Planning ...

A "behind the scenes" sort of day today!

We spent the morning looking at 2 more homes needing help with their rebuilding. The first one is located 2 blocks from the coast in Pascagoula. Harry and his wife, both past retirement age wondering what in the world they are going to do for a home. Although structurally speaking the home seems sound we have asked a city inspector to come in and make sure. Harry has been slowing doing some of the tear out himself. The water reached over 4' high inside the house and ruined nearly everything. Going through everything has really taken its toll on his wife. Today she broke down when she was telling me how they lost their wedding photos, one of her special Bibles and on and on and on. Their house is the old fashioned hardwood floors which have now buckled and must be torn out. The shingles on the roof are blown off in so many places that we won't know what we are looking at until we get up there and look at it. They are both exhausted and wondering if they should rebuild or push it over. The inspector will be the one to determine the answer. We assured them we would get a couple of people over there in another week to help them go through the rest of the household things and take some of the burden off of them. That brought a smile to both of them.

The next house we visited is shot! There's just no other way to describe it. There is nothing we can do. It is off what foundation is has, ready to fall in at any minute. Absolutely nothing has been cleaned up or removed since the storm. It has been left open and a haven for any critter who would like to come in. The floors weren't even strong enough for us to walk through without some danger to ourselves. The owner is an elderly woman who is in a FEMA trailer and caring full time for her mentally handicapped daughter. She has no one to help her and no funds to do anything. These kind of cases are the ones that really get to me. Having to make that call and let them know that there is nothing we can do is a call not easily made. It hurts my heart!

Monty was busy all afternoon with Dane. They were measuring for his doors and then headed to the warehouse where they picked them up, took them back to the house and then had the job of carrying them up to the house. Remember that this house is the one raised high into the air with the new flood zones! They got it done but were wiped out in the end! Dane plans on cutting the door frames to make them work to the proper sizes and will be staining them. They are beautiful solid wood doors and he was so pleased and thankful to receive them. Now if we could just come up with some awesome deal on flooring for him he would be set. God will provide at the proper time, He always does.

Now a not so pleasant update with Bruce and Linda. We ran into them this evening and they were telling of the disaster with their kitchen cabinets. The company who made them seemed to make what they wanted and not at all what Bruce and Linda wanted. And then they didn't even make them the proper measurements and used whatever kind of wood variations they could find to build them! It is just so upsetting to see people getting burned all over the place! Having those kinds of things happen on top of Katrina is enough to send some over the edge! We hope to get over to their house tomorrow and see for ourselves and if nothing else, offer some sympathy! Sometimes that's all one can do but it really seems to help!

On a good note, Mike and Faye. Faye went to the ortho doctor this morning and her vertebrae is broken but should heal on its own in around 8 to 12 weeks. She is in alot of pain but hopefully the medication will help that. Mike had his appointment for his leg and foot this afternoon. I don't know the results of that at this time. But ... we did find out that their house elevation is fine. In order to build a brand new home on their existing site we had to find out if their flood plain had changed. If so, their home would have to be lifted up who knows how high off the ground. As it is now the existing home is 20 - 24 inches off the ground. That same elevation will be fine for the new one. That was good news, especially for Joe who is orchestrating the entire process from West Virginia!

We also met with Jim and Cindy and all they are doing is waiting on an electrical inspection and we are good to go with insulation and sheetrock in their home. Great news!

Rosemary's electrical and HVAC man is nearly done and it also looks like we will be able to get in and insulate and hang sheetrock within the next few weeks.

As I said, a day of planning. It takes time and looking and driving and talking and planning long before the teams arrive to make sure all systems flow as smoothly as possible when they are here. We have more than enough work and it's just trying to get it all lined out that takes time. Today allowed us that time and we are thankful that things seem to be coming together.

For those of you who are coming with a team soon and wondering what you will be doing --- keep an eye on the blog and call me about a week before you are scheduled to leave and we should have a pretty good idea where you will be.

Until tomorrow .... Blessings, Susan and Monty