needed to be done today. Bonnie came out shortly after we arrived. We all introduced ourselves and told her where we were from. It is obvious how much Bonnie likes Steve. She is somewhat concerned that he will not finish before he is scheduled to leave the Farm in December. Tara and Jacques started working on the back porch railing, Otto, Lindsey and Janet went to work on the front, and Kim and I set the saw up along the side of the house. We would be cutting for both work sites.
As is often the case, early in the day people are tentative because they are afraid to make a mistake. And when one is made, you feel just terrible. It didn’t take long for today’s first mistake. Neither Kim nor I checked the angle on the saw before we started trimming the spindles. Since it was not set on “0” they were cut at a slight angle. Fortunately we discovered our error early and were able to fix the spindles we cut incorrectly. Once we had 30 or so spindles done for the back porch, we started cutting for the front.
Kim was making cuts on the roof joists, while Lindsey was first ripping the floor boards, and then using the jig saw to finish the details. I’d take the finished pieces over to Otto and Janet who were doing the installation. We were busy and the morning passed quickly. It was soon time for lunch.
The work site lunch is one aspect of the Farm that has not changed much since my first visit here. Peanut butter, jelly, American cheese, mustard, wheat and white bread, something sweet and some fruit packed in a cooler. A quart of Kool Aide to go along with our water rounded out our meal. The cooler also held soap and a towel, as well as a note from the home crew wishing us well.
It was a very hot day so we were glad to be sitting in the shade of the back porch. There wasn’t much of a breeze but we were thankful for what there was. Sometimes the toughest part of the day is getting back to work after lunch. This is the time you begin to notice blisters that have developed or the sore arms, legs and back that can come from doing work you are not accustomed to.
Early in the afternoon Bonnie came out and told us she had a bag of ice for us, and we should come in and get some ice water. Earlier in the week when Bonnie had the help of her granddaughter, she had prepared ice tea and lemonade. Today she was alone and a bag of ice was all she could offer. Nothing could have been more welcome than that bag of ice.
I was caught off guard when Steve said it was time to start cleaning up and head back to the Farm. The day had passed very quickly. We accomplished quite a bit and I would think both porches will be finished in a week or so.
Today is a special day at the Farm. June 24th is the date of the “official” founding of Nazareth Farm. To celebrate, Sr. Paula has planned a picnic. In addition to hamburgers and cheeseburgers the menu included pasta salad and chips. Jennette from down the road came down with a plate of deviled eggs. I was most excited to find ice tea. A real treat.
We sat on the porch and on blankets on the lawn. I was glad to be out of the dining room as it has been so hot. When I got up to get a tea refill, Java, one of the Farm dogs, helped herself to some of my pasta salad.
The meal was
topped off with home made birthday cake and a rousing chorus of “Happy
Birthday” Nazareth Farm style – loud, out of tune and as obnoxious as possible.
Thursday is also the night for Shared Prayer. While people are encouraged to share where they have seen God at work during the past week, it also provides an opportunity for volunteers to express feelings and share stories.
Jess made an observation I took note of. Part of the weekly routine is the Monday afternoon hike. I had been a in favor of eliminating the hike and spending Monday afternoon at a work site. Jessie realized that it was during the hike that they began to build community. As they struggled up the mountain they were no longer groups from different parishes, but one community with a single goal. In this case the goal was making it back to the Farm.
I am on night duty with Ruthie and everything is going well. I think people are tired from the work sites and the heat. It is going to be another warm night. There is very little breeze to bring any relief.