JOURNAL

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TRIP

August 17 to September 1

Saturday, August 17

High Country to Noxon, MT

393 miles

We are off early, shortly after 6am, partly to be sure we are gone before Rebecca comes to take Spur for his walk. (He won’t go with her if we are still here!) Plus we have nearly 400 miles ahead of us and a time change!

I drive the first leg of the trip – which is mostly freeway – up to Milton-Freewater. A stop for gas at the Sinclair station, conveniently on the east side of the highway! No coffee, but we still have some in our glasses.

Rick drives the REST of the trip! Our usual route up through Dayton and Colfax, and over to Plummer via Tokea. Another stop for gas (at $3.37!!) at the Benewah Station in Plummer. On up Hwy 95 to Couer d’ Alene. And then? New road! Instead of heading East on I-90, we continue north on 95. We discover the section just north of town is one mall after another, one stop light after another. It is slow going! But eventually we break out and enjoy the forested road up to Lake Pend Oreille and Sandpoint, ID. The boys and I took this route last summer, but we cut north at Post Falls and then over to 95, so we didn’t experience the mall stretch. A wise choice on our part!

We hoped to find some place to grab a bite in Sandpoint, but found ourselves on Hwy 200 heading east along the north side of the lake and eventually along the Clark Fork and into Montana! We did find a gas station to fill up, not knowing what we might find in Noxon! Happily into Montana as the road condition changed for the better! Pretty country on the south side of the Cabinet Mountains and along the river. Into Two Rivers RV Park just west of Noxon around 2:45, which is now 3:45 Mountain Time!

We get set up and then walk back up to the highway to the Bull River Cafe to get something to eat!! A neat little place where we enjoy some Bacon Avocado Turkey Sandwiches and lots of water! We ate outside in the breeze (out of the sun!) until the bees drove us inside!

Back to the RV Park and we find the trail that leads down to the river. Rick finds a bench in the shade and we just enjoy some time relaxing and watching the water go by!

Evening spent in trailer mostly with the AC running! It is still 80+ degrees outside! Expected low tonight is just 64.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18

Noxon to Kalispell via Libby

140 miles

Ah we had a good thunder and lightning storm last night, but thankfully (for the sake of wildfires!) it was followed by a good little rain storm! And since I forgot to reset the alarm from its midnight default, we got awoken then as well! Oh well, still a good night’s sleep!

We leave Noxon around 9am and head north toward Libby, past the Cabinet Mts on our right and Bull River winding back and forth toward Bull Lake and Hwy 2 just outside the town of Troy. A beautiful drive of wide green meadows and mountain peaks in the distance.

Then east on Hwy 2 toward Kalispell. We gas up in Libby just to make sure we can get to Kali – the next hour and half winding through forests, past a chain of lakes including 3 different Thompson Lakes. It is a beautiful drive. We pull into the ReStore parking lot just past noon and…. The gate is locked and no one here!

A few emails/text to Hilary and Garrett and after a half hour I get a text from Garrett with the code to the key holder that has the keys we need to open the gate! Just after we pull in, the Franks follow with their big rig (they are full timers!)

Over the course of the afternoon, Jim from Olympia and Jason from Colorado show up and get settled. Franks have been to Kalispell before, on a build in 2019 (we missed that year!) and on a drop in basis. Jim has extensive building experience and 5 builds under his belt. Jason is a newbie, who is taking a ‘gap’ year from his counselor/teaching job!

We gather for Opening Meeting/Happy Hour at 5 and spend over 2 hours visiting and sharing stories. Then Rick and I sit with Jason and answer more questions!

Garrett stopped by during the afternoon to visit with us and share the plans for the week. First surprise? We aren’t working until Wednesday! Two days to play! (Well, maybe one – we have shopping to do!)

It was a warm day, but hopefully it will hit the predicted 55 tonight!

MONDAY, August 19

Off Day – Shopping Kalispell!

