...back to Monday...

    During this construction blitz, we are building thirty new housing units (eight duplexes on our site and seven on another.)  They are also rehabbing seventy other houses nearby as a way of more cost-effectively helping people overcome substandard housing.
    We had another good day of progress today.  I did more roofing.  We nearly finished the main roof.  There are a number of smaller sections over porches and such that we'll do tomorrow.  They'll probably start putting on the solar panels tomorrow too.  Troy spent the day putting framing around windows.

Probably because we're in LA, the project seems to attract a fair number of celebrities.  (It might also have something to do with the fact that our house is the VIP house - a fact I was unaware of until after the project was over.)  A lot of them come from the Hollywood for Habitat chapter.  So far, I haven't recognized anyone - I've had to rely on people pointing them out.  We've got a pro football player on our house named Matt.  Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood had lunch with us (in the same tent, that is.)  A former Miss World was on our crew.  Yesterday an actor named Barry Pepper was on our house.  I don't remember what he looked like.  Didn't hear about him until today.  I guess he was in Private Ryan and some other movies.  There's a fellow named Richard Gant helping cut siding who apparently has been in various movies and TV shows.  I think Kimberly and Norma on our crew are part of one of the home makeover shows.  Dustin Hoffman and Carly Simon were helping out at the other site, and rumor has it that Bo Derek was helping out again, as she has in the past.  When someone mentioned that at dinner, one of the young women at our table said, "Bo Derek?  Who's he?"  But the funniest was with the two actresses on our roofing crew - Tami Someone and Julie Someoneelse.  Julie said she was in Lost and Boston Legal last year.  I taught her how to use a carpenter's square.  The funny part was when they were talking to each other, and I heard one say, "So we're both on Wednesdays at 8:00!"  Not the kind of conversation we get often in Boulder.

Dennis, Tami (hammering), and Norma on the roofing crew.

Joe with the homeowner, Salud. Photo courtesy of Joe VanAndel.

Our house on day 2.  The first floor siding is nearly done on this side.

  The next house over from ours is the Women's House.  The crew is entirely women.  I think it is a tradition on JCWPs to have a house built completely by women.
    Another interesting tidbit is that one of the volunteers (I think his name is JR Williams) grew up in the 80s in a house built by Habitat.  Now he came from the East Coast to LA to return the favor and help build someone else's house.

...on to Wednesday...