Last Day in Biloxi

Jan and Joseph in kitchen at Camp Biloxi
Jan from Georgia made Camp Biloxi even brighter this year
The sun was too bright for H and I
The Illinois group, H is second from left and Chris(Camp Biloxi staff member) second from right

This was our last day in Biloxi, H and I are both tired even though we quit early today. This morning part of the Illinois group were with us to move LV Lewis and Mary's things into PODS, they will be staying with family while their house is rehabbed. We then went to a house to finish removing insulation, masks and goggles very necessary. Even with them I had to keep going outside to breathe. Chris had been working on it earlier so we really didn't have much left. We were done by noon.

We spent the afternoon getting things ready to leave early in AM.

California Dreamin'.

Beautiful Day

Lewis by his Live Oak tree
Marv, H, Merv,Mary, and Lewis
Mary and Lewis in their home
Judy, director of the free clinic
Ann cooking at Bethel
Gretchen working in the free clinic

Today started out foggy but the sun came out and it was about 70 degrees. I worked at the clinic in the AM, but the doctor left so I went to the house where H was packing furniture to move into PODS. Marv and Merv were there doing electrical work there and several other homes. The home belongs to Mary and Lewis, the home had water damage from roof leaking during Katrina. They will move in with family until there home is gutted and redone. They hope to be in by March. I hope that happens.

Puzzle Done

Jigsaw puzzle completed
Marsha(Illinois) at the clinic

Today the jigsaw puzzle that some of our group worked on when they were here was finally completed. Marv and Merv put the last 2 pieces in just before dinner. Actually the group from Illinois finished most of it.

H has been playing Tripoli with Illinois, but tonight he wants to play Euchre. Another late night.

Today when I took my lunch break from the clinic, I went to Walmart and picked up a playpen for Hobbes. We have tried everything, even sedating him a little, but he still wants us to get up to feed him in the middle of the night. He literally jumps on me if I don't pay any attention to him. I have tried feeding him an extra dish of soft food just before we go to bed, but doesn't help. He won't eat the dry food unless I mix it in the soft. He also loves going outside on the leash. He meets us at the door when we return from working and purrs when we put the harness on. Who new you could teach an old cat "some" new tricks.

Big Day

Today I worked at the free clinic at Bethel Lutheran. We never know if there will be a doctor or if there will be nurses. Today there were 3 student nurses, 2 RN's, 1 LPN, and 2 Docs. Good thing we had that much help, as 41 patients showed up. That is a lot for any practice. Since all this is volunteer help, it is pretty amazing. We have donated medications and supplies, and we give medications if possible. If the doctor wants them to have something that we do not have, we try to make it something they can get for $4.oo or if they qualify, they may be able to get it thru a pharmacy set up down here for low income residents. The clinic has many referral areas to counselors, food pantries, low cost clinics so patients can have a regular family physician, immunization clinics, and more. Anyone who wants to assist in this type of volunteerism can phone the Bethel Lutheran Church in Biloxi, MS at 228-267-0008 and ask for Judy Jones. Needed physicians, nurses(do not need to have Mississippi license as can do intakes), social workers, data entry persons. Many people do not know about this need here in Biloxi, but please , pass this on to your internet friends, never know someone may know someone else who would love to come here to help. It is so rewarding, people here are so appreciative of our assistance. Please pass this on to others.

Beginning of work week

Daughter of homeowner(Willie)
Willie and 3 volunteers from Illinois
H and Willie

We worked in Forest Heights again today, on a house that our group worked in the first 3 days of last week. Forest Heights has 40 houses that Lutheran Disaster Relief is supposed to have done by March, 2008. Not likely to happen unless more volunteers come down to help. If anyone is interested in helping here in Biloxi, please call Camp Biloxi 228-297-2536. We made lots of progress today, all the walls are painted, all the trim that is up (windows and closet door frames) is painted, the electricians did lots of wiring, and put up 3 ceiling fans(they have 3 more to go). H did all the odd jobs to keep everyone moving. The tilers will be there tomorrow, we hope. After they are done the place will still need baseboards, trim around the doors, cupboards, and plumbing. But, every day you can see a big change. I mainly painted today, but I needed to sit down for a while, I put ceiling fans together for the electricians.

