Still recuperating from the Blitz build, but we did get back to Malcolm's to finish him up. Been somewhat thin in the volunteer department since then. We have a group of 8 from Massachussetts arriving today to work with us for a week.  So we finished all of the work on the inside of Malcolm's home and the last thing to do was have the electricity hooked up. Steve called the power company and the rep came out to the site   First thing he says is , "You should have called us when you started the job- we dont hook up lines to the back of houses anymore since Katrina". Also, we are within 1500 feet of the Mississippi river levee and you would need an Army Corp of Engineers permit to drive a new pole. They recommended that we go underground from the pole to the house with 2 1/2" grey pvc (36" deep). That then required to call the Miss Utility to have any potential oopses averted in digging up someone elses lines while trenching. Up north, one guy comes out and marks everbodys. Down here, each department comes out- water, telephone, electric, etc.  So finally, looks like we will start trenching today. We rented the machine from the plumber and Malcolm hisself will operate it. About 150 feet worth of trench, lay and glue up the pipe with a pull string thru it for the power company. Inspection on Monday then fire it up, make sure everything works right. Dedication on Tuesday at 4:00 pm. Malcolm's girlfriend Betty is making gumbo for the group. In further news, Doug Brushaber, who worked with us during the blitz has gotten bit by the volunteer bug and is back with us from Illinois for a few more weeks and will be house leader on Pam Williams house on Adema. I've been squirreling away materials- flooring vinyl and laminate, cabinets and countgertop, tile for around the tub, insulation and plywood for the underside of the raised up house, etc. In keeping with my 'steady pressure, dont panic' motto, we have 4 new houses in various stages of completion and no big nembers of volunteers expected, so we will concentrate on Adema, then Fosters lane, then Jump Basin and finally Orangewood which is the least complete. It has only piles and a deck with a pile of trusses out front. Bart said that United Way floated the idea of another blitz build for Orangewood in 3 weeks. I told him not interested, thank you, unless a coupla conditions attached like everything else grinds to a halt so we could have a decent time for the prebuild and prep, the same group of people all week instead of a new group everyday, extension on the June 30 deadlines for the other 3 houses, etc. Let's see. Also this week, my sister Mary is coming down for a week to help out and the following week, my fourth son, Alex will join us as intern for a while also.  This weekend is a big local event, a crawfish boil. They are expecting thousands for the one day festival. Also this weekend begins the Jazzfest in Nawlins. That goes on till May 8th. I'll never forget on May 8th. . . .(for Lois)