700 Women Build a Home


I had the privilege on Friday of leading a team of 8 women to help build two homes for local families as part of Habitat for Humanity. We were a small contingent of 700 women who will build 2 homes in 2 weeks!








My friends Rebecca, Alison, Sarah and myself got paired with 'Wayne the Builder' - - a man with the patience of Job - - to accomplish some 'building tasks.' Keep in mind others got to do painting, siding, roofing. We are in charge of 'building.'






I am a closet DIYer (that's Do It Yourself-er, Americans) and love anything that involves power tools. So, give me a building task - I'm there!






The first job - - affixing the facia boards (don't know what they are called in American, but boards that the gutter is attached to around the roof). The small house probably had around 10 facia boards in total. It only took my team of 4, with the builder's help, to cut and affix two 3-metre (6 feet, Americans) boards in a whopping 4 hours flat!!! Hey, put me in charge of this whole build, I say and I'll have these houses completed by 2020, no problem!






First task was pounding a few nails. The last instruction from the builder before he left us alone for a few moments was not to hit the facia board (it is nice and painted white and smooth and decorative!) because that would leave a few unwanted dents. He walks away after handing all 4 of us a pile of nails and hammers. We go to it, and it only takes us about 15 taps (our hands hold the hammer totally incorrectly, about half way up the handle) to get a nail in. And, we probably only averaged about 4 missed hits per nail (each time, looking at each other with a pierced 'O' lip and looking around for Wayne to ensure he didn't see).








One board up in about an hour (I kept asking where the nail gun was, but only got chuckles from Wayne and no straight answer - - - I think he was thinking '700 women with nail guns? YEAH, RIGHT!). Now, it's off to measure and cut the next. This is more like it - - a circular saw. Now we're talkin'.






Wayne (patience of Job remember) decides to give all four of us a few lessons on the saw before we actually have to cut the length for real. Cause, he keeps telling us we only get one chance and can't screw up the real cut. After all of us trying about 3 times each (and, Wayne saying to me "hmmm, you've done this before." "Yes, I'm a farm girl," is my reply) we voted my friend Rebecca to do the real cuts. She was fabulous and we decided it was all down to her love of crafting - - scissor, glue gun, . .. she's probably picked up sawing prowess at some point along the way. Okay, then, 2 more hours and we've cut one board!






Over to the roof to pound a few more dents into the facia and we're ready for afternoon tea. Whew, that was a bit of work.....






The afternoon ended with affixing a few more boards and pounding nails while crouching and hammering above my head. This makes for even worse aim on the head of the nail, take it from me.






All the while, the home owners looked on with an equal dose of happiness and wariness. And, meanwhile all 4 of us looked jealously on at the women next door who got the cush job of painting.






Hey, but I bet their lats don't hurt like mine today! And, they wouldn't have the satisfaction of knowing they don't need a man to get something cut by a circular saw. YES!






Heather

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