Finally on the road

Hi everyone.

We have had a rather hectic start for this season's SOWER trip. Snow, snow and more snow--I spent too much time blowing snow and not getting everything packed. It took two days to get the snow and ice off the slide outs on the camper plus there was about 20 inches of snow on the roof--next year the camper is going to be in the pole barn before any snow falls. Why not this year you may ask--I don't have the propane line run from the big tank to the pole barn yet. That will be next summer's project.

Sorting out what to take and what to leave home seemed like a never ending task. We thought we must be moving again--hauling tote after tote from Willmar to New London (where camper is parked). I can't believe how much stuff we bring for four months on the road.

To top things off, I went to blow snow one last time on the morning that we were to leave and stepped on some snow in the garage while pushing the snow blower. Slipped and fell on the blower--hit my chest on the shift lever--had to go to the doctor and have it x-rayed--just bruised nothing broken. But am I ever sore.

The roads have been good and truck is working well. We are about half way to Fl. It was misting and 34 degrees much of the afternoon. The ground has been snow covered all the way so far, but it is getting less and less.

Continue to pray for us. B and C

Getting ready

It is snowing today so we are getting anxious to head out for our next projects. January will be in FL, February and March in AL and April in MS. We have not worked in the Southeast so it will be fun to see new country, meet new people and experience new projects.

We moved to a different house this summer, so have been very busy getting adjusted. We are enjoying our new location very much--very convenient for Dr, shopping etc.

Spring update

Hi everyone.

Spring is fleeting rapidly--yesterday was 95*--the normal high is 73*. The 95* set a new record.

We are getting settled in our "new" house. Lots of unpacking. We are enjoying city life again. Just 5 minutes from WalMart and Menards--better leave the credit card home.

Must mow grass and weeds this morning. Will need to spray the lawn or I won't have any grass left, just weeds.

Have a great day. nlsower

End of April project

Compare this view with what it looked like three weeks ago.

We worked an extra hour to finish the steps and railing. The blob jump will be over the railing on the high deck. The water will be raised three feet.

Another view of the completed deck. When the water level is raised, it will be back under the lower deck.

This is the group of SOWERS working during April 2010. We are heading for MN Friday morning.

April 17, 2010

We have had a fun week. We even took time to roast hot dogs.
You can see it was the men's turn to cook.

Of course, no meal is complete without dessert--apple crisp in the dutch oven--very good.

These are the crew. Boyd and Marci

Dennis and Marilyn

Edroy and Judy

Frank and Kathy

Chuck and Sue

Harold, Phyllis and Molly

We are making progress on the deck.

Judy painting way up high.

More progress on the deck.

Judy did come down for lunch. We have only 4 more days to finish the deck and railing. The weather forecast is favorable--mostly cloudy so not too hot.

Yesterday and today have been rather quiet--I made chocolate cake in the dutch oven yesterday afternoon. The other SOWERS came over for cake, coffee and conversation--talked a lot since dinner wasn't until 7pm. There were eleven groups coming in so dinner was late. Today there were about 360 for lunch. I even had time to wash the truck and camper yesterday. We are starting to pack up since we will be heading to MN next Friday--should be in NL by Tuesday. Maybe I'll get another posting done before we leave. nlsower

April 9th already!

Hi everyone--It is Friday which means we have completed one week of this project at Trinity Pines, Trinity TX.

Some of the jobs that we have been doing are shown below but we also repaired the vertical siding on the end of a cabin--needed to keep the bats out. Some of the ladies have been doing exterior painting on a house. Also one lady has been sewing on chair cushions. CC has been painting on rocks for the gift store.

Chuck and Dennis (shown below) have been working on the facia on the gazebo plus they worked on the vertical siding.

BC, Frank, Harold and Edroy are building a double deck by this pond. The pond will be raised 3 feet so the water depth will be 12 feet. The upper deck is for jumping onto a blob below. Don't know what a blob is? It is a big inflated "blob" where someone sits on and another person jumps onto the blob which in turns propels the first person out into the middle of the pond. The lower deck is 24 by 40 feet and the upper deck is 16 by 20 feet.

The first picture is before we started. That is Lake Livingston out in the distance.

Tractor with auger--several of the holes filled with water immediately. We didn't need any water for the concrete. It is a trick to drill straight holes on the hillside--also the auger is only 12 inch and the diagonal of the post is almost 9 inches--this required lots of hand work too!!

Three rows of poles set and two to go.

Another angle of view.

All the poles set and some notched ready for beams.

Three rows of beams set--next step on Monday will be to bolt the beams to the post. If the weather continues to cooperate we should make good progress next week

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This is one of the areas that the camp needs suggestions on how to landscape. There are six more areas that suggestions are needed. Got any ideas let me know (I have more pictures). Right now the camp has unlimited supply of plants from the place that use to supply (I can't remember which) Lowe's or Home Depot.

There has been eleven couples from a church camping club from Houston area here all week. They have been they have been siding a new cabin, painting and gardening. Since that group was here, we got meals all week--sure makes it hard to diet. We are thankful since we are too tired at the end of the day to cook.

