Monday, September 05, 2005

Project: Water Line

Today Bette Ann and I put on our ditch digger hats and proceeded to dig a trench for a new incoming water line. The idea is to replace the rotten galvanized pipe from the meter and through out the house.
From the meter to the house is 22' and we went down about 2' until we found the old water line and followed it to the foundation of the house. An old concrete block flower bed had to be knocked down and there was one tangled mass of tree roots that I finally gave up on for today. All that's left is a bit of leveling and tamping in the trench and getting under the tree roots.
The tree is an old dog wood that was dead when I moved here and all that's left of it is five or so feet of stump. I just never got around to cutting it the rest of the way down but even if I had, the roots would still be there.
I don't have a muscle that doesn't ache and it will be worse in the morning. Aleve to the rescue--I hope.

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Hurricane Katrina

As much as I want to, I cannot get away from work or school this year to go on assignment for the Red Cross. I know the Red Cross and many other organizations will be involved in this catastrophe for months, maybe even years to come so maybe somewhere down the road there will be opportunity.
My first opportunity to serve on a large disaster was last year in Florida. It was six weeks into the relief efforts and there were people lined up at every center seeking aid. I cannot begin to phathom what it will take for everyone affected in this disaster to get help.
Volunteers usually go for three weeks but can stay for six if their job or responsibilities allow. Where will all the volunteers come from to help all these "refugees" as they are being called? I'm really struggling with the fact that I can't go now.
If you found your way to this blog and would like to help by volunteering, by all means, get to your local Red Cross Chapter. They will give you the training and transportation needed to send you out.
We still have 2 months of hurricane season to go. I check the NOAA web sight daily to see what is going on in the Atlantic. I know that there is a chance South Carolina could be affected and is probably over due for a storm. If it comes here I might have to go regardless.