We have a whole day to hit the stores and get some needed shopping done! And it is a warm day – in the 90’s! But first a bit of a lazy morning with nothing pressing to get us moving. Joyce and Cliff end up doing the same, while Jim and Jason join up on a trip to the park, taking the shuttle up to Logan Pass and hiking the Hidden Lake trail. The crowds were crazy they said!

We hit the Shoe Depot and picked up a new pair of shoes for me (this was the store we visited last fall and I got FOUR pairs! Then to Home Depot to purchase a new faucet for my workroom – five years with no cold water and I hit my limit! A stop at Wal-Mart to pick up groceries then back to the trailer to grab a bite. After abit we drove up to Evergreen and hit the Goodwill Store and Rocky Mt. RV to check on the laundry. A stop at the Salvation Army thrift store south of town rounded out the day. All in all? We contributed about $300 to the Kalispell economy! (But...shoes, pants, shirts, puzzles, books, food...and more!)

No organized Happy Hour tonight.

TUESDAY, August 20

Ashley Lake Drive

It feels strange to have Tuesday off as well, but we take the opportunity to explore a new place...Ashley Lake, which is west of Kalispell off Highway 2. We head out around 10:30, miss the first Ashley Lake Road sign (probably because it said Baclavia Rd!) so head further west to catch the other end! Then a drive UP and over a ridge and along a vast valley of grasslands and trees and big ranches.

The lake itself is known for his 4 mile length and 200’ depth, which produces some BIG rainbow and cutthroat trout. Fishing is its main claim to fame. However, the lake is rimmed by private cabins and mansions – the gamut of primitive to pristine. Through the trees we are able to see the incredible turquoise blue of the shallow waters against the deep blue of the rest. At the end of the lake we find the primitive 6 site tent only campground, but at least it gives us a chance to access the lake shore itself. I go down to the shoreline and listen to the sound of the waters lapping along the rocks.

Back down the much steeper section of road to Hwy 2 and back into town. A quick stop at a T-mobile affiliated shop, but no help on my voice mail issue. Then we swing by the duplex site (having the correct address this time!) just to check things out for tomorrow.

Had time this afternoon to work on my sermon for the service on the 15^th. Just about done – liturgy still to work out!

Visited with MaryBeth and Isabella in the afternoon as they came out to see who was in the park!

Another 2 hour Happy Hour to end the day!

WEDNESDAY, August 21

CAV Build Day 1: Kalispell Duplex

FINALLY! We GET to work today! We were to meet Garrett here at the ReStore, but he got delayed so instructed us to head up to the duplex site. We carpooled, so only two more rigs to add to all the local volunteers already there. We had until 10am to finish getting the footer forms ready for the concrete truck to roll in. Fun greeting so many familiar faces and there must have been at least 13 locals present today – with the CAVs and HfH staff a total of 21 bodies!! Jason and I worked with Rick and Don (local) to cut and bend 110 pieces of rebar...only to be told we needed 50 more...and then 5 more!! Jim, Joyce, and Cliff helped fill dirt and rocks along the forms at the base. When the concrete truck came (2 truck loads) we hit the ground running and in and hour and 15 minutes, the footers were poured, leveled, rebarred, and ready to set! Whew!

Hilary brought lunch from Rosauers (chicken plus) and shortly after noon the locals headed home and the CAVs headed back to the ReStore to help Isabella in the upstairs remodel for new offices. She had been worked to second coat mud since yesterday, so we had 5 small offices to sand and prep for texturing. But, with 6 people working, we sanded, wiped, vaccuumed, and in general are ready for texturing tomorrow! And by that time, we were covered in sheetrock mud dust and ready for the showers!

An hour long Happy time together and we brought up some of our highlights of the day…

• Showers and cleaning up! (The first thing mentioned!)

• Naps

• No falls or trips with lots of people and footer hazards

• The smoothness of the pour with many hands

• Camaraderie among all the workers

• Perfect weather to work concrete – cooler!

I think I will ask that question at the end of every day! (Memo...forgot to do it again!)