See you about the end of April. nlsower

Arrived safely

We are at Trinity Pines Bible Camp and Conference Center. We arrived yesterday afternoon. It was a beautiful drive through the pine forests and wild flowers from San Antonio, TX to Trinity, TX about 275 miles. There are six couples working this project--three are from MN.

I have included some recent pictures from San Antonio and the trip yesterday.--Enjoy.

This is the life of a relaxed SOWER between projects.

Vern pulling wire for the new circuits on a mobile home.

CC enjoying reading while supper is cooking.

Our new Dutch oven--I laid the thermometer on top so I didn't burn our supper.
Beef and noodles--very simple and delicious. A few days later we made ground beef, corn chips and bean hotdish--also very good.

This is how the yucca bud starts.

These are "weeds" along a fence by the street where we took a daily walk.

This is what the yucca looks like as the blossom opens--some of the blossoms are about 3 ft long and a foot in diameter.

Some Indian Paint Brush along the road. They completely cover the ditches in places.

Texas Blue Bonnets along the road.

Getting ready to move

Hi--we are getting ready to move to Trinity Pines--I have been working on taxes in the evenings and early mornings. During the middle of the day, I have been helping with projects around International Bible Center. Things like cutting up branches, caulking in a shower and leveling a ceiling/floor in an apartment. The jobs help keep my sanity while working on taxes.

I have also been having fun making suppers in the dutch oven--relaxing. CC gets the recipes together and I get the fun of cooking.

We have most of the RV packed up so we can leave early on Friday morning. It will take us about 5 hours to get to Trinity TX.

CC's cousin will be coming through TX next Wed. so we plan to meet them along Interstate 10 at a steak house--should be fun to see them.

I have some more pictures on the camera which I hope to get on the blog soon.

Bye nlsower

Only two days left

Hello everyone.

We had a busy weekend so I didn't get a new post written. I guess it was busy, but I can't remember what we did. I was planning on cooking in my new dutch oven but the wind was about 25 mph with gust up to 40. It was also rather cool down to 35* in the morning and only up to 50's during the day. Also have been working on taxes.

BC and Vern have been working on a Staff house--we tiled the bathroom and laid laminate in one bedroom. We had to remove the old tile and level the floor--this is an old old house. The laminate flooring was suppose to just snap together--wrong--it was a real pain. Of course the walls were not straight and the floor was not level. Oh well the pay is still "heavenly".

Vern and I are now working on installing two motion lights on the administration building and installing three outside outlets on a mobile home for three air conditioners. BC is learning how to bend conduit and pull wires.

A week ago we did get to meet the SOWERS for a nearby project. The first couple below are from Iowa. The second couple are from wherever their RV is parked. And the third couple are from Minnesota.

The new tile in the bathroom.

Vern laying the laminate flooring--I think he is praying it will snap together.

We are hoping it doesn't rain too much today so we can finish the second motion light and start the electrical on the mobile home.

Glad to hear the snow is disappearing in MN. nlsower

Hello from IBC

IBC (International Bible Center) was started in 1944. The administration building was mansion in the 1800's and casino in the 30's. It is located on the highest spot in San Antonio so the people could see the police coming up the hill to check on the illegal activities.

Two other churches use the auditorium on Sunday and other groups use the gym etc during the week.

Vern and BC repairing the electric eye on the security light on the top of the shop. Thanks BD for the sturdy ladder.
Vern and BC after a hard day and heading out for the evening walk.


Pat and CC heading out for the evening walk. They have been having a ball.

The front side of the administration building--we replaced an access panel and will be installing a motion light--all of the plants keep getting stolen off the front porch.

The corner of the classroom/library building--we repaired the floor outlet in two classrooms.

The entrance to the auditorium and gymnasium. We repaired the lights in the boys and girls shower rooms. It was a challenge to figure out why the lights didn't work since there was electricity all the way up to the light fixture--finally found an old heat sensor on the back of the fixture. We fixed a faucet in the kitchen.

This is the boys dorm--they are moved in military barracks--old, old. We repaired or replaced three faucets, cleaned and installed several shower heads, and replace light bulbs in one of the restrooms. We may have time to straighten and reinforce a sagging beam but the people in the end apartment need to move out first. It is the apartment on the left end in the picture.

This is the married student apartment building--no work in this building yet.

This is the shop--well equipped but has over 500 drawers of small parts--several are not labelled--anyone want a job? We repaired two swivel chairs for the nursery and fixed the air line in the engine area in the shop.

The light above the door are now on a timer thanks to Vern.

The back of the administration building--we are to place a motion detector light above the drive-thru--all of the parts have been purchased now we just need time.

This is the girls dorm--the laundry is in the right wing. Very handy for the SOWERs. We are parked just to the left of the picture.

Our homes behind the girls dorm.

A staff house that needs laminate flooring laid in a bedroom and tile removed and replaced in a bathroom--these may be our projects this week. After we fix the electrical in one of the mobile homes and clean the air conditioners.

Today is a beautiful day--in the 80's. We enjoyed our worship at a mono-ethic church--and it wasn't white. Very small--about 25 in attendance.

Well I better publish this before I lose it. nlsower.