Somewhere along the road we came across this poster. We are not sure where but we knew it is something we wanted to share.
ABC is in a capital campaign and the drawing above is the board's plan for future expansion. It is a great plan and we certainly want to help in any way we can.
The center gave an appreciation dinner for donors and staff to finish out 2015 and the expansion plans were posted for all to see.
One glitch in the plan was the sewage treatment plant. Since it is quite old it is beginning to deteriorate. We were asked if we could "patch" it so it could service the camp for 5 more years which would be at the end of the camp expansion. The unit is about 40 feet long and 18 feet wide and it looks like this all the way around.
Joseph, one of the camp staff was assignment to help with the repair. The steel is painted and under the paint is a layer of tar. The only way we could weld on the tank was to burn the paint and tar off with a torch then grind the rest with a grinder equipped with a stiff wire brush.
This is what it looked like after the prep work.
Then the welding began, some right side up---
---some upside down.
At one point the old Lincoln welder got to a point where it would only run for 30 minutes before dying again and we had to stop and clean the sediment bowl. For the younger folks, that is where the gas is filtered before it goes to the carburetor (the device which is the precursor to fuel injection).
40 pounds of rod and a couple of weeks later the welding was completed.
After a cleaning with phosphoric acid and a coat of primer, we began painting.
That is our best shot---
---to give it 5 more years of life.
Meanwhile, there are people using the facility every weekend so there is a need for cleaning---
---and restocking the linen.
On one of our trips to Kelly's Landing we met Robert and Amy Valdetero who live just outside of Kaplan, La. They invited us to visit and on the weekend before we left ABC we took a ride---
---and were treated to a special concert. It is such a blessing to be a Sower. We meet the most wonderful people.
One may think that I was looking for a Sower break snack. This particular fridge is not for snacks but is used to store welding rod. The only problem, it was not equipped with anything to keep the rod dry. Solution, wire in a light socket and install a 40 watt bulb. Believe it or not the 40 watt bulb will keep the fridge at a pretty constant temperature around 95 F which will keep the rod dry enough to keep it viable.
One last job. Build a pair of crosses to use in the outdoor pavilion as a trellis for red honey suckle. When it is completed in the spring it will be a wonderful story all by it self.
Just imagine this cross hanging from the building with a plethora of red blossoms on it.
They have been welded together and painted---
---the only thing left is to hang then from the building and plant the honey suckle.
We then made the three day journey to Truth or Consequences to work at Apple Tree Educational Center. They always have jobs that need to be completed during Christmas break when the students are on break. As we were getting set up we were inspected by the local road runner.
We also have the pleasure of looking out our window and seeing---
---fresh snow falling,---
---finches on our feeder,---
---finches in the pecan tree by our site---
---and Gamble quail at our neighbor's feed station.
Then the next morning we awoke to this. Merry Christmas!
One last event before the end of the year, Don and Arlene Bates are having a party to celebrate their retirement from retirement.
Of course Arlene has to get her hands into the preparations,---
---remind Don what he is supposed to be doing,---
---and cuddle the babies.
The year is quickly drawing to a close as Don and Arlene, Mike and Jean and Bob and Billie made it all to way to 9 PM before going to their separate homes to ring in the New Year in slumber.
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