Had a quick text from Kathy Norrell about Carl’s memorial service date, and sent a text back with a report from the build! (Mostly gossip!)

Quiet evening.

THURSDAY, August 22

ReStore Office Remodel

A cool brisk morning! But temps are forecast to be back up in the 80’s today, so I should warm up!

We are at the ReStore today with the task of priming and painting the five new offices, storeroom wall, and hallway. Isabella and Stetson (two young supervisors in training!) had textured the walls yesterday after we left, so the walls are ready to go! After Rick’s opening devotion and Garrett’s words of wisdom, Isabella was finishing up the dry wall in one office, so the rest of us broke into groups and pulled out the primer! Joyce, Rick and I mostly ‘cut’ corners while the others grabbed the rollers. By 10:30 or shortly after we were done! Primer needs to dry for two hours, so we took an extended Happy Lunch until 1pm!! Joyce had made a chocolate baklava that morning so we gathered together from 11 to noon around our table in the shade!

At noon I took my laptop over to the office where Hilary gave me the password for the internet and I was able to move a few pictures from my phone to the laptop. (Later I tried to access after hours from the back of the ReStore...no luck, but WAS successful when I sat on the couch in the front of the ReStore – right under the main office!)

And then, we are back to paint! Semi-gloss white everywhere! And in another 2+ hours we are done! The final office was to get textured later afternoon and next Tuesday we will install flooring.

A quiet afternoon/evening. We had already ‘Happied’, so Jason went fishing, I started a new book, and in general folks relaxed.

Did find an email from Mark Kachlein that Sabra’s surgery went well this morning. Good news.

FRIDAY, August 23

Wrap Up in Somers House 1

Up and ready to roll by 7:45 as we carpool down to Somers to ‘clean up’ the last two houses. I give my tie dye habitat devotion and we get started. The new ‘supervisor in training’ Stetson is our ‘boss’ for the day.

I wish I had taken ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures. The place was a mess with appliances in the middle of the floor, blue tape on the walls marking touch up places, torn and ragged floor papering that needed to be removed. We washed windows, swept, vaccumed, touched up paint (both flat and semi-gloss), pulled up paper, cleaned sinks and counters – all while Stetson and Cliff installed the appliances. Ran into a major problem with the fridge. It fits so tightly into the space, that you can’t open the doors without hitting the door trim. I think they could open it about an inch or so!! Garrett will have to solve that problem tomorrow!

Rick did a lot of touch up painting, while I started on the windows unsuccessfully – ok on the inside, but the outside was NOT coming clean. Some sort of tacky waterspots that would not come off. I ended up taking the semigloss and touching up on the trim, doors, and bathroom. Overall, the house looked good by day’s end. Jim even mowed the lawn (which was 6-7 inches long in places), Rick raked, and we cleaned up the ‘hay’ (that’s what it looked like!)

Lunch was Subway sandwiches, chips, and Hilary put some ice cream sandwiches in the freezer that we enjoyed at days’ end!

Gradually we moved to the second house and discovered that one of our flat paint touch-up folks got the wrong paint can and every spot is touched up with semigloss on the flat surface. ARGH! It doesn’t sand off enough to paint over with flat. Not sure what Garrett is going to suggest, but we may have to prime and repaint the whole house. (I would rather just bite the bullet and paint the whole house with semi-gloss!) We will be back tomorrow to finish up...hopefully!

Jim, Jason, Rick and I left at 3:45 to drive up Hwy 2 toward Columbia Falls and check out the brewery Sacred Waters. (Cliff and Joyce were busy installing a new toilet in their home!) An informal place filled with young families and kids! Off to the side is Sacred Eats which serves a limited menu of foods. Rick and I enjoyed a fish and chips. Good conversations.

We drove home to the lightning show of the incoming thunderstorm. Sprinkles of rain just as we arrived back at the RV park. And then? The wind howled for the next hour or so and the rain came down!

