Tuesday, April 07, 2009

The Fool On the Roof; a Self-Portrait


It was about this time about 30 years ago that I decided to roof our house myself. Then we were quoted about $1500. After I thought about it, I decided $1500 was $1500.

What I didn’t think about was my fingers. I had to bear down on a cutting knife to cut each tab. That just about destroyed my nerves on the tips of my fingers. They still go numb and tingle often.

A couple of times when I was roofing early in the morning there was morning frost, which I slipped, fell, and slid down the roof angle and at the time I was grabbing and scratching for something to hold on to… which, luckily enough I caught before plunging off the roof.

And there was also the time in the middle of the night I heard thundering and rain and remembered I forgot to put a tarp over the area I had earlier cut the tabs. I climbed up in the pouring rain, thundering, and lightening with a flashlight in one hand and dragging a tarp in the other to cover the unprotected area.

We had our next roof about 12 years later when we had a den added.

And now it is probably time for another one. I know one person who won’t be putting it on: Me.

6 comments:

kenju said...

I think not!! We don't want to lose you.

Eddie said...

Judy,
If I fell you wouldn't lose me. In fact, I wouldn't even be hard to find.

Si's blog said...

I need to repair a small place on one of my lower and less steep roofy places. Need to keep this in mind. And keep my wife from seeing this.

Eddie said...

Si,
I do that a lot... keep my wife from seeing things.

Tammy Prance said...

Smart Man!! Sometimes it is better to pay than to try and do it yourself!

Eddie said...

Tammy,
They say you get a little smarter for every mistake you make - so in that case, I have been working on my masters for a degree in Street Smarts for 67 years now and might graduate soon.