work in St. Bernard Parish
Monday was an off-day because it was a holiday for Americorps who are the bus leaders and other critical positions.
So, we were assigned yard cleanup. We went to about 12 houses and raked up all the debris, especially glass and metal - since the weeds and such were growing high. We were told to walk - but it was about 5 miles away, so gratefully our team leader had a mini-van and we all crammed in (though we couldn't close the doors).
It was an easy day compared to the others, but it was tough for me being in the sun during record-breaking heat and I got a really bad headache.
But, it was all good.
A normal day was yesterday - we met at 7 am and loaded onto the bus (with our sack lunches with are complete junkfood - sandwiches on white bread, applesauce, cookies, chips/crackers). They dropped us off at a house that had been started by others - and it was a HUGE house - two stories plus so much attic. Unfortunately the people before us had done a crappy job with piles and other things, so getting finished was rough, but we did. What we did was ripping out sheetrock and insulation, ripping up flooring, taking everything out of the attic, ripping out cabinets, etc.
Today was another normal day - we started off with a new house. It was shocking - I'll try to upload some pics here, though I don't see a card reader. We couldn't even get in any door. We took off all doors and all windows (which took forever - they were weird windows) and then carried out crap. And more crap. And more crap. Sludge a few inches thick everywhere with all things mired in.
This house has about 6 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a couple bathrooms. We haven't even touched a couple bedrooms yet, but the living room is really close to done - we finished up by ripping off the paneling, the sheetrock, the carpet, and the mantle. The kitchen is mostly done but there are a few more cabinets, and the refrigerator (they are SO TOXIC - can you imagine 8 months of food & hurricane water in there?? - they have to be duct taped and carefully carried out). In the bedrooms we have to finish carrying and shoveling everything out, the carpets ripped out, the walls. Then, the attic. I hope we finish tomorrow - that woudl be a nice sense of accomplishment.
But the weirdest part? THERE IS A MOAT. When you walk in the front door, there is a pond with a bridge that you have to cross to get into the house - it makes all our work even harder. Especially when slippery with hurricane sludge. Yuck.
OK, people waiting for internet.
So, we were assigned yard cleanup. We went to about 12 houses and raked up all the debris, especially glass and metal - since the weeds and such were growing high. We were told to walk - but it was about 5 miles away, so gratefully our team leader had a mini-van and we all crammed in (though we couldn't close the doors).
It was an easy day compared to the others, but it was tough for me being in the sun during record-breaking heat and I got a really bad headache.
But, it was all good.
A normal day was yesterday - we met at 7 am and loaded onto the bus (with our sack lunches with are complete junkfood - sandwiches on white bread, applesauce, cookies, chips/crackers). They dropped us off at a house that had been started by others - and it was a HUGE house - two stories plus so much attic. Unfortunately the people before us had done a crappy job with piles and other things, so getting finished was rough, but we did. What we did was ripping out sheetrock and insulation, ripping up flooring, taking everything out of the attic, ripping out cabinets, etc.
Today was another normal day - we started off with a new house. It was shocking - I'll try to upload some pics here, though I don't see a card reader. We couldn't even get in any door. We took off all doors and all windows (which took forever - they were weird windows) and then carried out crap. And more crap. And more crap. Sludge a few inches thick everywhere with all things mired in.
This house has about 6 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a couple bathrooms. We haven't even touched a couple bedrooms yet, but the living room is really close to done - we finished up by ripping off the paneling, the sheetrock, the carpet, and the mantle. The kitchen is mostly done but there are a few more cabinets, and the refrigerator (they are SO TOXIC - can you imagine 8 months of food & hurricane water in there?? - they have to be duct taped and carefully carried out). In the bedrooms we have to finish carrying and shoveling everything out, the carpets ripped out, the walls. Then, the attic. I hope we finish tomorrow - that woudl be a nice sense of accomplishment.
But the weirdest part? THERE IS A MOAT. When you walk in the front door, there is a pond with a bridge that you have to cross to get into the house - it makes all our work even harder. Especially when slippery with hurricane sludge. Yuck.
OK, people waiting for internet.
posted by NOLA at 2:00 PM
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