My life at a glance

Most of our project takes place at Olivewood Cemetery. This past week we cleared out alot of stumps and brush to make room for a new fence and to improve the road near the new entrance. After several days of landscaping we got a dumpster and took a half day filling it with the organic material (branches mostly) to be removed. We still have several piles to be removed and hopefully will be able to this week. We also have removed nearly 20 bags of trash from the site. The cemetery has more land overgrown and unable to be seen than it does area cleared. There is a big ravine created by runoff from the nearby warehouses which has created a hole that is opening graves. We were told to be careful and watch out for bodies that have become unearthed. I love being outside everyday and the work really makes me feel good. The very first day I think I impressed my team at how much of a beast I am. I would go off on my own and return every once in a while carrying a huge pile of trees that I cut down. No chainsaws either, just handsaws and loppers. Very physical. The hardest part for me is being the responsible adult in charge all the time. I'm always dealing with some kind of housing issue (cold showers, fridge not working, oven not working, etc) as well as being the worksite supervisor. It's been really draining. I love it though.


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The first two weeks in Houston were amazing! I love my team. Everyone is so enthusiastic about the project it's such a positive experience. The team is also really benefitting from living together, it's been so good for us and I wish we could have been on spike for our first round. Anyway we spend everyday outside in warm Houston sunshine and do physically demanding tasks that fill us with a sense of triumph, like pulling up stumps using shovels and cutting trees using hand saws. The progress we've made in just a week has been really rewarding! Well I'm going to go watch "H I Met Your Mother" with the team. It's raining and I'm ready for a relaxing day off!

On my way to Houston

R1: Done
Round 2: Begun
Today was our second day of spike travel. We drove from Amarillo, Texas to Dallas, Texas. A trip that ought to have taken place entirely in Texas. So you can imagine my surprise when we stopped at our first gas station and I was informed that we were in Oklahoma. It went a little something like this:
Me: Hmm...I think I'll pick up a Texas postcard to send to my grandma. Yeah! That'll be nice, I bet she'll like that! ::Walks over to post card rack:: Hmmm...I wonder why all these postcards are for Oklahoma...Why would a Texas gas station sell Oklahoma post cards?
Gas Station guy: Uhh...you're in Oklahoma ("you idiot" he was thinking loudly).
Me: WHAT!?!? HOW DID WE GET TO OKLAHOMA!?!? ::Purchases post card and walks out to truck:: Uhh...we're in Oklahoma...
Jen: Haha, yea Katie, okay.

So today's trip was about 2 hours longer than needed.
Today during the trip I said: "I want to go bowling"
Then my phone rang. It was Noel. She said: "Guess what!?! Our hotel is right next to a bowling alley!! BTW, where are you?
Me: Oklahoma
Noel: Yea right, where are you really?
Me: ...
Needless to say I schooled my teammates in a quick round of bowling (181)

Tomorrow we are arriving in Houston where we will begin a two month project working for the Houston Volunteer Initiative restoring the Olivewood Cemetery. Not only will we be doing landscaping and beautifying but we will also be working with archeologists once or twice a week.