Wow! Saturday was “Extremely” hot here….
As I mentioned the last time I wrote, Bob and I were selected from a record number of volunteers to participate in Extreme HomeMakeover here in Charlotte. Not quite sure how that happened, it seemed everyone there “knew” someone or were otherwise connected with the vendors that donated bunches-o-bucks. All I did was fill out the application on line! Nonetheless, Saturday we set out for what turned out to be 10 hours of hard labor in record heat. And no, the air conditioning was not working yet.
Before I go into too much detail, though, I must let you know that we both were required to sign a confidentiality agreement stating we would not discuss the specifics of this home with ANYONE, including each other! So at the point where I am teetering on disclosure, instead of letting you in on Hollywood secrets, I will simply use code. Ready?
Our shift began at noon so we readied ourselves with the appropriate shoes, shorts, t-shirts and personal belongings and headed out to the opposite side of town. Our local paper has been covering the progress of this house so I am safe to say that it was on the east side of town in an area dotted with one story ranches. Some of these houses are in the beginning stages of remodel, but most are humble and small. Extreme Home MakeOver states that they do not build McMansions and this build was no exception. Although the second story distinguished this house from the other homes on the block, it was not flashy.
We were shuttled to the home on a local party bus and received our assignments. Each of us was told to “hurry up and wait,” until called for site clean up. Of course it appeared as though no one in particular was in charge, we weren’t even sure where to “hurry up and wait.” We found a tent and some shade and simply paid attention to anyone barking orders or looking for volunteers. Bob started laying some sod and I enlisted with the paint team.
The King family, for whom this house is being built, is involved in the daycare business. The design team set out to build them not only a home, but also a place to conduct their business in a safe and vibrant area.
It took another hour for the house to be ready for the paint team, so I hurried up to wait. Finally, we were able to begin and my first assignment was to paint primer in the adlsfjkawlkjgfaldkfj. The adlsfjkawlkjgfaldkfj was full of gsdfkghdfg and very difficult to maneuver, but I established a solid approach and before long, adlsfjkawlkjgfaldkfj was done. On to the sdfgakjdfsghdks, which required a bit more expertise. The team discovered my knack at cutting in and I was assigned the gsfhkjh, sdfswer, and woeuirjs colors…since they were more difficult. Bob left his glasses in the car (assuming he wouldn’t need them for site clean up) so he couldn’t see to paint close up. He left sdfgakjdfsghdks in pursuit of other tasks.
The guy who seemed to be in charge of sdfgakjdfsghdks told us not to worry about the trim work and some folks took that literally. There was gsfhkjh, sdfswer, and woeuirjs all over! He seemed to indicate he would be there later to help finish the trim work and not to worry. Guess what. He left. So for seven hours I basically fixed the gsfhkjh, sdfswer, and woeuirjs and then fixed the trim. Each time, I would have to wash out my paintbrush at the neighbor’s spigot and come back to try again. It was a long day of up and down the stairs, up and down the ladder, finding new spots of gsfhkjh, sdfswer, and woeuirjs to fix and other pieces of trim to touch up.
Sometime in between one of several coats of the gsfhkjh, sdfswer, and woeuirjsm the designer and production team came in to my room to tape a segment of HER painting the gsfhkjh, sdfswer, and woeuirjs! I ducked in the rewtiiou and primed it instead. SHE looked CUTE and CLEAN and COOL. I didn’t.
On the other side of the house, another of the designers was filming HIS painting segment and Bob the Builder didn’t duck! He painted the same primer on the same spot through several takes; watch for him when this show airs in October in the poipojlkjl room.
I would have to liken Extreme Home MakeOver to Habitat on steroids. The premise is basically the same; the amount of extracurricular activity is ten-fold. EHMO literally takes over the entire neighborhood with cameras and buses and trailers and trucks. Habitat quietly builds a house. EHMO offers the potential for your 15 minutes of fame. Habitat offers the opportunity to serve anonymously. EHMO builds homes for families in need and so does Habitat, I guess the difference is all in the packaging.
So, watch for Bob (not me!) when Extreme Home MakeOver rolls into Charlotte this fall on ABC. Remember, he will be in the poipojlkjl room, I painted the adlsfjkawlkjgfaldkfj, the sdfgakjdfsghdks and 2 of the rewtiious. Make sure to tell your friends…
http://www.extrememakeovercharlotte.com
