When the Lights Come On

Last night about 50 Jr. High kids came to help clean up various yards around our neighborhood. The only problem was, they got here about 6:45, and it's late September, so within a half hour they were working in the dark.

The main project was an overgrown yard of an abandoned house that used to be a crack house. I knew it would be a mess, but they took to it like it was no problem. They cut down weeds, hauled off trash, and 4 girls began to pick up a roll of carpet that was buried in the weeds.

I thought they could use some light, so I went and got a work light and ran the cord out my back door and across the alley. I turned it on just as they unrolled a portion of it to grip and pick up.

I'm not sure what they saw when the lights came on, but simultaneously hearing four 6th grade girls scream at the top of their lungs is something I will not soon forget...

Recipe for Making Stucco for our Foundation

"You take 3 shovels of sand, one shovel of cement, a quarter shovel of mortar, and some bonding compound and put that on there. Just before you put it on, spread some fifty-fifty bonding compound on the bricks and it'll just suck it up.
If that doesn't work, move."

- A friend of mine that is an expert in cement, on how I should fix my crumbling bricks around my foundation.

Cutting the Grass

The house next door is abandoned, and my back yard is a disaster zone.
It took me 7 minutes to mow my front yard, then about 15 to mow my
neighbor's front yard. The back yard, on the other hand, was a whole
different story. The grass was thick and 24-36 inches tall. I had to
mow forward 3 inches, then back 6 just to make it through. After about
30 minutes, I had made ONE PATH across the yard, and was ready to
start back when my wife showed up with the kids for a game of frisbee.

That was crazy.

I think I'll call the bank that foreclosed on it and ask them to mow it.

Either that or head over there with a machete next time.

The funniest part of it all was then a little boy that frequently
drives around his yard on a riding lawnmower like it's a go-cart said,
"Why are you mowing their yard?" and I wanted to shout back, "Why
haven't you?"

I don't know him close enough to talk that frankly back to him, but I
hope to.

Welcome to Neighborhood Adventures

Welcome everyone.

This is a place where we can share stories, answers to prayer, breakthroughs in our projects, or whatever.You may comment on posts, submit your own posts, or just come by and read what is happening in the city.