We had 4 inches of rain in Camp Biloxi yesterday. It was hazy this AM, but then the sun came out later AM. Beautiful day.

Tomorrow I will be back in the free clinic, not nearly as physical as what I have been doing.

Rain and More Rain

Sunday AM was very hazy, cloudy , and dreary. After church we went to the mall to find me some jeans. I got paint on one pair which left me with only one other pair. It started raining while we were in the mall. Today has been really slow paced.

We met some of the new people coming in today from Illinois. We will probably be working with them this week. Sounds like we will be going back to some of the same houses we worked in last week.

I think that I will be an expert trim painter by the time we leave. H does a multitude of things, from sanding to placing vanities, mirrors, shutters, and wherever he is needed. Only pray that we can accomplish even more this week.

SATURDAY

Sign on a Baptist church "Those who are thankful for little, enjoy much."

End of First Week

Today is Friday, end of our first week. Another very busy day, but I don't hurt as badly tonight. It just takes a few days for my muscles to get used to this type of work. We really got quite a lot accomplished today, all the closet doors framed and up and painted, all bedroom doors painted, door knobs on, trim finished in 2 bedrooms and started in a third, one toilet in, one vanity in today, two medicine cabinets in, lots of caulking, and door stops up. We did get two bedrooms completed. Several trips to Lowes which takes two workers away for a while. There is still lots to be done and hopefully they will assign H and I to this same house next week with another crew to help these people get back into their home. Our team from Willard returns home tomorrow, so we will be either on our own or with another team. One Willardite and his brother will be here next week, but he is an electrician, so he will going where they need that type of work done.

A cold front came thru yesterday, it was 42 this AM, but warmed up to high 50's. It will be back in 70's by Sunday. I hope, because we were getting used to the warm weather.

Thanksgiving

Our family this Thanksgiving
My plate
Jigsaw puzzle time
Just waiting for dinner
Today was a very busy, but not productive day. We went to a different house today. The family consists Grandmother, her daughter and son, and her daughter's son. Very sweet and polite boys. The children in this community all seem to be polite, "Yes Mam, No Sir" is the way they talk everyday.

In this house the guys were to hang closet doors, shutters, put in a vanity, and the girls to do trim paint. The house has many things that were done wrong and sloppily. What was supposed to be a part day project has turned into minimum 2 day. We tried to fix some of them but realized we don't have that many days.

Instead we went at it positively and did what we could. The guys got most of the closets faced and doors hung(after 2 trips to get things we needed), the shutters are up, vanity in, and we did get 2 bedrooms' trim spackled and painted as well as touch up paint on ceiling and walls done.

A couple from the Red Cross stopped and wanted to provide us with lunch but we had taken sandwiches, so we turned them down, though it would have been nice to have a break We returned to camp about 5PM showered and were ready for supper. They prepared a huge amount of food, we will having leftovers for a while, just like at home. We all ate too much, as usual.

Being here really makes you thankful for God's blessings in our everyday lives as you see how the Gulf coast residents have remained here and worked to rebuild their communities. Even though many of them have been in small trailers for 2 years, they remain cheerful, friendly, and very sweet. Even when they have so little they are steadfastly positive.

More Pictures

Bone Tired

MaryJean, Angel, Dick, and H
Willis and Shiela
Yesterday I did not get on my computer because I was really fatigued from my day at the clinic. We saw 27 patients.

Well today I am bone tired. The clinic was not open due to lack of a doctor, so I went with the rest of the group to 2 houses they have been working in all week. Dick, Charlie, and Gene went to one house and MaryJean, Dan, Marv, H and myself went to the other along with Chris( a full time volunteer). Marv is an electrician, so he worked on smoke alarms, door bell wiring, and other wiring throughout the house. The rest of us painted. Chris painted outside and the rest of the group but myself painted walls and ceilings. I painted wood trim around windows and doors. another volunteer that was here before us used caulking instead of spackle, trying to sand rubbery stuff is impossible. I did the best I could then painted. Never, never, never use caulking to fill in the nail holes and corners. I only had to go up 2 steps on the ladder, but up and down all day, really did my knees and back in. I only hope I will be able to move tomorrow.

