The Lord Blesses Me With 33

Tuesday, March 19
Thirty three fantastic college students and volunteers took off a day away from the hustle and bustle of learning and a day at the office to help me make sense of a VERY large yard. It was a truly awe-inspiring sight to see the flurry of work and hustle that transpired on Tuesday.

The Lord gave us perfect to work under, 72 and cool in the morning that turned into a glorious day as the time wore on. I had volunteers from Vermeer Manufacturing that ran two different sizes of stump grinders and a brush chipper and a loader that made easy work of all of the cut trees. I must have said at least 10 times, that machine is amazing - it just chewed a 30' tree without flinching - in two minutes. The grinders methodically ate into the over 30 tree stumps that varied in size from 8" to 46" in diameter. Those guys not only know how to make quick work of a tree, but do it with ease and make it look like anyone could do it - which is definitely not the case.

I had also been given the use of a Bobcat by the folks at Capitol City rental and put it to the test removing concrete foundations of the old greenhouse on the South side of the house, removed bushes, moved piles of brush as well as loaded piles of brush into the chipper. It was going non-stop and really made progress beyond tree cutting possible.

Let's not forget the log splitter that was put into action about 11:00 and didn't stop - literally - until about 3:30. It cut enough wood I'm sure for Ellie and I to burn wood (in the new wood-burning fireplace) until 2010! You'd think that splitting wood would be relatively easy on the body, but I can bet the folks that spent the afternoon doing it, that it's brutal on the forearms and backs.

Let's not forget the brick cleaning crew. i know this was definitely not what some had in mind when they signed up for this, but there were more than a few that spent a good spell of time chatting while sitting on 5-gallon buckets rubbing the mortar off old bricks for the foundation. B-O-R-I-N-G I know, but honestly one of the best things for the day. Now I don't have to eat as much dust doing it myself before the brick layer redoes the brick for the kitchen. - A huge thank you to them!

AND THEN there were the guys that jumped in the trenches and finished digging out the footings for the foundation for the eat-in area. Sucks huh guys? Nothin' but clay gents - did I forget to mention that before you hopped in? Sorry about that - really ;-) they rocked on through that project like it was nothing. I think there was a comment "We're doing this Dugger-style baby." Meaning by hand and without much praise but a good ol' atta-boy when it's done. Good stuff gents.

I mentioned it before, but the removal of the foundation of the old greenhouse took the four guys all day and was a monumental task that I think got completed more out of pure determination by Dave and the guys not wanting to have been beaten by it more so than just it having been on the list of todos. Well gents, if it means anything, you removed OVER 15 TONS of concrete - I have the bill from the dump to verify it. If your backs ached for a day or so after, you know why.

Oh, and there was the food and runners crew that set everything up for lunch, went out and purchased anything I had forgotten to get and in general kept things moving along. Truly great work and thoughtfulness to cover my butt where I had forgotten things. Thank you for making me look good and for keeping everyone happy and hydrated.

Finally, the Lord needs a HUGE shout out from me. I saw that day His grace, love, and generosity. Not only in the workers who gave of their time, talents and strong backs, but also through the friends of mine and Leslie's through agency connections, old neighbors, new neighbors, new and old friends, the town of Pella that has continued to support this Irishman that captured the heart of one of its own. That Tuesday I have never felt more a part of Pella and its great people and heritage. Thank you Lord for giving me so much in a time in which I have lost so much, may I(we) always know your presence and see your hand in the world that surrounds us no matter the circumstances.

As if this entry isn't long enough, I'm adding a TON of images of those folks that blessed me with 33. Here's to you all, thank you I hope to see you all soon.

Oh My Goodness!

Lifting the first large tree - from two angles
Saturday, March 14
The size of the trees were NO match for the crane that came in and lifted - I said LIFTED - the huge trees that once framed the North side of my house. I couldn't believe the sight and wouldn't have been able to describe it if I hadn't taken photos and seen it with my own eyes. The guys that operated the crane and saw were truly unbelievable and I owe the huge props for not killing anyone or taking out either my or the neighbor's roof. Hopefully the photos do the amazing work justice and you can appreciate the hard work and time spent doing things the right way. Sure I could have shimmied my way up those 65' trees and cut them limb by limb and taken half a week per tree and probably have fallen at least once from a height that would have put me into traction, but thanks to Scott and Lyn, I got to watch.

