We have been here just over two weeks now, and I could begin this entry almost as a carbon copy of the previous one. Elinor and I have spent much of our weekend cleaning out our “new” truck and stocking it with tools and supplies. This is actually the third truck for us (sigh), but that’s another story. (we had been using the director’s truck and he was riding his bicycle to work) Today is an extra day off for us, MLK day, and unlike the last Monday I wrote about, this time our truck was still here – the last time I looked. Other than our Sundays, we really haven’t had a day off yet, and the shock and discouragement of the stolen truck still lingers.

This past week has brought good news and bad news. On Wednesday we got news from The Tucson police that our utility truck had been recovered. The bad news was that when Scott (the director of CHRPA) went to reclaim the truck he found it to be beyond repair. All four tires were flat, and even the rims were bent. It appeared that the truck had run into a tree or a pole as well. The good news was, miraculously, most of the supplies and wire was still on the truck, as were many of the tools! We wonder if it wasn’t a joy ride for some young kids, rather than the targeted theft that we first thought. (there were also whiskey bottles found in the truck.) The bad news was, that the thieves seemed to be attracted to my tools. Some of the new tools that belonged to CHRPA were still on the truck, while almost all of my power tools and four tool boxes were gone. Of course CHRPA is out one truck now, too.

We spent much of the week working at the home we wrote about in our first entry. First, the roof leaks were repaired, and Eli replaced many of the ceiling lights that had been filled with rain water. Elinor and I replaced the old, fused electric panel (the melted one) :O( with a new one with a larger capacity and circuit breakers. While I removed the old propane water heater and installed an electric water heater, Elinor chased a bunch of faulty circuits and switches in the house and repaired them. While we were making the electrical repairs, other volunteers were repairing the plumbing, the toilets, sinks and installing a tub surround for the shower. While all that was going on, Scott was advocating for the family with Family Services for Pima County and found that the family was qualified for a new refrigerator and kitchen range. On Wednesday we picked up the appliances and delivered them to the family. We wired a new electric circuit for the range and completed our wiring jobs.