Clinic Duty

Today I worked in the free clinic at Bethel Lutheran Church, this clinic has been operation since Katrina hit. Today we had a doc from Minnesota, but the rest of the week will be local retired docs. Monday is always a busy day in any medical setting. This is the same. We had to start late (1015) because the director had an appointment and we did not have enough staff unless she was here. We worked until 1330 then took a lunch break and started in again at 1400. Mostly viral infections but always have patients with chronic conditions, such as hypertension or Diabetes. Mostly what I do is intakes, histories, vital signs, listing medications. Not hard just time consuming.

H went with the rest of our group to some area in Gulfport to do dry wall. I will probably work with them Thanksgiving Day and Friday hanging doors at some other location. Hanging doors? I can't see myself being much help doing that.

No pictures today, tomorrow I will have H take camera to get some shot at his location.

Visiting Old Friends

Today H and I, along with 3 others that arrived last evening, went to visit 2 of the people whose homes we have helped to re-build on past visits to Biloxi. One has re-married having been a widower for many years. His new wife is perfect for him, just the right companion for him. The other family has had health issues, but everyone is home and hopefully they will all regain their strength.

2 more of our group will arrive this evening and 1 more tomorrow. A very small group this time. I'm not sure if the free clinic is in operation this week, so I might be out working on houses. I have to wait for the guys to return from the assignment meeting to find what I will be doing.

Biloxi

We arrived about noon today in Biloxi. Hobbes meowed the whole way here. We stopped at 2 rest areas, took him for walks on his leash, he walked really well, didn't seem as afraid of the trucks as before, but he will not potty outside. When we got set up in camp and I put him in Moose, he ran straight to litter box. Then he wanted to eat.

We went out to eat, then took a drive before it got dark to get some pictures. The pictures show a mixture of destruction and new building. Got one picture of a casino. Hotels and casinos seems to be building the most. Housing is slower.

It seems as if people up north think everything is back to normal here, probably because the casinos advertise it that way. There are still way too many people in FEMA trailers who will become homeless in the spring when FEMA wants their trailers back(what for, no one will use them again).

Last Day

Our last day in Navarre. Sunny again. Most people have told us this has been an unusual fall for this area. Stayed warm later than usual. Has been cool last couple days but is going to warm up starting tomorrow, but some rain coming in.

We went biking again, this time only 6 miles, we were riding into the wind and it was hard. When we biked earlier this week, we went 13 miles, not bad for people who have not biked in a while.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Biloxi, have to leave early so we can get there by 1100, since the OSU/Michigan game is tomorrow. It is a 2 1/2 hour trip. We may be going to a casino to watch the game, since we have no idea what kind of reception we will have.

Next week will be work pictures and maybe some pictures of Katrina destruction that hasn't been cleaned up yet.

North Wind

Today we woke up about 0500 to hear the wind really blowing, it was upsetting Hobbes, who wanted to sleep between us. It continued to blow all day. Only consolation is that the sun was out brilliantly all day, even though the temp never made it out of the 60's. Well tomorrow will be warmer and no wind(I hope).

H spent the day washing awnings and getting things done he has been telling me he was going to do all week. But he has read 3 books!! Next week we will be in Biloxi, so no extra book reading, we usually work so hard all day that we are too tired for anything else. But H always has time to play cards if there are any card players available.

Squirrel

We have a squirrel outside Moose, H bought peanuts and has been feeding him daily. He has come up on the steps with Hobbes just inside the screen door watching him. Today he was attempting to get the peanuts, very bold for the little guy. Reminds me a squirrel we had in Columbus that would come to the back door and scratch until we opened it. He would sit on the door sill and eat from our hands.