Inside...
We cut out the concrete floor in the basement and dug the trench. I never knew digging 16 inches deep could be so much FREAKING work. I suppose digging in clay makes a difference, but we got it done in the next few nights as well. Our backs definitely paid the price though. Unfortunately the interior of the house didn't see as much progress as maybe everyone would have liked because we finally got great outdoor weather and wanted to take advantage of it. We also had to prepare for the coming Tuesday of College students and crew to arrive with all of their youth and inexhaustible sources of energy. I'll keep this one short and let you look at all the photos of the week and some from the previous week I just got back from developing.
Lyn cutting a tree/Sean moving pea gravel

Uncle Tim under eat-in area/Uncle Keith cuts a large tree last week

Matt and I discuss roof line/Lola & Jane Remove floor supports last week

Sean under eat-in area last week/Dr. Sean repairs Matt (with a LG knife)

Lyn cuts a large tree/Ellie eats next to Dad

The brick crew again/Repairing trusses with water damage

My Trees Don't Stand a Chance

The Pick-up Crew from lf-rt: Heather H., Sean, Crazy Matt, Elisha O., Angela H., Chris F., Amy T.

Saturday was a huge work day that started at 7:30 a.m. for more than people than usual. I usually am at the house by 6:30-7:30 on Saturdays, straightening things up, making sure I'm ready for the crew around 9:30. This Saturday was a bit different.

Not 30 minutes after I had gotten to the house I heard chainsaws barking outside. Thing was they were in my yard! I decided it would be best to go out and monitor the commotion. My anxious brother Sean was hard at it, making sure to be the one to fell the first tree of the roughly 30 that needed to be cut. Go get 'em I say. Withing about 20 minutes my father-in-law Russ and Uncle Keith had arrived and were wearing the professional chaps, head gear and ear wear that made Sean and I look like part-timers. They proceeded to tear into it one tree after another and blazed through most of the work of felling the trees before the others arrived - it was safer that way. We only had one small accident when a 40' tree fell on top of Sean, well not the entire tree, just the last 4' - which of course had the most speed. It left a pretty nasty mark that wrapped around his forehead and bridge of his nose. He looked a little like Gill from Finding Nemo. He's tough, he got through it. Everything went relatively smoothly from that point. We had another 4-6 people working in the morning; Doug & Matt G., Kevin and Ben L., Russ and Uncle Keith VH., my brother and myself (now looking at it - all brothers or father-sons - interesting). We had more later that did a ton of cleaning and stacking of cut wood, and everyone that helped enjoyed the relatively cool but sunny day outside. (More photos to come of the devastation.)

INSIDE the house (sort of) there were a crew of folks that removed the remaining foundation under the kitchen eat-in area and further braced the floor so that when trenching the new foundation, the supports wouldn't cave in. While a good idea, I think it's over kill. But I suppose better to be safe than wish you had been. So we're in a place where hopefully this Saturday we start trenching the foundations, setting the forms and pouring cement. It's getting close - I can feel it. This kitchen has grown to be a MUCH larger project that I had originally anticipated. I guess there's always one area that kicks your butt, I'm glad that it's only one. I know this room will be great - it's just been extremely frustrating to get to this point and knowing that I'm still 2-3 weeks away from it being completed to the point of being ready for drywall is tough. I guess the old adage of good things come to those who wait is true for good reason.

This weather lately has been a real drag. I'm ready for warmer weather. It wears on you to be at a construction site day after day that is cold and breezy that doesn't have lights and you're forced to work with a spaghetti network of extension cords and it's hard to keep track of things. I know there's an end for all of this, and sometimes I feel as though we make real progress, lately though I feel a bit discouraged that I can't get past this freaking foundation and kitchen thing and it has taken it's toll. I greatly appreciate the folks who have helped get it to this point and I look forward to its completion. I guess part of the problem is that the work spent on it is the type that won't even be noticeable when it's all complete - frustrating. Oh well, we'll continue to push through.

I hope to see more on Saturday as the remaining 16 trees needed to be cut down are of the precarious type (leaning next to or over the neighbors' houses) and we have a lot to get done before a crew of Central College students arrive on Tuesday and I REALLY want to get that kitchen foundation done. Pray for good weather - we could use it.