SATURDAY, August 24

Wrap Up in Somers House 2

Another day down in Somers – the final day! Dedication is scheduled for the first week in September. Our goal is to get the second house cleaned up as well. The full crew of leadership is on hand – Garrett, Stetson, and Isabella. We met Andrea, the homeowner of house #4, who is present and given the job of washing windows! Joyce leads us in prayer and we get started. Three of our team (including Rick) tackle the flat paint touch ups while I grabbed some semigloss to do more trim and bathrooms. Eventually I just end up in the bathrooms, stripping tub and shower paper, cleaning sinks and tubs, sweeping and mopping the floors. The rest of the day I am sweeping and mopping! Rick shifts to install door jams, and then helps load the trailers to move to the new site up in Kalispell. We work late, but we get done!!

A moment to give a blessings to the homes since we won’t be present for the dedication, and we are done for the week!

No Happy Hour tonight as everyone just heads to their respective trailers/RVs and relaxes!!

Will be a cooler evening as the skies have cleared!

Ah – forgot to mention! The refrigerators will be swapped out by the company who sent the wrong size!! Problem solved!

SUNDAY, August 25

Laundry and Grocery Shopping

Airport Run!

Let it be said that in lieu of worship this morning, I did work on the liturgy for my service in September AND we visited with Luke as he drove to Las Vegas NM to serve as pulpit supply!

Otherwise, we headed to Rocky Mt Hi RV park in Evergreen to do laundry (we like their laundramat!) and I made a trip to JoAnn’s to pick up some fabric and sundries! Then a jaunt over to WalMart for bathroom supplies for the RV park facility (tp, paper towels, hooks for your clothes, a broom, shower scrubby, cleaners, toilet bowl cleaner, etc.) I had told Garrett that it wasn’t the responsibility of the affiliate to keep the bathrooms stocked and clean – they built it, we can maintain it!

I spent a little bit of the afternoon out front downloading some pictures, a dinner of hamburgers and fresh corn. We had to call Al to figure out how to start his truck, but never double checked the confirmation that MaryBeth sent us other than time. Well….we both drove out to the airport, Rick driving Al’s truck, and waited. Finally a text from Al, “You do realize the flight is tomorrow right?” Uh, no. MaryBeth said Sunday night! She is home on Monday and can pick him up herself! Well, at least it was a nice evening for a drive and a pretty sunset, even if I didn’t get a picture of it!

MONDAY, August 26

Blood Donation Day & Errands

Ah, a morning to sleep in and relax! For awhile, anyway! Shortly before 10 we take off for Rick’s short list of errands...first stop, the leather shop to fix his toolbelt. The young leatherworker made short work of the job while Rick played with his lively dogs. What do I owe? No charge! Bless him!

We then mail a birthday letter, then gas up the truck and stop at Honda to pick up a new head light. A stop at Home Depot to pick up some door stops for the RV park bathhouse. Quick stop at T-Mobile to verify that I need to set up a new voice mail password. Down to Bish’s RV to purchase a new CO/Propane Monitor for trailer (apparently we should have replaced the old in 2015!) Back to trailer to install stops and hooks in bathhouse.

Then we are off to Red Cross on Meridian to give some blood. A positive experience and we are done in a half hour!

A drive up to Whitefish to wander around for a couple hours – until I got a little lightheaded (my blood pressure had been relatively low at the blood draw). So we grab some water and sustenance at Sweet Peaks in the form of ice cream! We head back to the trailer and I rest for abit before dinner.

Text from Al and visit from MaryBeth regarding the mis-communication on the airport pickup. We are still a go for the pickup tonight. She is a little distracted by the ebbing condition of her dog, Lucky.

Rick and I take off again for the airport around 7:30 and find the short term row much less crowded. We both back in and people watch for a half hour or so until Al emerges from the Baggage Claim area. I had forgotten that he had grown a beard – lots like Santa Claus. Al takes off for MaryBeth’s and Rick and I head back to the ReStore. Good night!!

