Month: February 2020

Thursday, February 27, 2020

It was cool when we woke up this morning and it never warmed up. We were all wearing jackets by the time we got home from work. The high today was 71, 15 degrees cooler than yesterday and occurring at 1 AM. The locals are pulling out coats and boots. Yes, our team member from Minnesota thinks it is pretty funny.

Lisa led devotion today using Isaiah 40:28-30. She reminded us that those who wait end up stronger after God refuels them. Thanks, Lisa.

After devotion, the entire team went back to Dennis’s house. Anne, Sue and Lisa began preparing the bath room for texture, covering everything with plastic that needed protection. They then mixed the drywall mud, set up the air compressor and then filled the texture hopper for Dennis. He really enjoys texturing the rooms in his house. As with the other rooms we textured the ceiling and walls and then doing knock down on the walls. All went well and Dennis was please with the results. Then Anne did the knock-down while Sue and Lisa went back to Atlantis to complete the trimming of the downstairs double doors. Max and Mark spent most of the day working on the drain problems at Dennis’s. The also go the installation of the bath vanity completed. The ladies also worked on the drywall at Atlantis again today. It has been another busy and very productive week.

Since Sue will be leaving us tomorrow, she got to choose the restaurant tonight and we were all glad she wanted to go back to Geiger Key Marina and Restaurant. Tonight we had the special, Key West Pink shrimp along with sword fish, both grilled, Fortunately we decided to share because it was a lot of food and very very good. Everyone enjoyed their food, key lime pie, the sunset and of course the company. We will be sad to see Sue leave. It’s been a great team. Safe travels friend.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

It was another very warm and beautiful day in the Keys. We led the team in an Ash Wednesday devotion today and talked about giving up things for lent or maybe following Pope Francis’ suggestions of trading one thing for another. You have probably already seen this, but reading it again might be helpful.

• Fast from hurting words and say kind words
• Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude
• Fast from anger and be filled with patience
• Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope
• Fast from worries and trust in God
• Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity
• Fast from pressures and be prayerful
• Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy
• Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others
• Fast from grudges and be reconciled
• Fast from words and be silent so you can listen

The team also attended Ash Wednesday services at the church tonight.

After devotion, Sue, Anne and Lisa went to Dennis’s house and sanded the bathroom drywall and then painted the walls and ceiling with primer. It is looking better. After lunch they cleaned things up and then went to the Atlantis house and began working on the drywall on the new wall and trimming the downstairs double door. Max and Mark headed back to Atlantis after devotion and completed the new wall construction. After building it as suggested, they felt the wall was not quite sturdy enough and after discussions with Jim got permission to beef up the wall. They then installed the drywall and got the wall ready for finishing. The guys went over to Dennis’s for the afternoon and installed the bathroom vanity drain and worked on the kitchen sink drain that has been giving problems. There is still work to be done for the kitchen sink and washing machine drains. The drains became clogged from 2 years of non-use. Anyway, progress is being made on both houses.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Happy Mardi Gras! Don’t know if you really wish people that but….

Today was a lot like yesterday. The ladies went back to Dennis’s house and sanded and put the final coat on the drywall. They then worked on a door at the church used for accessing the choir loft. It was stuck. They took it down and planed it down and then reinstalled the door which is now working nicely. Max and Mark worked at the Atlantis house building another wall in the kitchen. It’s a little short wall by the refrigerator. Mid-afternoon Anne, Lisa and Sue joined the guys at Atlantis and installed the sink. It was another busy but productive day.

Pastor Will invited us to a Mardi Gras party at his house tonight. Fortunately we did not have to go in costume. He was cooking gumbo for everyone from the church. It was quite good with King Cake for dessert. It reminded us of our time in Baton Rouge this time last year and all the fun we had with our team. We had King Cake almost every day with everyone trying to avoid getting the baby and having to buy the cake for the next day. Rita, if you are reading this – seen any Mardi Gras babies this year?? It was a fun evening and we met more people from the church and community.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Another beautiful Monday in the Keys. We are ready to go back to work today. This week we have Lisa and Mark and Sue working with us. We really don’t have to lead this group. We just have to do the paperwork. It should be another fun week.

Today Lisa, Sue, and Anne headed back to Dennis’s house. The first task involved putting on the masks and sanding the drywall. We already have an extremely high pollen alert so you just add drywall dust to it and grab a kleenex. The sanding was complete by mid morning and the mudding began and lasted the rest of the day. The best news of the day was that Dennis was finally able to clear the blockage in the drain from the old bathroom lavatory so we can now install the new one.

Max and Mark spent the day at the Atlantis house, first gathering up the necessary materials and then framing in and installing a double door. It looks good. We had thought we had finished that house but today found that they want another wall in the kitchen area and that will be tomorrows project. Another good day!