Into the new year

Since we are not moving every month we forget to get pictures of what is happening all around us at Acadian Baptist Center.  Here it is nearly 5 months since the last post and we have a lot of catching up to do again.  Things have been very busy at ABC as several SOWER groups have come and gone and now it is almost time for summer camp to start.  Oh well, here we go.

We left our Christmas lights up for most of January because they were so beautiful.

We did get a little snow---

---and a brief spurt of freezing weather---

---including some of the piping at the pool.

A little PEX and some fittings and we shouldn't have to worry about it for some time to come.

The laundry shed holds the breaker for the laundry and for Shop 1 and the main was continually tripping so the decision was made to replace it. 

This SOWER is not eating a powdered sugar dough nut, he (Les Turkelson I believe) is actually marking some wire.

We didn't get the project completed before they had to leave so I had the opportunity to complete it---

---including closing up the space around the new box.

Now we don't have a power problem.

ABC has an area which is designated as Native Prairie.  It was becoming overgrown with non-native plants and the decision was made to burn the entire area to restore the native species.

The area has begun to regrow and it looks like a couple more burns will do a good job of restoring plants we want.

Meanwhile, the March SOWER group got into a real difficult project.  The house used for the Summer Staff Director, known as the Bellard house, had a pond under the floor which rotted the floor joists and caused the floor to fall away from some of the interior walls.  Before they were through, they had removed nearly all of the living room and kitchen floor, one bedroom floor. most of the bathroom floor and part of another bedroom floor.  After replacing the joists and re-flooring the areas the building was fairly stable again.  Of course we moved a large amount of dirt and landscaped the area to keep the water from running under the house. 

Meanwhile, there were several tiles which fell off the wall of the Chapel.  I tested the new knee and climbed to the top to replace the tiles.

Some of the areas which had been repainted over some decorative border.  The paint covered the area but the raised decorations on the border was plain to see yet.  Our solution was to cover the area with a little texture and another coat of paint.

Apply some tape, mix some mud---

---spray it on and repaint.

The opportunity came up to extend on our Widows Ministry.  In the Mamou flood of 2016, this house was flooded and men from the North Eunice Baptist Church mucked the house out and cut the inside walls at 30 inches. The problem came when no one was able to get back to replace the walls.

We picked up the materials at Lowe's---

--gathered a crew a couple of weekends---

---made a plan---

--and worked the plan.

It is amazing how great a group can build---

---and grow together---

---to get a job done.

Some times the work requires some easy positions---

---some "different" positions---

---and then we have walls again.

Back to the Bellard house. The cast iron bathtub had to be removed so the floor could be replaced.

After re-running the plumbing which was a real puzzle, then hanging a vapor barrier---

---then green board (or blue)--- 

---then apply a waterproof sheeting---

---the bathroom is ready for laminate flooring and move in.

Meanwhile, there is a large water leak on the incoming line to Westbury.  The old steel line had six patches in the first eight feet of pipe, so the decision was  made to replace the entire 35 feet of pipe with a new PVC line.  Fortunately we had a track hoe to uncover the line---

---then the new line was laid in the trench and covered, first by hand then completed with the tractor.

Another Widow Ministry project came up when her husband was released from the hospital in a wheel chair.  Since the steps were fairly high, the ramp required had a length of 21 feet.

Another small project was to repair the tailgate on one of the mules (4 wheel type)

During the month of April we attended a meeting at Dry Creek Youth Camp. Like ABC Dry Creek has gospel cabins.  But unlike the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John at ABC---

---they have Matthew, Mark, Luke and "Bob"?

We had the opportunity to play our first round, at least part of a round, of disc gold and had a good time.

Miscellaneous items, Miss Peggy asked if I could build one of the stands they use to hold things like ketchup, salad dressing, etc.  I answered yes so she asked for two.

On the "out of the ordinary" side, we had the SOWERS over at our house for a visit and as they were ready to leave we noticed an unwanted guest guarding the shoes outside our door.  I went out the other door and picked it up (it was an eastern rat snake), took it out and released it in the yard.

He immediately headed for their truck and climbed into the engine compartment.  After releasing the hood I was able to grab it again before it went back down into the engine.  This time I took it out back and released it into the field behind us.  Fortunately it did not return to their truck.

Spring is really here and so are the cardinals.