Tips and Tools

In April, I tipped a waitress at the Abuelo's in Trader's Point 100%, and she really did deserve it (#25)!  That was the crazy day when I went to see "Les Miserables" and the show was cancelled almost half-way through because a lightening strike knocked out the power to the theatre (and to Butler's entire campus, as it turned out).  I was with a friend who I only see a few times a year, so we do usually like to spend time talking and catching up.  The restaurant we had initially chosen didn't have a table for us, so we ended up at Abuelo's.  Finding a restaurant on a Saturday night can always be tricky, and then to find good service on top of that is bordering on miraculous.  But this waitress seemed to find that sweet spot of coming by and keeping an eye on our table enough that we never felt neglected but not so much as to be annoying, and she neveer ever made us feel like we needed to leave or that we were taking up a table.  We were there for nearly three hours I think, so when my $25 bill finally came, I did not even hesitate to add on the $25 tip.  This was one of those list items that I kept forgetting about, but when the time was right, it popped right into my mind.  I was actually happy to give it to her -- she earned that tip!

Then last month I finally was able to volunteer on a house for Habitat for Humanity (#11).  I have wanted to for years, and I've been on an e-mail list for volunteer dates since I moved back to Indy, but I always seem to be working whenever they're having a build.  So I was shocked when they needed people on a day when I was actually off!  The experience was awesome.  I would absolutely do it again, and I would absolutely recommend it for anyone.  The house was only two streets over and about two miles south of where I live, which made it even better, because then it felt like I was actually doing something good in my own neighborhood.

The day I went, there was only a week left, so all the building was basically done and we were mostly doing cosmetic and finishing things.  Everyone there that day had volunteered individually rather than part of a group which was nice, and people were very friendly on the whole.  The family getting this house will be two parents and three of their four teenaged kids (one is adopted).  Apparently the parents told their kids that they could live at home as long as they were in school full-time or part-time and working; I think one is still in high school and the others are in college.  I got to meet one of the homeowners - the mother of the family.  She has a lot of health issues, but she worked hard.  She said this will be the first place she's ever lived that had central air conditioning.  She also said she was really happy about getting the house, but she was trying not to let herself get too excited until she signed the mortgage and had the keys in her hand.  I learned that all Habitat homeowners are required to attend classes on finances, volunteer on their own home build as well as other builds, and volunteer for other community organizations outside Habitat.  One of the other volunteers was actually a woman who was just starting the process for getting a Habitat house.  She was so excited about seeing a Habitat house -- about how nice it was and that it had a laundry room!  It is a very nice house:  open eat-in kitchen and living room, four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, laundry room, side entrance, and front porch.  With ceiling fans in all the rooms and central air! 

So for the actual work, I painted a bedroom door and a closet door, spackled about a thousand nail holes in all the trim work, and caulked gaps in the trim work.  It doesn't really seem all that important in the grand scheme of things, but someone said those are the kinds of things that wouldn't ever get done otherwise and make the house look nice, which I suppose is true.  The atmosphere was definitely one of work.  I had finally finished spackling about ten or fifteen minutes before the shift was over, and I was cleaning my hands off and talking to one of the other volunteers when the supervisor came over and asked if we were taking a break or looking for something else to do.  Apparently finishing a little early is not an option!  That was how I ended up spending the last few minutes of my shift with a caulking gun in my hand.  And I know I am horribly out of shape, but I was so sore for the next few days!  I guess it was just spending four hours either bent upside down or with my arms over my head.  It was worth it, though.

 
They had a big party for the homeowners and all the volunteers when the family got the keys to the house, but it was on a Friday morning and I had to work.  Darn.