Wednesday morning was like Tuesday, breakfast at the hotel, meet in the lobby have a devotional and maybe not so bright eyed and bushy tailed, but still raring to go. Paul D. threw down the gauntlet. We could finish both houses on the second day. We were certain our house could be finished, but the other one, well we would see. Challenge accepted!
We worked very hard, there was trim to put up, painting to be done, 2 roofs to shingle, doors to be hung and electrical to be finished. Could we do it? No one was going to tell us no. Team Paul was determined. The roofing teams joined together and went to the other house. they were going to get one house done and then the other. Again, it rained on and off. I have a video of rain in case you don’t remember what rain looks like! Both house were going well. As Paul was doing trim and others were doing the wall strips, the paint team was, well painting. I have painted for years and I don’t play well with others when painted. Keep in mind the equipment isn’t the greatest. Small paint brushes that won’t hold paint, roller frames that won’t hold the nap, no roller poles and no buckets with grids only flimsy plastic roller pans. I would not have done well. the ones doing touch ups were using Solo cups (yes red ones) as their work bucket. Keep in mind they are painting raw sheetrock and raw wood. God Bless Kelley and the ladies painting. I started working on the electrical boxes and putting in receptacles and switches. I was asked if I knew what I was doing. Any one that really knows me, knows it was very hard to not say a smarty pants remark. Of course I knew what I was doing. Finding the right tools was another issue. The wire they use is only a common and hot, no ground and it is stranded not solid. In order to make the wires fit in to the receptacles and switches, it has to be separated and cut. So you need cutters, a wire stripper or razor knife and screw driver. I was aggravated but determined. Paul installed the breaker box and the single bulb lights in the 3 rooms and I did the rest. Finding ladders was a challenge and well I am kind of not tall. Another reason Paul and I work well together. The paint team was duct taping paint brushes to scrap wood to be able to reach higher areas and they did fantastic. When I was done Sergio ask if I would go to the other house and work on the electrical. Of course I would. I don’t like to sit. Our house was coming together so nicely. The team was putting up the outside strips and making sure all touch ups and clean ups were done.
I went to the other house and I’ll be darn, I found a better cutter and a ladder. However, even with the ladder I could not balance well enough to mount the ceiling boxes even with a drill. I gave up on that and told the guys they would need to do that part. I went on with the switches and receptacles. One room was so dark I had to use the light on my cell phone to see what I was doing. Someone came in and said the bus is leaving. I said, well I am not done and this is what we lack doing so I am not leaving. I thought it was pretty clear. About that time Paul comes in and said Steve S had asked him to stay and finish the electrical, I was assuming I was chopped liver at that point, but I was still going to stay and finish what I was doing. Adolfo came in and started on the breaker box and Paul was working on the lights. Steve comes in and tells me the bus is leaving if I was going to get on it. I told him no I wasn’t finished with what I was doing. He said ok, he and Nadene would be back to get us and about 30 minutes. Now remember Paul said 2 houses 2 days. I wasn’t leaving until I was done. I held my phone light while one of the guys finished the last light. Just like that 2 houses done in 2 days. A little clean up was still needed, but all in all it had been a fast and furious and very fun day.