Today was the last work day of the week.  We will take a break until Monday.

We have done a lot of work this week completing the front of the house and getting all of the windows installed on the south side.  We have had a lot of fun while working.  The weather has been beautiful, except for the wind.  Thursday is the only day that the wind was somewhat calm.  You can see by the pictures the work that was completed this week. 

The first picture show where we were on Tuesday.

The last pictures show where we are today.

Of course there have to be some pictures of some of the team working.

Here are Art and Sue, the team leaders installing siding, and Steve sitting down on the job working on a window frame.

Some of us are planning a day of sight-seeing down on the coast around Corpus Christi.  The church has invited us to a church breakfast on Sunday morning.  Looking forward to both and some resting over the weekend.

Remember, God Loves you

Taft, Texas, NOMADS project, Taft First United Methodist Church, First day

After a wonderful Sunday church service at the Taft First United Methodist Church, the team, took a few hours to prepare for the first day of work at the job site.  A couple of us found a great little Mexican resturant for lunch.  The food was plentiful, or course those that know me, I emptied my plate.  I had some grilled cactus with peppers and onions, it was very good.  At four o'clock, we got together for a briefing from the team leaders.  They briefed us on on the job safety, and around the area.  We were advised where we could shop and the some of the best places for eating out.  We all agreed that we like to eat most of our meals in our RV's.  We also discussed what we would be doing for the next three weeks.  A NOMADS team had already been here for the three weeks prior to our arrival and had started the project.  We are finish up what they started.  The project consist of removing old wood siding from a families house and install new hardi board siding.  The previous team completed one side and part of another.  We will be completing the front and one side that had no work started.  You can see from the pictures what has been done, and where we have started removing from one side. 

Remember, God Loves You.

Victoria, Texas to Taft, Texas 1/26/2013

Well, after a restful night at the Texas Rest Area and RV/18 wheeler Resort, we made the long three hour haul to the mighty metropolis of Taft, Texas.  We had no trouble finding the Taft First United Church, where we will be parking for the next 3 weeks.  NOMADS installed power, water, and sewage hook-ups here over several years.  It is really a nice place to park.  The church is just across the street behind us.  We have already met the team leaders and the other couple in our team.  More about them later.  After church tomorrow, we will meet and get to know each other better, and find out more about the work we will be doing.

Hattiesburg, MS to Victoria, Texas 1/25/2013

We left the WalMart RV Resort about 8:00 and headed south.  The trip was very uneventful, the traffic on I-12 and I-10 was no as bad as we have experienced before.  We stopped in Jennings, Texas, at a nice park/museum for lunch.  As you can see from the pictures that parking was tight.  Glad the road was one way, would have been fun trying to turn around.  We timed our driving to arrive in Houston during the evening rush hour.  I really enjoy driving the RV in bumper to bumper traffic doing anything from 0 to 60 in two hours.  I was plesantly surprised to find that the many lanes of concrete, and a well used HOV lane, made what I expected an easy trip through Houston.  We picked up US Highway 59 off of I-10, towards Corpus Christi.  For those that know that route, you know the traffic I am talking about.  As it started getting dark, we started looking for another WalMart RV Resort to spend the night.  We called ahead to Edna, Texas, and were told they had a spot for us, just to find one of the vacant spots anywhere on the perimeter of the parking lot.  We were all excited to be able to spend another night at one of the finest RV Resorts in the country, and have an good meal from the Deli.  When we arrived, there was no place to park a large RV, hardly room for one of a Texans large pick-up trucks.  So on the road again.  We called another Walmart in Victoria, Texas, and were told that they had no places to park.  As we approached Victoria, we came to a Texas Rest Area.  We pulled in to see if we could spend the night at this fine establishment.  A sign was posted stating that no parking over 24 hours.  There was only one more RV, and one 18 wheeler there.  I asked the driver of the 18 wheeler if he knew the policy for overnight parking.  He only knew of the 24 hour restriction.  We spent the night.  When we left early Saturday morning, the rest area was full.  We had more neighbors that we thought.  Had a good night.

From Dawson, Alabama to Taft, Texas, 1/24/2013

We are finally on our way.  Due to impending winter weather approaching north Alabama, we decided to leave a day early.  We hooked up the toad, the car being towed behind the RV, early Thursday morning, went to Bible study at the church, and left home around 11:30.  The weather when we left was really nice, and got better as we traveled south.  By the time we got to McCalla, Alabama, where we fueled up for the first time on this trip, the temperature had gotten up to 68 degrees.  We traveled onto Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where we spent the night.  We found a wonderful spot at the WalMart RV Resort, and parked amoung the other over-nighter's.  We went into the WalMart and checked in to let the store manager we were there, then ventured to the WalMart Deli and selected a fine salad from those already made to order.  After a good meal, watching a little TV, we went to bed for a good nights sleep.  We were blessed with the low, constant drone of diesel engines running in our neighbor's 18 wheeler's.  We had at least 3 neighbor's that night.  The best part of the night was the visit by the vacuum truck.  At about 2:30, the vacuum truck made a couple of sweeps by the RV.  It was nice to get out the next morning to see a clean parking lot.