Walls and porches

A slightly larger crew, including Maria, the future owner of the new home, worked hard to raise second floor exterior walls, and part of the front porch on the Habitat for Humanity project on Pearl St.

I learned a few things about squaring a wall (3-4-5, the relative dimensions of a right triangle), and about how to move forward by repairing errors in measurement.

I've gotten a bit better at banging nails, a task which appears simpler than it actually is, and I'm officially a redneck, having forgotten my sunscreen.

Not my natural habitat

I'm not known as a hammer swinger, but I went down to the Habitat for Humanity project at 30 Pearl today, and only bent a half dozen nails or so. I learned a little about building a wall, and I sweat profusely in the 90-plus degree heat.

It was a small crew again today, but by day's end, some of the second story walls had risen.

The Habitat crew will be working every Saturday until the job is done.

Many hands make light work...

There's progress being made on the new Habitat for Humanity house at 30 Pearl St. in Middletown, but because of a late start in the midst of vacation season, their hasn't been an outpouring of volunteer help.

I wasn't able to help this weekend myself, but I stopped in after getting back from a few days in Maine and I found Jamie and a small crew hurrying to install ceiling joists and flooring, as thunder rumbled in the near distance with the promise of a downpour (which has now arrived).

Work on the house will continue on Saturdays into September, and volunteers can either email Joyce Hatton Yarrow at habita@sbcglobal.net or call the Habitat at office at 860-343-9179 to indicate your availability.

They'll be trying to get the second floor interior and exterior walls up next Saturday.

No place like home

We went to the ceremonial lifting of the first wall at the new Habitat for Humanity house on Pearl St, just around the corner from Court.

A crew had spent the day backfilling, setting lolly columns and joists, and putting the first floor decking in place so that this little piece of wall could be raised by our new neighbors, Marie and her son and daughter Ryan and Caitlin.









It was a good day for the barn raising, and great to see a family in need get a home of their own. Bill and Lucy had a good cry as the family stood on the deck of their new home.