Things are rolling right along on the Goodings’ house! When they’re not working full-time at their “other” jobs, Shay and Kristal have put in a lot of long, hard hours. The faithful duo of Bill Terrill and Bob Tiemeyer have been working beside them. With some much-welcome help from OCC, and despite some meteorological hiccups, the Goodings appear to be on schedule to move in this spring.

There have been some unexpectedly long delays, some due to material and service delays, most due to rain and intermittent downpours interspersed with … more rain. When people in Forks are talking about the wet winter — it’s wet!

It is impossible to get a decent surface on concrete when the sky will not hold still long enough to broom the finish. The outside of the house couldn’t be painted until there was a momentary wink of sunshine, but when there was a hole in the storm, up jumped OCC and within a day primed boards had become a cloud grey exterior paint job.

The Goodings chose the color, which seems eerily apropos. Fortunately there is electricity, which means there is heat, which means there are now some good-looking floors in place. It’s really starting to look like home. When the pontoons are taken off it will look better yet. There aren’t any pontoons. There should be.

More help will arrive on Feb. 7 in the form of Care-A-Vanners. How brave and devoted to the cause do you have to be to come to Forks in February? But coming they are and grateful we are to have them.

With their help, window sills, trim, cabinets and tile all should be done quickly and efficiently. We are hoping to feed them well and extend our good Forks hospitality in any way we can. If you run into them, please say hello and thank them for coming. If you would like to come by and help, the house is warm and dry — at least inside.

The Core Team has not been idle. Shele, Barb and Showandah have been painting on their door for the door painting contest. It is an awesome door, because it is full of laughter and purpose, and thanks to Pastor Pam and her studio, the door is in a warm, dry place to work.

The Core team wants to know how all the other doors in the community are coming along, and if those artists are ready for that inner-community contest. The ladies are sorely tempted to claim victory in advance, but knowing at least some of the people who have doors out there, and having a modicum of good sense, they’re keeping mum for now.

Remember, the doors are going to be auctioned off to help raise money for Habitat and there needs to be money in the coffers before we can start another build. It’s all one big pot of dollars, so to help us locally, is to help us countywide. Don’t forget to put your Outfitters receipts in the jars around town. Don’t forget to say hi and welcome to the Care-A-Vanners, and please pray for the Goodings, their house and some sunny days soon!