TUESDAY, August 27

ReStore Office Flooring

We are back at the ReStore today to finish the paint job on the first office and then begin flooring. But first, a devotion by Cliff and we have to scrap, sweep, and vaccum all the offices and hallway from the abundance of sheetrock mud splattered throughout.

As soon as possible I grab my brush and the primer paint and begin to cut the corners of Office #1. Have to get a headstart on Rick with his roller! We are finished with the priming by 10:15 and figure we can start the semi-gloss finish coat around 11:15 – as long as we work in the same direction as we did earlier. In the meantime, after a slow floor start by Cliff and Joyce, the hallway is started! Jim and Jason continued to clean the other offices.

I finished cutting the semi gloss around noon, but Rick worked another half hour to finish the final coat – staggered lunch breaks today!

By days’ end, we had flooring down in three offices and halfway down the hall. We’ll finish on Thursday!

During breaks, Rick found a new shower head for the bathhouse – one with enough pressure to kick start the on demand hot water heater. Hurray!!! It works! We also found a cupboard that will work for our Little Library – and Hilary located some of the lime and turquoise paint to spruce it up! A project to be finished, hopefully before we leave!

I did get the new sign up in the bathhouse reminding CAVs that maintenance is our responsibility!

The wind really picked up during the afternoon as the next storm blows in – so much so that we moved our tailgate ‘party’ inside to Cliff and Joyce’s RV. Jim has provided hamburgers for all, and the rest of us chipped in sides. A good time.

WEDNESDAY, August 28

Kalispell Duplex ICF ‘Lego’ Foundations

Oh boy did the wind blow last night, with a few drops of rain! The forecast isn’t great for today’s duplex work! Joyce and Cliff asked to return to Somers to do a little more cleaning of the houses. The rest of us head out to play in the rain (which fortunately holds off until late morning and then just a light sprinkle. It doesn’t start raining in earnest until after lunch)

Jim (the ICF guy) gathers the group together – we have a full crew of locals today, plus Stetson and Isabella. Probably 15-20 total – and goes over the basic process of locking the foam ‘legos’ together. They really do look like giant white LEGO blocks with the little bumps on top! We will put down three layers to form the 4 foot stem walls.

The group is probably, in hindsight, a little too large. Jim can’t get to everyone fast enough to answer questions and some blocks get put up a little too fast. But overall, the process is effective and by day’s end just half of the top layer remains to be completed. The locals will finish it up on Friday and hopefully concrete will get poured next Wednesday. CAVs will be back at the ReStore for the rest of the week.

Lunch was provided today by one of the local gals who has provided lunch for Habitat for years once a month – and it is two crock pots filled with stew and potatoes, a huge bowl of watermelon, and cookies. The warm tasted SO GOOD to us cold wet folks!

Rick and I bailed around 1:30 with no real job to do and getting pretty soaked. I think that triggered Garrett to close up shop because the other three CAVs return shortly after!

Quiet afternoon in the trailer. No happy hour tonight. Plus I tried out the new HOT shower tonight and it was GREAT!

THURSDAY, August 29

ReStore Office Work

We are back to laying floor today and the group is all over – Cliff and Joyce and Jason finish the last two rooms while Rick, Al, and Jim start trimming doors and windows and cutting the floor trims. By lunchtime the floor is finished!!

Joyce starts caulking everything and we move forward after lunch with the trim, but we are short enough door boards.

Garrett has invited the team over for dinner at his house, so we all head over for lasagna, salad, and the bread I brought with pesto. Jason also went and bought another loaf, actually THREE more! Isabella brought a peach crumble! It was a delightful evening with Desi and Haddie (who is now 18 months).

Forgot to mention my little mishap this morning. I was carrying one of the concrete bricks Rick had located over to the bathhouse where I was putting a coat of paint on the library. I was talking to one of the restore guys (who offered to bring the last one as well) and tripped, falling forward on the cinder block – scrapping myself up but more importantly probably bruising some left side ribs pretty good. Had to fill out an accident form. :( And answer the “How are you feeling?” the rest of the day!