The Girls Make a Visit

Ron and Ryan lay in the kitchen flooring/Frame the bathroom

Last week was a VERY productive week that ended on a great note.Every night I was blessed to have an average of four extra helpers to work on the house. It was great because the projects in the house are the size that it's difficult to get 20 people working in the same space.

Some things that were accomplished were laying of most of the new kitchen floor (after removing the old), taking out the existing first floor bathroom, chimney and laundry chute and replacing it all with a formal coat closet like it originally had and then installing a new bathroom that is the same level of the back entry way. This project is a perfect example of how I hoped people would help me. I was walking though with the plumber and was discussing how I should move forward and he came up with the idea to switch the bathroom and closet on the plan that I had never considered and it turned out that I lose about 8 inches in the kitchen, but gain a full-sized 1/2 bath. A huge improvement that I'm sure will not be regretted in the future. It's felt good to incorporate other people's ideas into the plan as I've gone along and I hope that others continue to suggest things. Some ideas I'm sure will be executed and others not, but at least I have others minds helping me on this.

That's really the one thing that I really miss Leslie's presence for, her ideas. She always had great ideas and a master plan in her head. She would often look many years down the road and plan to make that goal/dream come true. Often times it meant being patient or frugal which I struggle with both, so it was a good fit. In our discussions of the house we went through every room and thought how each could be used in the immediate 3-5 years with a plan for the next 10-15 and how to design them such that they would easily evolve over that time as our family would change as well. I have a good base because of those discussions, but I still need help and I am thankful for the people around me that have helped and given me ideas. We are starting to embark on a portion that I really struggle with which is the interior design... I'll be looking at a lot of pictures and listening intently to her my mother-in-law (she owned an interior decorating store) as well as others, but she understands what Leslie liked and can better articulate what I'm looking for to the design world in construction terms. That's kind of a weird thought now that I say it out loud, h that someone else would need to talk to the construction world for me... weird.

Anyway, we also got the foundation problems better identified for the eat-in kitchen area and plan to dig the remaining foundation and set forms this Saturday. It's once again supposed to be cold (40 degrees), so I would appreciate and prayers you have for nicer weather - at least no rain. I also had a lot of the remaining can lights installed and wired for everything but the basement and the data/video wires got pulled for most of the house.I'm telling you, we got a ton done last week and it was in small groups, but consistently showing up to do the work.
First Floor living room

Second Floor Master Bath

A view down the old chimney space


Which leads me to the great ending to the week. The girls of the Pella Christian Dance and Drill Team came up from Pella Iowa and worked their tails off for a few hours on Friday morning/afternoon. Not only did they vacuum and sweep the whole house, but also cleaned off mortar from the foundation brick so it can be reused as well as replaced tattered cardboard. All jobs that are really no fun, but one thing I've learned about high school girls is that if you play music and allow them to work in groups, they will make any job fun. That's only half true I suppose, I know that these girls had their hearts in a place of the Lord and were doing the work more for Leslie than anyone. I guess that's why I left there over lunch after talking with them briefly with such a huge smile was because I knew Leslie was listening and enjoying all of the MANY topics of conversation that those girls had at our house. There are plans for the annual 'sleepover at the O'Bannon' where Buddy the dog gets terrorized, Ellie the baby gets pampered, John the old guy get made fun of - but still makes a mean breakfast, and the house gets invaded for a few hours by giggling and laughing from a team that is enjoying their time together. The only difference this time is that I'll have more than one s-m-a-l-l bathroom for 12 girls and I'll have more than floor for all of the sleeping bags, candy and backpacks to be strewn over. Although Coach Leslie may not be laughing with them so that it can be heard, I know she will be listening along and having a great time nonetheless. She loved these girls as though they were her own and was proud of each and every one of them that came through the program. Thank you ladies, you made my week.
Outdoor brick cleaning

LUNCHTIME! No fighting over the heater ladies.

Outdoor brick cleaning 2

Yeah vacuuming!/Cardboard is fun too - seriously.

Talking with the ladies


That's it, enjoy the photos and I hope to see you all in person soon. Happy Easter Everyone!