Working can be fun

We had a cold night last night and by 9:00 a.m. this morning it had warmed up to 20 F degrees.  Rick unfortunately got called into work again today to put in the long screws through the top wall plates into each rafter and to install all of the joist hangers.  He will probably be installing windows today as well.  Yesterday we worked together, but luckily for us the new home was far enough along that it had heat and electricity in it, being nearly finished.  This morning the new house under construction is only in the framing stages.  No heat for Rick and the other workers in these cold temps and it is only supposed to reach 32 F degrees for the High today.  I'm glad that I didn't have to go in this morning, but I'll probably be asked to come in with Rick on Wednesday, if the electricians & plumbers get done with their jobs.  

My job is to sweep up all the wood chips and sawdust, and pickup all the scrap lumber, empty boxes and anything that looks like trash.  It sounds like easy work, and it is, but before the heat is complete it can be brutally cold in those houses....and sometimes very muddy around them.  I've been helping out for about 2 years now, and it gives me something to do.  I sweep, mop and clean up each new house about 3-4 times before it is complete and then the real cleaning ladies do the final clean up when the house is complete.  They clean the windows, dust, mop and make the new home shine, and after that Rick and I keep the house looking like new until it sells.

What I do isn't hard work.  I can work at my own pace and if there is something heavy to lift or move out of my way, there is always some strong man there to help me moved it.  It is usually Rick, but at times one of the other men will come offer to help me.  The 3 bosses, the supervisor,  and all of the other men are all very nice and easy to be around.  I'm the only woman there on the job site (other than some of the inspectors)  and I'm very careful to stay out of everyone's way for safety's sake. Of course, I'm not there all the time.  I'm only called to come in with Rick to get the house swept out before inspections, after the dry-wallers have finished their jobs, before the floor is laid, before the painters are ready to paint, and after the finish work is done and the cabinets are installed, so I'm there many times during the construction of one home.  It's an ideal job for me because I don't have to go in to work every single day.....and I don't have to go in at all if I don't want to, haha.   The down side is that I get to be in beautiful homes, sometimes million dollar homes, but I don't get to live in one.