On Sunday, I got up for one more day of work. It was going to be my last day working with Sun 1, since on Monday, they were headed to the Rockaways... too far away for me to walk. I also was supposed to fly out Monday night, so, trying to figure out how to get to the Rockaways, work, and then get to LaGuardia was a daunting thought. But anyway...
Our work site for the day was a house with a Russian couple. They had a tile floor they had installed a radiant floor heater over. The heater had malfunctioned after their houses flooded, so we were there to help remove all the tile so that they could work on the repair needed. Apparently, in NY, it can get very cold and thermal floor materials are a very good way to cheaply heat a home. While it wasn't below freezing on this day, the wind sure as heck made it feel awful enough to empathize with this couple. So...we pounded away and struggled and pulled and pried and generally put in hard labor to conquer the tile and concrete floor.
Other than feeling like more of a man (I used a mini-sledge most of the day), highlights included:
1) eating lunch outside in the windiest of conditions. Everyone was super afraid of mold, so we couldn't eat inside. So, we sat in the small yard, with a chain link fence. This was important because as the wind gusted, inevitably we would lose something (respirator, hard hat, food item, clothing piece) and it would blow away from us until it got caught by the fence.
2) working with generous and grateful homeowners. The man attempted to give Sun 1 a bottle of Vodka that he had brought from his homeland, but due to rules, they were not allowed to accept it. NCCC is big on not taking things from the people they serve, which makes perfect sense. I agree for the most part. When someone has lost everything and they want to give you money or buy you something as a "thank you," it kind of goes against the concept of doing this service as a job. And it makes me feel like I am helping them less if they spend money on me. conversely, when someone has something of significance to them they want to share with me, well I'm all for it. So, it was at this point that I pointed out, "yeah, i know these people, but I don't work for the same company as them. I'll take that vodka, since you're being so insistent." He really was happy to give it to me and really was happy to take it.
3) At some point in the day, it was found out that Sun wasn't going to be working on Monday afteral. It was one of the greatest pieces of news ever. Now our heads spun with ideas to travel into NYC and see the city in all its glory. We wanted to see so much and we would have all day to explore...after sleeping in of course. It had been awhile since Sun 1 had some down time, so they were very excited.
4) walking home from work with my girlfriend. We have this joke about the term "walking distance." When we say "walking distance," we mean less than 5 miles. Normal people mean less than 0.5 miles. But anyway...we walked the couple miles back. We stopped at McDo for a Shamrock shake and some garbage food. And just generally we got to be together. We walk alot, no matter where we are. It one of the things I love most about us.
After another team dinner, Hannah again came over to my side of the island for a full size bed and some TV. We sampled the "Wodka" with some orangeishness from the corner store. And we basically went to bed and slept. Exhaustion is the greatest sleep aid.
Monday we got up and made our way into the city. There was lots of walking. The cold was bitter. We alternated between ducking into places to escape the cold and getting out to see the city. Hannah and I met up with my NCCC roommate DJ for a long lunch of local pizza. Then we met up with other Sun 1ers in central park. Saw the statue of Alice in wonderland. took some good pictures. We hit up the FAO Schwartz. Visited Time Square. Ate at Olive Garden. And at that point my bag was getting to me. Carrying it around was dragging me to exhaustion. My flight was delayed a couple hours, but it didn't matter too much. So, alas, we parted ways and I went to the airport. Got home at 2 am instead of 12. It was an amazing trip to see an amazing woman who amazingly wants to spend as much time with me as I want to with her. And Sun one was pretty amazing too. Glad to have met them.
Stay tuned....I got a bunch of pictures that I have failed to post. I'll post soon!
In the mean time....check out these two.
