January 20 to February 14, 2014 NOMADS Project, Mercedes, MS

February 15 (Approximately) to June - Gate Guarding, TX or LA.

June, 2014 - Up to Alaska!

September - NOMADS Annual Meeting, Branson, MO



Sunday, May 20, 2012

A week without Internet connection and other stuff.

Camp Fontanelle,  Fontanelle,  NE

We've been here one week now.   My Sprint mobile Wifi is just not getting a good signal, even with my Williams Booster.   It goes in and out.  So here I am at the Camps Lodge on their wifi.

To say this is a small town would be stretching it.   For example, their town hall.


The camp has lots of needs giving us lots to do during our 3 weeks work here.  This is the first time NOMADS have volunteered at this site.   They put in full hook ups for us.  There are 5 sites and all have 50 amp.  We love our site as this is the view from our door.



The first three days Leonard and I laid tile and grouted.  


On Thursday our team leader took pity on us and allowed us to give our old knees a rest.  We worked  in a bathroom securing down toilets, fixing some leaks and installing new light fixtures.



Tomorrow it's back to tiling and grouting.  Will I ever have clean fingernails again?

NOMADS work Monday to Thursday.   On Friday we took the truck to the local Ford Dealer to have a recall issue fixed. The camp director was so nice to offer the use of his spare car on Friday allowing us to go to a local laundromat and catch up on our laundry while the truck was at the dealers.

Yesterday we drove the 50 or so miles over to Omaha and visited:


What an impressive facility this is.   We spent time in the Hall of History Museum that details Boys Town's past, present and future.


We visited the Dowd Chapel:


We went into



The well recognized symbol of Boys Town are the "Two Brothers".  There are four identical statutes on the grounds.


The homes that house the boys and girls living at Boys Town are certainly beautiful.   Each home has a resident "house family" along with 6 or 8 students.  Each house is different and each is beautifully maintained.


We did not realize that there are other Boys Town facilities throughout the country.

Our next stop was over the state line to Council Bluffs, Iowa where we went to Camping World.  We needed a new flag pole that we attach to the back ladder and raise our Williams Booster on.  Hopefully we will always remember to lower this flagpole or never again drive under lower tree branches.

We then visited the Western Historic Trails Center.

This center is located on the banks of the Missouri River.  It traces the steps of four historic trails that converged here during the 1800s:  Lewis and Clark Trail, Oregon Trail, Mormon Pioneer Trail and California Trail.

Now, can someone please explain the sculptures that are on the bridge that crossed over I80 in Council Buffs?


8 comments:

Travels with Emma said...

Ouch! That tiling is hard work!

Texas Yellow Rose said...

Wondered when you'd be back! You're back! At least for one post . . . :)

Jerry / Carol said...

Going cold turkey with no internet can be a real drag. You guys are doing a great work with NOMADS. I am certain the camp director and attendees appreciate the fruits of the labor.
Our internet is weird here. Verizon MiFi sorta works. ATT tethering only works if I connect my Mac directly to my iPhone. We activated iPhone tethering as a backup to Verizon.
Take car of your knees and back. I am sure that you guys are worn out by the time your work week ends.
Blessings to you both.

owensontheroad said...

Wondering how you guys are doing. Sore knees and dirty fingernails..all for a good cause!

Paul and Marsha Weaver OCT. 17, 2009 said...

Looks like you are doing another beautiful job helping those in need.

I too would like to know what the heck those sculptures are. Very strange.

JO said...

Another great adventure for you both.
Those sculptures are well I love art and I don't love them. But I have no idea what they are. Maybe you will find someone in the area who might know.

Doing a really great job with the tile work and all other jobs.

Rick said...

I can explain those sculptures in one word - 'junk'!

Sorry to hear about your poor wifi connections.

Thanks for the update on Boys Town as I hadn't heard of that place in years.

Donna W. said...

http://www.radioiowa.com/2010/08/30/new-sculptures-on-i-80-bridge-in-council-bluffs-drawing-attention/
heres a link...it's called Odessey and designed to draw attention...of course has according to article caused a lot of accidents.
have some family in Omaha, always come thru council bluffs at night but used to always know you were there because of the smell of the stockyard.