Outside of Nashville, we decide to take a break and do a little shopping at a store that is visible from the freeway. Shopping done, we head back onto the freeway. It’s Dave’s turn to drive and he decides to make a right rather than a needed left hand turn. “This intersection is too busy to make a left without a traffic light – I’m going to go right and turn around where there’s a light.” Dave said. Read on →

These last 6 weeks have been pretty packed… we finished up our tasks (as much as we could) in Bay St. Louis, said “goodbye” to all our new friends, raced home to say “hello and goodbye” to our daughter Rebecca, who was off to her next theater job 4 days later, and our son Ben, who began basic training with the army mid-April, catch up with family and friends, do the taxes (Dave), unpack and repack the RV (Susi), complete the yard spring cleanup (Susi), research and buy more “toys” and tools for the trip (Dave), make arrangements for our house and yard caretakers (Susi), cram 6 months of dentist and doctors visits (Dave & Susi) into April, and head out on the second phase of our journey Sunday, April 25th. Whew!

Click for video

As I’ve been checking things off our “to do” list, I’ve been thinking of how to share the fantastic experience Dave & I had in Mississippi. So, rather belatedly, here is my first video, put together as we forged across the country this past week. Dave Walker, HfHBSLW’s videographer from Habitat International, will shake his head and be relieved that I’m not applying for a job as a videographer, because I’ve discovered that what seemed like a simple idea – to put together raw video footage (remember Dave’s attempt to record our drive to Habitat?), photographs and music – was pretty complex. So here’s the result which I hope you will enjoy. Please be patient because it is a very long download.

To all our friends we left behind in Mississippi – thank you for sharing your stories and welcoming us into your community – we have been blessed to be among you for these past 10 weeks!

Dave picked up Terry Tuesday afternoon at the New Orleans airport. His mother is doing better and he has decided to stay “until the job is done”. It’s great for Dave  – now he can leave the technical details to Terry and get back to writing software and working with the staff.

I miss my play buddy, Sue…

As the weather has warmed up a bit, we are seeing more birds each day as we drive along the shore and cross the Bay bridge – every morning is  a delight! “It would be nice to share this trip with our friends, “I thought. Read on →

Carol and Stacy will be sweating alongside over 75 volunteers as they work together to build their homes. Stacy is a single mom, who teaches middle school. She states that qualifying for a Habitat house has advanced her dream of owning her own home by 10 years! She is thrilled that her daughter’s elementary school is only about a mile away.

Carol, a widow who lives with a handicapped son and grandchild, told me that she is from a very large family – 12 siblings. Of the 150 people among her siblings and their offspring, only 4 houses were livable after Katrina, so we can hardly imagine how over-crowded they were. Now as a cancer survivor, Carol is thrilled and relieved to know that she will have a wonderful home to move into in a month or so.

Although Dave & I have been hunkered down in the Habitat office for the week, working on our respective projects, I took time out to celebrate with the Martin & Stone families on Friday in “the Kil”. Read on →

The next 5 houses are being built in the country, past “The Kil” (aka Kiln).  Read on →

We’ve been very busy – but this past week was an exceptional one on the busy-o-meter. Read on →

This is the very last time we’ll mention Mardi Gras – of course Fat Tuesday is tomorrow….and the French Quarter closes down the partying tomorrow night. Read on →

What an accomplishment for Habitat for Humanity’s 1st disaster response affiliate! Founded 9 months after Katrina, and with strong support from the Jackson, MS. affiliate, this affiliate has much to celebrate – 275 people are now living in safe, simple cottage homes in a little over 3 years. Check out Habitat’s website to read about their accomplishments. Read on →

Two subjects typically dominate initial conversations when meeting people here. While Katrina is understandable, Mardi Gras was a bit tougher for us yankees who had thought that the Mardi Gras celebration occurred one day a year in New Orleans. How little we knew… Read on →

With a prediction of a 70° day and blue skies, Terry, Sue, Dave & I headed to Slidell for the highly recommended 2 hour Honey Island Swamp Tour. Read on →

Terry and Sue are our Camp Coast Care neighbors, Habitat work mates and fellow Dublin, OH residents  – they will be here until the end of February. Although Terry and Dave have been co-house leads on a few houses, and Sue & I have attended the same deep water aerobics for over a year, I think we have become very close travel mates in the last 5 weeks. Terry & Sue have gotten a few chuckles watching the neophyte RVers! Read on →