First.
Here's the first post for a lot of firsts. First time volunteering for construction, on the first Saturday of September. First time seeing lovebugs. First time using a wheelbarrow. First time sledgehammer. First manual weed cutter. First caulking.
I seriously thought that caulking was "cocking": pushing the back of the caulk gun sounded like the cocking of a gun. A load of jokes came from this.
Habitat for Humanity posted a group of us up to a house in the Hollygrove neighborhood of the 17th ward, which also happens to be the neighborhood where Lil Wayne grew up in. The house was damaged by during Katrina. When shoveling the dirt, oyster and clam shells would turn up, probably brought in by the flood. The house was sold to vetted buyers that would also contribute 350 hours of their own labor to their soon-to-be home. A sturdy home made by the hard work of volunteers of which I am now a part of.
The day was hot and many breaks would be taken as we worked to level off the dirt near the front of the house. Mounds up to the knees were shoveled down to the concrete level. We thrashed the overgrown grass in the backyard with manual weed cutters (we called 'em "threshers") which operated like a golf club. We even happened to accidently thrash a wasp-nest, giving us a fright—no one was harmed. Fire ant-infested wood scraps had to be moved, wasn't easy and a little scary.
Near the end of the day, last thing we did was put boards on the steps to the side-door—I got to learn how to use an impact driver power drill (the key is lots of PRESSURE). All in all, enjoyable. Day after, not-so-much enjoyable: soreness in muscles and bones I didn't think could get sore.
More to come...
-Kin Lam
Source:
1) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Lovebugs.jpg
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| Here is me caulking. |
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| Lovebugs loving. (1) |
I seriously thought that caulking was "cocking": pushing the back of the caulk gun sounded like the cocking of a gun. A load of jokes came from this.
Habitat for Humanity posted a group of us up to a house in the Hollygrove neighborhood of the 17th ward, which also happens to be the neighborhood where Lil Wayne grew up in. The house was damaged by during Katrina. When shoveling the dirt, oyster and clam shells would turn up, probably brought in by the flood. The house was sold to vetted buyers that would also contribute 350 hours of their own labor to their soon-to-be home. A sturdy home made by the hard work of volunteers of which I am now a part of.
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| Working up a good sweat. |
Near the end of the day, last thing we did was put boards on the steps to the side-door—I got to learn how to use an impact driver power drill (the key is lots of PRESSURE). All in all, enjoyable. Day after, not-so-much enjoyable: soreness in muscles and bones I didn't think could get sore.
More to come...
-Kin Lam
Source:
1) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Lovebugs.jpg