FRIDAY, August 30

ReStore Office Work

Kalispell ReStore to Tucannon RV Park, WA

338 miles

We are all back in the office except Al who went to the duplex to help the locals finish the ICF work. Stetson heads out to resupply our team – boards to cover the HVAC boxes, door frame boards, etc. I spend the morning laying tape down on the floors, Joyce caulking, guys cutting trim. A busy place! Paint goes down gradually on all the trimwork...we are nearing the end. Another half day should help it out!

Rick and I sneak out occasionally to finish our Little Library...Rick is wearing out – feeling his knee pain! But...by 3pm it is assembled, painting nearly finished, and in place along the wall. Rick leaves to purchase the needed brackets to attach to wall.

Then it is tie-dye time! Just Jason, but he has purchased a huge pack of tshirts and underwear! I get the dyes mixed, station set up, and we go to it! Considerable laughter as we do his boxer shorts – a different experience with a peanut gallery of guys watching!! But we get done in time to join the group at Jasons as MaryBeth is coming to HH with booze – wine and beer. Hilary and Katie with her and one of the ReStore guys joined us briefly.

The group is going to split tomorrow – only working a half day – so we may head out for home and break the trip up.

SATURDAY, August 31

ReStore and Duplex

I slept late today – didn’t wake up until 6:45! But it was a restless night in many ways...between my ribs and hot/cold I seemed to toss and turn. We got a team photo this morning in front of the bathhouse, including Stetson, Garrett, and Isabella. Homeowner Andrea took the picture for us!

The Joyce headed down to Somers with the homeowners for some last touch up efforts, Stetson, Cliff, and I stayed at the office to continue painting and cutting the cover boards. Rick, Jason, Jim and Al went to the duplex site to fix a problem that arose with the ICF and level elevations! (The transom had been broken so level was off 1.5 inches and had to be fixed)

I fluctuated between painting trim and doors and working to finish up the Little Library – some touch up painting and sanding, lettering, etc. Also got a few things packed away in the trailer to be ready for when Rick returns and we want to take off! Delivered a donation check to MaryBeth’s desk. Rick saw a set of dining room chairs and we end up buying them for $75 – not bad for 6 chairs! The ones Liz gave us when we got married are showing their age! So that involved a little creative packing in the back of the truck!

But goodbyes said and we are on the road by 1:20pm! Rick takes us to St. Regis where we gas up and call Tucannon to see if there’s a chance they have a spot for us. We are in luck! I drive from St. Regis to a gas station in Worley ID, south of Couer d’Lene. Rick takes us through the very dry and harvested palouse to Tucannon where we arrive at 7:15 (thankful that clocks went back an hour at the Montana border!) A smooth drive overall, just long at the end of a build. And my ribs are hurting!!

We grab the leftover hamburgers from Tuesday night for a late dinner.

SUNDAY, September 1

Tucannon River RV to High Country Ln, BC

176 miles

Time to wrap this trip up! We are ready to be home!

I get up at 6:30 and take a walk around the park. My ribs just keep getting more and more painful to twist, bend, move, etc. Sadly, not much you can do for them!

Rick is rising when I get back to the trailer and within the hour I had showered, and we’ve cleaned the bathroom and kitchen sinks, closed things up and we are on our way shortly after 8am!!

Rick drives the whole way home, stopping at TAJ in Milton Freewater to gas up and at Deadman’s Pass for a potty break. I work finishing up the two shepherds I brought to do – mission accomplished!

We are discouraged to see the amount of smoke in both LaGrande and Baker valleys – fires are still burning somewhere!

Home by 11:40am and quickly work to empty the trailer of most everything. Will gradually get it ready to put away for the winter in the week ahead.

By 7pm, we have finished 3 loads of laundry, all food put away, I’ve picked zucchini and peppers, plus more cucumbers and eggplant. Jess had put tomatoes and green beans in the fridge as well as 3 dozen ears of corn, more cukes and eggplant waiting! I have my work cut out for me this week!!

It is 95 degrees in Baker! Ouch!!