Habitat for Humanity - Day 1 (Jan 17/09)

The Habitat for Humanity site overlooks the deerfoot off 16th Avenue NE.. there is a row of 4 duplex houses (8 houses in all), each painted differently on the outside. Each of the houses have been funded for materials by different businesses..

So.... I didn’t pound nails today.. I painted with a roller brush.. started painting at 9:00 am and finished at 3:15 p.m. .. painted three upstairs bedrooms with a woman who was getting one of the Habitat houses… also painted the bathroom which was kind of tough because there was no light in the bathroom… had to count on daylight from the three bedrooms..

We had coffee break at 10:30 a.m. for 15 minutes.. where we all stood around the trailer outside to drink coffee and chat with co-workers & co-volunteers… Lunch break was at 12:15 pm to 12:45 pm (30 minutes).. we all went in different directions hoping to find a place to sit to eat.. So, definately, learned respect for the hourly work schedule..

At 3:15 pm to 3:45 p.m picked up old drywall pieces/slabs around the Habitat site, put them onto a half-ton truck, then unloaded them into a big steel construction bin to be taken to the landfill (I guess...)

Had to wear steel-toed boots all day.. mine were size 9 men’s because they didn’t have size 10 women’s.. Men’s boots are wider, so I sludged around in the steel-toed boots.. It felt great to take them off and put on my running shoes… so comforting to get on my old shoes..

By the end of the day I was feeling the shape of the rollerbrush handle on my right hand… came home with paint on my jeans and my shirt and my hair.. I really enjoyed cleaning up..

My hours for volunteering are being counted toward my co-worker’s Habitat house. It was a good day..