New Orleans Week 1 at a Glance

I'm in New Orleans! (ok I've been here for a week, but yesterday my brother asked me "how is Texas?"). My team, along with Water 1, has been working with Rebuilding together, restoring houses. Rebuilding Together restores houses for elderly, disabled, impoverished, and first responders. The team is split between two houses, and the Salvage Store. At the two houses we are painting, scraping paint, glazing, and assorted other tasks. This past weekend we did ISPs on Saturday and Sunday with "Hands on New Orleans," a non-profit created after Katrina to facilitatte the rebuilding efforts. Saturday we helped repair and clean a house for a woman who will be able to move back in in time for Thanksgiving. And on Sunday we helped a man paint his house. It was amazing to see the whole team descend upon the project and effect a transformation in just a few hours. Saturday into Sunday was also a 42 hour draw-a-thon fundraiser sponsered by the "Green Project" a local recycling center that benefits the arts. Benn and I went when it opened, 6:30 am Saturday, and it was just being set up, so we helped out, and got snazzy blue volunteer t-shirts! Then we did some drawing. We participated in the monster battle drawing, where Benn drew Chameleon Robot Bunnies, and I drew Jeremy. Then our monsters fought a battle (which we drew out). Jeremy (and his minions aka us) totally decimated Benn's creations. Then we had to leave for our teams activities. However we went back after dinner and stayed up drawing until 2:30. We met the coolest kid named KT, who informed us that he could fight 1,000 rhinocerouses, and that the name Bart sounds like "fart." But KT and his mom left when it was time for the nude modelling to start. Alas. Around 2:00 Benn started falling asleep, so I took us home...we were planning on staying the whole time, but it was not to be.

We've also gone into the French Quarter. We browsed in the shops, checked out some local restaurants, and had coffee au lait at the Cafe DuMonde. This weekend while Benn and I were at the draw-a-thon most of the team met up with other teams on Burbon street. From what they can remember it sounds like a fun time.

Anyway, this week is going to be a short work week because of Thanksgiving. Our team, Water1 and Water4 are having a Thanksgiving feast/celebration, and I am super excited!