Monday, November 17, 2008



This is my office in Habaka, Jordan I do have a mobile office on the bus also.  Just need internet

November 17th 2008
Well, I am home now and the blogging didn't go as planned.  I was hoping to add each day and keep everything in chronological order but that what happens when you don't have internet. So I apologize for the mess.  Still trying to figure out who this blogging works.  Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement for participating in my 5th Habitat for Humanity Build. Hopefully #6 will be in January to India (#1 on the waiting list), #7 in April to Papau New Guinea and #8 to South Dakota Indian Reservation.  Got to get to heaven some way....

Some interesting things I learned from my trip to Jordan:
-it is a beautiful country
-the people are always smiling and friendly
-there are more hills than San Francisco and you always seem to be walking uphill
-Petra, one of the seven wonders of the world, is really a wonder
-in small towns women don't smoke outside
-camels seem to love me
-that 16 adults in one room can keep themselves busy by playing dumb games night after night
-it is disrespectful to show the soles of your feet to anyone while you are sitting
-one of our members was walked home by Mike Myers
-another member met Olivia Newton John in an elevator
-that I am not too old to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor
-that I am too old to walk up 900 steps to see the Monastery in Petra, so I took a donkey
-there are very few dogs in Jordan, only the rich have them, but there are cats everywhere
-that you can get used to the "call to prayer" over the loadspeakers at 4:30am everyday 
-one of our members was helped by Christopher Reeves (Superman) when she was lost
-that you can spend 12 days with 16 complete strangers and they can become your friends for life














Sunday, November 9, 2008




Our camel herders.
Our leader leading us into the desert never to return.

Michelle outside her tent in the desert and Wadi Rum.

The Bedouin camp that we spent our R&R
Heather, Michael, Robert, Wolf, MaryJane, Joanne off to get lost in the desert.


Hailey and Maryjane learning to dance Bedouin style.  I think they need a few more lessons.


The parents of the family that will move into our house.  The family is now living at a military base until he retires from the army.
Paulo's boots that he received for his 16th birthday.
Murray checking out his wall.
Wolfgang, the master of the rectangle rebar.

Ann, Michael and Hailey sitting down on the job
Our almost finished house.  Another team will come in and finish it.  They will have to haul up 2000 buckets of cement to finish the roof.  I am glad it is not us.


Our last moments on the build.  Jordan and Canada!!!!!!
Paulo and the neighbourhood kids.
Ann on her 2,358th rectangle rebar.

Bryan cleaning his tools.






Hailey being Mary Magdalin near the Treasury




That is a real person
Heather and Wolf in Petra


The top of the world, a family lives here.  Paulo was offered a marriage proposal from the husband to marry his wife.


Motley crew floating in the Dead Sea.

Aren't we pretty???

Always so cute.

Like the bathing suit Joanne.  Did you leave it behind?

The creature from the Black Lagoon.

Saturday, November 8, 2008


Robert getting his head threaded in Petra.  They even did his ears.  Can you say Pain, Pain, Pain........


Hailey the camel driver.

Krista looking beautiful as ever.

Robert, Maryjane, Michael, Krista and Paulo on the way back from our 10 mile walk around the ruins of Petra.  A must see before you die.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Can you see Helen???

Ayman, Heather, Michelle, Paulo, Fouad (Raoul), Bryan

Bedouin Canadian Style-Hailey, Krista, Paulo, Michelle, Robert

Trying to be artist through Anne's glasses.

Three stooges - Paulo, Joanne and Krista

Jennifer is a little bit of dirt on her.


EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

Our humble abode, the female bedroom.

Day one on the site.


Our leader trying to figure out where we are going.


Mary Jane, Mary Jane, Mary Jane.


Michael becoming one with the culture.


Heather getting ready for sleep at the Halwe Bedouin Camp, very cold.


Hailey getting ready to hop on her camel

Charlie before he met his Angels.