P.A. Shopper Article: LAST WEEK OF FEBRUARY IN NEW IBERIA
Although it is already April and we are back at home, there are still stories to tell about our time in New Iberia.
Our last week in February was a very busy one. It was unbelievable what we seniors accomplished in four short days!
Monday, the ladies painted doors and soffit at one house, while the guys took all the furniture out and began to put down laminate flooring throughout the living room, kitchen, back bedroom and loft. We all lamented that this laminate was going over top of beautiful, albeit well worn, hardwood flooring!
Tuesday, while the rest of the crew were finishing up the laminate, John and I were sent to the George house to remove and install one more window which had been ordered the wrong size and had finally arrived. Then we were off to Jeanerette, where John put the bathroom vent pipe in, and we got Rosella and her husband to sign off on the job card. We were happy to have one last visit and to say goodbye in person.
Wednesday was a very BUSY day. Last year, the MDS crew had repainted half of Karen’s bedroom, and built and painted a walk-in closet, as well as putting lino on half of her floor - that is all she could afford to get done at the time. This year, we were to repaint the rest of the bedroom, repair and put lino on the rest of the floor, fix two doors so they would close, put crown mould around the top of the ceiling, fix the folding closet doors, and replace some ceiling tiles in the living room. Well, I tell you, it was like a beehive in that house! First, the furniture had to be moved into the living room. The ladies painted the walls, and then the men fastened the crown mould on top of the wet paint. The poor subfloor was so rotten in places that we were wondering why the bed leg hadn’t fallen through! Plywood was put down before the lino was laid. By the time we left at 3:30 p.m., EVERYTHING was done and back in place. We were certain Karen was going to be one happy lady coming home to a “new” bedroom, and a bathroom door that she could actually close! We wished we could do much more work for her, but it was not on the list. As warm and homey as the house is on the inside, the outside looks like an old granary, and could really use some new siding! Maybe next year…
Thursday, the last work day for John and I, our crew started a totally new project. Betty is a grandma with a wonderful family. We had the pleasure of interacting with several of her grandchildren for the one day. Her 10 year old grandson and his friend offered to clean out the back porch. We were replacing the screen, ensuring there were no places where wasps and bugs could get in.
John always enjoys bantering with the homeowners. After we had been there for an hour or so, he asked the teenage grandson, Wilson, sitting in the living room on the chesterfield with his cousins and Grandma, if he would stand up. He did, and then John said “Thank you!” The kid said, “For what?” John said, “For not wearing your crotch down around your knees!!” They all laughed. A short while later, Wilson was helping haul in sheets of gyproc, and wanting to mud the nail holes. In the one day we were there, we realized it was our loss not to get to become more acquainted with this family, as the other workers would be doing. However, our time working there was completed.
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