Friday December 15th

I'm sitting in my bunk-it's almost quiet enough to concentrate. I'm working on cleaning up the outside area as some VIP-a senator? is coming over for a tour later today. It's a mess out there-paint materials, tools, respirators and gloves everywhere. We have been so busy here with huge groups coming in and huge groups leaving. On Wednesday we participated in a 350+group of volunteers in an effort to clean up parks, gut houses and repair and build playgrounds all on one street: Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. It was sponsored by Timberland. The CEO and executives worked together to gut a really disgusting house. It was impressive. So many organizations and local businesses participated and I found it to be so inspirational. The closing ceremony had some great speeches and a Dixieland band. Everyone was dirty and tired and happy.
I worked with a crew on building planter boxes-breaking down the old contaminated ones-cleaned up a school playground so that it can be used again. My arms were toast at the end of the day from running wheelbarrows of dirt from one area to the other. But everyone was doing hard labor and I felt so happy to be part of it. The funniest thing I saw was a group of college students who spent the entire day building one planter box...They spent so much time debating how it should be done...Meanwhile we built 2, painted them, put dirt in them, planted plants in them and cleaned up a park. The phase we like to use is, "Get'er done!" Still they were there doing their thing. Let me just say that most of the college students don't do this--it was just this particular group.
Yesterday I found out that the IRS wants to audit me for 2005-they were already auditing my 2004 return. I freaked out as the letter said I had to come up with all my records by Dec 31st-I'm here. I live in a bunk and don't have access to all my records, most of which are in a storage unit in Seattle. After I calmed down I called them and requested another deadline and requested that I can do my complete interview over the phone. I would hate to pay for another plane ticket at this point. They piss me off so much. We are talking about a very small amount of money that will either be owed to me or owed to them. Whatever!
Last night I walked to the French Quarter to Frenchman Street to go and hear a gypsy jazz band called VA VA VOOM-they were amazing. Accordion, bass, 2 guitarists, an amazing violinist and soprano sax. I was blown away by their music-you could not help but move your body to it-it was very soulful and wild. Jack Fine-I've mentioned him before haven't I? He is in his 70s, well known NO trumpet player who has played with all the greats-Billie Holiday-Django-Frank Sinatra,ect...has become my friend and was there last night. He always has these great stories to tell. Anyways, I'm sitting in the back of the room with him listening to the band and he pulls his trumpet out of the case and just starts playing. The band members are smiling as he can do this anytime, sitting in the back playing bad ass licks---I'm mean bad ass!

I took a taxi home at midnight and had a real hard time getting out of bed this morning. I'm feeling tired today and look forward to having Sunday off.