A preview of the weeks to com

What a fantastic day! My crew foreman took 4 of us on a tour of the area where we will work in the neighborhoods impacted by the tsunami. If you have ever been to a disaster area you will understand how odd it is to see such massive destruction at one spot and just a short distance over nothing seems to be wrong.

I will try to post some photos, so be patient. But, we were in a neighborhood where over 400 homes were destroyed. Only 17 homes were left inhabitable and only 3 families have returned so far. Try to imagine your 2 story house where the entire 1st floor is filled with water...what would you have left and what would you do? There was heavy equipment tearing down the houses that were damaged beyond repair and empty lots are everywhere. For those people whose homes are salvageable, Samaritan's Purse, will remove the flooring and scoop out all the muck under the house. They will remove the damaged sheet rock from the walls and other junk. My job is to put in new floor joists, sub-flooring, wall studs and new sheet rock and plywood where applicable. The home owner is responsible for new doors, windows and all finish work.

It is COLD! It is 27 degrees right now at 6:30 p.m., with it only getting colder later. Our bathrooms are porta-potties...OUTSIDE! This makes the middle of the night bathroom run a real adventure...especially when you sit down! The water pipes to the showers froze overnight...oh yeah...the showers are in a tent...a big unheated tent.

It is dinner time so I must go...I will update as soon as I can.

Mike