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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Kentucky Disaster Recovery Trip


We got back from Kentucky late Sunday night- I'm still tired! As a group we worked on about 12 different homes- we helped a lot of people and the trip was well worth it. We used a lot of chainsaws and pulled a lot of heavy limbs. Seriously people a lot of HEAVY limbs. There are advantages and disadvantages of being 1 of 3 women on a trip like this (although honestly only 2 of us did any heavy lifting).




Disadvantages:


- In a group of 26 men we do not blend in- its obvious if you are an asset or if you're just taking up space.




- I felt like I had to work twice as hard as the guys to be viewed as aforementioned asset




- When the men are running chainsaws, driving tractors, and hanging from the treetops who do u think is left to pull all those limbs?




- The guys try to be gentlemen but they kept getting in my way- "I don't need help with this 50 pound tree branch and you're slowing me down Bubba so speed up or turn loose and get outta my way!" (I'm very strong and underestimated all the time!)




- When you add a GPS to the already out of control male stubbornness- they will NEVER stop and ask for directions- even when it's 10:30 pm and you've been lost for an hour and the GPS keeps insisting that you have arrived!




Advantages:

- One of the guys on the trip has a wonderful sister who lives in Lexington, KY about 45 minutes from where we were working- with 3 beautiful, plush guestrooms. She offered them to the women bc the guys were staying in the baptist association's bus warehouse- yes really (there were no churches big enough to accommodate the group in this rural area). Her home is amazing and I didn't want to leave!

By the way, the guest room had queen size beds so logically my husband was invited to stay with us. The other guys on the trip got jealous bc of their less than desirable "Accommodations" and one specifically got ticked off at my husband. My husband quickly pointed out that no one else was going to be sleeping beside me so it didn't affect this guy in the least lol.


- With 26 guys who couldn't wait to get a turn at driving- I didn't have to drive one mile.
The above photo is of me standing in front of 1 of 3 same size piles of tree branches at one home.






6 comments:

MonicaW42 said...

Good for you doing something so giving. My husband would have nabbed the bed as well. Why let a bed go to waste?

Sounds like you got quite a work out little miss. Take is easy for a few days.

Anya@IW said...

Dragging 50 pound branches. You are strong. And I agree with Monica, you deserve a nice easy weekend doing "girl stuff."

The GPS thing cracked me up! Aww, men!

Samantha@IW said...

Thanks Girls :)I smell a spa day (gasp)!

Ann said...

I DEFINITELY would have been a liability girl...no 50 lb. branches for me! You're my hero.

merryway said...

Sam, thank you for going down there to do that. I have family that were affected. My poor niece had just barely got home with her first baby, her stepsister had a baby the day after her. My niece only lost power one day. Everyone else ended up staying w/her in her little home for several days. Two newborns and about 4 other children and about 7 adults. She was an exhausted mess.
What a great thing for you to do. 50Lb tree branches? You are strong like bull. (Natasha from Bullwinkle)

Samantha@IW said...

Oh my merryway- 2 new babies and a house full of people. Poor thing, I would've lost my mind. Thanks for visiting me- I havent posted an update in so long. I'm so busy lately.
I think my new motto will be "I am strong like Bull"- love it!