Day 3 . . . Hump Day. That’s the day we usually feel the effects from using less frequently used muscles, different sleep routines, and the increased level of activity. But we shake it off because we also are really making progress on our projects and see how much our work means to our homeowners.

 

 

 

                                                               

 

 

                                         

 

 

                      

Ahh Spring . . . grass greening up, redbuds in bloom, and time for the 27^th annual GPC Mission Trip!

Anticipation was high when the sun shone brightly on Monday morning. Our group was divided into two work teams: one assigned to a house on Race Street where we had worked last fall, and the other tackling a new assignment at a house on Eastern Avenue.

 

 

                      

 

 

 

             

 

 

Day 3 started with a bang! – Breakfast was Eggs Benedict – Yumm!

The Race St. house crew worked on the porch! Much planning and skill were required prior to removing and replacing the front and side rim joists on the porch floor. The crew stripped and replaced the old flooring. Planning stages are beginning for tomorrow’s addition of lattice work under the porch.  The porch floor will be painted prior to departure.

All the drywall was mudded. A new electrical circuit and light were installed for the homeowner in the attic and bathroom. She can now use the plug in her bathroom without danger of electrocution.  A window was repaired with new glass and the front door installation was completed.

In the bathroom, work was done to upgrade the sink. The team had to reinforce the sink to attach it to the wall. Faucet supply lines were replaced.

They plan to do a lot of sanding and painting tomorrow!

The National Highway house crew continued the work on the basement for the homeowner. Much elbow grease was exuded in scrubbing the floor, prior to painting.  Cleaning efforts on all surfaces were completed. Two workers replaced a piece of mildewed wallboard. In order to repair the wall the power was cut. The rest of the team had to work in the “dark”. (It was interesting to paint without adequate light). Phone flashlights were used in the interim. Such a great team of trim painters! It looks so much lighter and smells sooooooo much better.

Repair work was completed on the basement house door. Two crew members replaced temporary window wrap with a thin piece of tricky plexi-glass. Some interesting comments were heard as they worked. An attempt was made to locate a replacement cardboard to cover the electrical cords on the rear of the refrigerator. 7 appliance part providers were called with no success. A replacement part was invented from silver duct tape and cardboard! 

Organization efforts have begun. Several team members spent time with the homeowner separating items for donation from those that will be kept. A few touch ups will be completed tomorrow on the walls and floor.

An excellent meal was provided by our excellent kitchen team. Both homeowners and the Nails coordinator were invited and partook in a meal of Chicken Pot Pie, steamed veggies, salad and COCONUT MACAROONS with ice cream!

Organization efforts have begun. Several team members spent time with the homeowner separating items for donation from those that will be kept. A few touch ups will be completed tomorrow on the walls and floor.

An excellent meal was provided by our excellent kitchen team. Both homeowners and the Nails coordinator were invited and partook in a meal of Chicken Pot Pie, steamed veggies, salad and COCONUT MACAROONS with ice cream!

 

 You know it, you love it, you guessed it…it is the Mission Trip Blog!

Day One was Sunday which began with an 11 a.m. Blue Shirt service led by our Sunday School students, and the perfect send off, a Lindsay Hall potluck lunch. Mary Beth cautioned us to take small servings, but in the end there was more than enough to go around for all who came to enjoy.  

Many of us driving got caught in an I-270 five-car crash (thankfully not involving any of us) which delayed us or detoured us, but it was still a beautiful day to be driving into the mountains. 

The Race Street House group consisted of most of the men and two ladies. Their biggest job was the front porch which was jacked up today, and tomorrow the support beams and the decking will be replaced. But that wasn’t all, not by a long shot. They replaced the whole dining room ceiling with new drywall and also hung it on the hallway upstairs. They got a new front door from Craig’s List, but had to redo it from right opening to left opening and that is quite a feat with old hardware. There were also several people doing electrical work in the attic that amounted to be much more than they had originally anticipated. It was also really hot up there. The upstairs center front window needed new glass which also entailed glazing it. And we can’t forget the bathroom repair, but we’ll spare you those details.

The National Highway House group was the location where most of the ladies ended up with one intrepid male to assist (all right, he did take a leadership role)…but really we all worked together as a harmonious team. We were to be the artistes, the painters. But first we had to clear out our basement quarters and clean them up. This house is home to 7 inside cats, 15 feral cats, and a dog. We were appropriately gloved and masked for the task. We made great progress today, with cleaning behind us and paint on most of the walls. Tomorrow we also need to paint the concrete floor.

This morning started with below freezing temps, but blossomed into a 60-plus degree afternoon. We had a special guest join us for the dinner wonderfully prepared by our cooks, minus crowd favorite, Carol Bunch. She needs to recoup after a nasty trip and ankle injury while involved in helping to carry a communion table down steps at her church. But I digressed. Our special guest was Carvel Graves, now a sophomore at Frostburg. Carvel had gone on previous mission trips with us. It was a treat to have him with us for a visit.

We look forward to another beautiful and blessed day tomorrow. So stay tuned because who knows what wackiness we’ll get involved in and what wonders we will see.