I'mmmmm Baaaaaack!
We are wating for the 'cube van' to help with unloading, then I will go home.
Thanks for all the prayers and support! :)
<Andrew>

4:20 - we're back! Most vehicles have made it in.

help unloading

To family and friends: please plan on spending some time helping unload when you come to pick up your hero. If everybody pitches in, we'll get done fast. If everyone doesn't, some tired people will get stuck with it.

2:08 - Pea Soup

Byron, Tom and I are having split pea soup in Santa Nella.

ETA for us is about 4. Others may arrive sooner or later.

We just finished lunch. I had Subway and so did many of the other kids.
I am looking forward to some real home cookin' when I get back.
<Andrew>

at the Buttonwillow/McKitterick stop

11:31 - this puts us at about 4 hrs + pit stop time away from St Agnes.

There did not seem to be any wildflowers near our camp, or any natural beuaty ar all. But if you look out at the landscape from the hill it is aweinspiring.

11:00 - first vehicles have cleared the Grapevine.

Greg, Mike and I are passing through the grapevine right now, we just passed the highpoint. The wildflowers are quite nice, purple and yellow.
<Andrew>

Last Leg - Going Home

Heading up the 405 to the 5, then over the Grapevine. Most will be rendevuing near Buttonwillow/McKitterick ("this season on CBS: Buttonwillow McKitterick, P.I.") Then, apart from pit stops, it's on to. St Agnes.

Tom, Byron and I will be continuing our long established tradition of 1 year of stopping at Anderson's for some split pea soup.

9:30 - all off. Now for the dagerous part of the trip: driving on the freeway.

JSM

9:00 - headin' 'em up. Movin' 'em out!

8:30 - sleepy people staggering down for breakfast.

11:41 - lights out.

No sooner do I badmouth these LMU kids than they knock off their party early just for us. Great guys. My anti-Jesuit bias is showing.

JSM, Dominican schooled.

11:00 - Let me add that watching these kids party does not incline me (if I were ever so inclined) to want to drop 50 grand/yr to send a kid to this school.

We're all safe at LMU, but.. they double-booked the room the men were to sleep in - there's quite the party going on. Party to end at 12.
Women's room was OK.

5:45 - all arrived safe at Mission Beach, now enjoying HUGE pizza.

JSM

Greg, Mike, and I are safely across into California now, and on our way to the boardwalk. We had a great year, thanks for all your prayers and support.
<Andrew>

Well I am back on the American network now, so I can text with impunity :)
Oddly I crossed over some many yards still inside Mexico.
<Andrew>

Our car was stradeling the border right when I started this post.
<Andrew>

4:37 - at Mission Beach. Most vehicles have arrived, rest trickling in. Pizza ha been ordered.

Border crossing was tedious but uneventful.

JSM

4:01 - Christina successfuly dropped off at San Diego Int'l

back in the USA

3:24 At least a few of the vehicles are now through the border! Yea! Will post again from the beach at. Mission Bay in San Diego.

2:37 - 30 minutes was very optimistic. We're still at least 30 minutes out now.

2:00 - at this rate, it will be at least 30 minutes before we reach the check point. Line is moving slowly.

1:38 - looks like everybody has left camp. Tom's SUV is now in line at border. Line looks medium long - we'll be here a little while.

1:00 - Trying to get people in the vehicles and head out - depending on delays (so don't worry if it takes a little longer) we'll be in phone range in an hour.

Birthday greetings to Daniel relayed during breakfast announcements - rousing singing and good cheer all around.

Done!

All 3 houses are now finished, keys handed off to the families, everybody's back in camp.

Energy level remains high, and you already hear folks - teens and adults - talking about coming back next year.

Tonight, final campfire. Tomorrow, we break camp, have a little party for the local children, then head out to San Diego for pizza on the beach.Then up to LMU for the night. Then, on Saturday, HOME!

a note on the families

Haven't mentioned yet the wonderful families we're working with. The best part of doing this is getting to know these nice Mexican families, who are at the sites all day. I am at house 1, so don't know the other families first hand, but at house 1, not only are the mom and Jessica, her 15 year old daughter, working away (Jessica helped Therese C sheet rock her future bedroom), neighbors have come by and worked, too. By the end of yesterday, we're laughing together like old friends, despite the language barrier.

Nothing but good experiences with the people here.

8:00 - Poor Fr Vince has a nasty cold - claims he looks worse than he feels.

Sunny and beautiful - let's wrap this thing up!

As requested, here's the name of the parish in La Morita:

San Eugenio de Mozenod

thomas merton...

...Once described the look on dead Trappist monks as one of "grim satisfaction". Now, I'm not saying we've reached that point (everybody is very much alive and well, for one thing) and maybe it's just me, but by the end of today, trying to get that first coat of stucco on and the roof sealed tight, things were leaning a bit toward grim, if satisfying side.

