Second week in Odem, Texas

On Monday, Dave, Barbara, Jane, Cindy, and Chic went to Gracie's house to begin a new project.  They tore off an old ramp and put back some steps, tore off rotted steps on the porch, jacked up the porch and removed the old porch roof  in preparation for replacing the porch roof and installing roll roofing on the entire house.  Gary, Avis, Stel and Jodi returned to Richard and Petra's house.

Avis, Gary,Stel and Richard are working on the last 2 rows on the long side of the front of the house.

Gary installs the last piece in that section.

Stel and Gary are prepping the entry area for siding.

Gary and Avis try to calculate where to add the pieces around the bay window so there are no gaps.

By the end of the day, the bay window is begun and we know what size pieces we will need to completely cover that area.

Avis estimates how much more material we will need.

Back at the church, we get an update on the work by Jim and Bob to install the shower, water heater, washer and dryer.

It rained all day Tuesday, the only NOMADS who could work were Jim and Bob.  On Wednesday, Stel joined the crew at Gracie's house because they needed someone who could work on the roof and Gary and Avis were at a place on Richards' house where only Jodi was needed.

Dave and Cindy begin work to replace the steps on the front porch.

Chic, Jane and Barbara are cleaning up the debris from Monday's work  The porch rafters are mostly rotted and need to be removed.

Stel began removing the old rafters and Cindy joins in while Dave finishes those steps.

Chic and Dave are removing nails and brackets from the old rafters.

Jane and Barbara prepare to remove the last of the tarps on the front of the roof.

All the old rafters have been removed.

Jane and Barbara use an old rafter to make a pattern for the new ones and they start cutting rafters.

Stel and Cindy are up on the roof removing the old drip edge,

While Jerry, a local helper, starts installing the new rafters on the porch.  Jane, Chic and Barbara are on the ground continuing to cut rafters.

At the end of the day, all the rafters have been installed and Cindy and Jane clean up nails and debris.  Stel has removed the old soffit in front.

Next day, we reviewed the situation and decided the rafters were too low next to the house to make a smooth transition to the house roof so we are going to "unscrew" all of them and raise them up with supporting sections of 2X4.  Jane starts removing screws and then we all join in raising one rafter at a time. 

By the end of the day, Jerry and Stel had installed all the sheeting on the porch roof while Cindy, Jane, Barbara a Dave cut the plywood to length and lifted the sheets up to us.  While the rest cleaned up the work area, Jerry, Dave and Stel installed felt paper on the porch roof.

Next day Jerry, Stel, Cindy and Dave install cement board facia that Jane and Cindy had cut and pre-drilled.

A section of facia on the gable end of the house is rotted so Stel is removing it and splicing in a new section of 2x6 board.

We added facia on the other end as well.

The day and week ends as Jerry and Dave install the drip edge on the porch roof.

Back at Richard's house, Gary and Avis wrap up the siding on the bay window,

then move into the doorway to finish that area.

At the end of the week, the siding in the doorway is finished and they begin work on replacement steps.

On Thursday evening, the pastor and his wife cooked dinner for the NOMADS in Odem and also for NOMADS who are working in Taft, Texas, about 15 miles east of Odem.  The program was presented by Richard (the homeowner with the siding) who plays Juan Seguin, and tells us about the history of the battles in Texas for independence.

Juan Seguin (Richard) shows us how they dressed and the weapons carried and used.

Displays include spurs, knives, hatchets, machetes,

hand guns and muskets.

Everyone got to examine and handle all the weapons,

but a special few (Cindy, Jodi and Stel) got to pose with the star of the show.  What fun!