Of course, by the time dinner came around (taco and burrito night - yea!), everybody was back to their usual cackling selves. Hard to be down surrounded by 40+ cheerful teens.

That said, I could really use a margarita or two right about now.

Tomorrow, we finish up and hand over the keys to the families.

JSM

3:15 p - Fr Vince made it in ok and has dropped by the sites already.
Wind died down, now just warm and sunny. 1st coat of stucco and roof almost done.
JSM

7:50 - Fr Vince is coming in today for the next couple days. How great to see that level of support.

Looks like hot, dry and windy today.

All is well.
JSM

Where we are: update

The camp is at the corner of
Hacienda Santa Monica and Hacienda Valle Verdi in La Morita, Mexico. I couldn't spell that other street.

5:30p - what a day. Just knocking off. Evertbody worked very hard. Heading back to camp.

JSM

8:20a - today not a cloud in the sky. Everybody is doing well. Today, mostly prep for stuccoing. We'll be heading out in half an hour.

Rain stopped about 5, now sunny and beautiful. Parents, you should be proud of your kids - everybody cheerfully pitched in, no complaints despite the rain.
JSM

Where we are:

The camp is between
Hacienda Valle Verde and
Hacienda Tequisiaspan in La Morita, about 10 miles E of Tijuana. Don't have addresses for the sites

6:30. All well. Will try to get exact addresses so you all back home can google earth us.

No sooner said than it starts raining. Sigh.

Will report on other houses tonight.
One student who shall remain nameless was dazzled by the brilliance of the standard chalk line.

Weather: cool and cloudy

Lunch break @ house 1. All are well. 8 wall panels done, 9 to go, then the roof and gables. Tori is a commando with a tape measure and pencil.

8:20 a. All is well - running a little late, a little bit of the usual chaos, spirits are high. We prayed for all of you at Mass. Off to build houses in a few.

Earthquake epicenter was 100 miles E of here - shook for almost a minute, but no damage at all.

Dinner almost over, then campfire, sleep - then build houses!

Everybody's fine. Earthquake did no damage in our area.

JSM

We're here. Everbody safe and sound.

JSM

We are almost to the border. Getting in is usually no trobble, I will post after we get through.
<Andrew>

We just finished our lunch stop. I had a banana chocolate chip shake from Carl Jr.'s with the lunch my Mom packed, it was quite good.
Next stop: Mexico
Andrew

heads up! heading across the border

In a couple minutes, we'll be heading out. We *think* we'll be able to update the blog from there, and have a back-up plan just in case, so you should get an update or two each evening.

Also, if you have specific things or people you want to hear about, put in a comment to this blog and we'll try to accommodate you.

Pray for us. We'll pray for you!

Until tonight,

Joseph

10:30 - first vehicles arriving at Carl's Jr rendezvous just N of the border - time for lunch.

JSM

9:30a - 50 miles N of San Diego on the 5. All's well.

JSM

Happy Easter!

Had b-fast, packing up to go to Mexico in 5 minutes.

Dad, Teresa, and I just got out of a beautiful Easter vigil at Sacred Heart chapel.
So we got out of Lent early. <:)>
<Andrew>

5:55 - everbody safe at LMU.

Tom Azembrato and co: first at LMU 5:15p

4:37. Descending into LA.

Passed a rest area sign that said "tourist information". The only information a tourist needs this close to Bakersfield is "you're lost".
Gas stop @ HW58.

This is proably the only time of year when this drive along 5 is beautiful. All the hills are spring green. Even the clouds are a landscape of cotton.
<Andrew>

Gabi's fashion statement - fur-lined boots, gym shorts and a sweatshirt - were the talk of the shivering horde. Back on the road.

We are having lunch.
The sun is out over here and the weather is nicer.
Looks like everyone is having a good time.
<Andrew>

Lunch at the rest stop - everybody here except Greg's truck, but Andrew is blogging from there, so all's well.

JSM

We just finished our first rosary of the drive. I think that Mary herself must have looked back on the Joyful mysteries on Good Saturday.
<Andrew>

It is very cold and windy outside. I like cold weather for working, but if it is very windy in Mexico it might blow our tents down. <Andrew>

Mike and Greg, our driver, noticed Rick and Bob's trailer 'cavitateing', ie. swaying, so we called them up, pulled over and rearnged the load frontwards<Andrew>

We have been on the road for about 45 minutes now. I have been trying to repair my jeans, but it is rather bumpy for needlework. <Andrew>

In the car. We're on the road!

why don't ya'll comment?

Hi again. Getting ready to leave. Why don't you readers comment when you get a chance so we know who the audience is and slant our posts accordingly?

JSM

Hi! Breakfast is good - gotta get everbody totally wired on donuts and coffee so we can sit in cars for the next 8 hours. LOL.

Seriously, all is well. JSM

Heading out in a couple hours!

Happy holy blessed and safe Triduum to all!

Josep