September 11, 2002

• Roof repair, phase 4

  
  

  The whole family is more or less under the weather and for once I seem to be the healthiest of the bunch.  Wahoo.  I love taking care of a couple of sullen, whiny men.  I’m convinced that part of the problem with these guys is that the haven’t had enough experience at being ill.  I am a much better patient than they are.

  
  

  Doug did manage to make it up to the roof with me for an hour or two yesterday, to move the ladder to the other side of the trailer and slip some sheet metal and protective corrugated plastic (translation:  a shot-up old road sign [loose gravel] sandwiched between some salvaged political campaign signs) under the tarp over Greyfox’s room. 

  
  

  It will, we hope, spread the load and strengthen the “mushy” roof supports in that area for protection to and from Doug as he shovels snow up there this winter.  Those saggy support beams are responsible for the leak over Greyfox’s bed.  Water forms a puddle there in the low spot and seeps through and onto his bed.

  
  

  I also got our latest seam sealed (#3 of 5) and cut and sealed the opening for the next-to-last vent.  In deference to Doug’s diminished energy and non-existent good humor, I didn’t take pictures while we were working, and didn’t ask him to take any.  As we were shutting down the jobsite for the night, I tried to get a shot of him moving the ladder, but the camera took too long to warm up.  I took two shots of him anyway.  In the first, he has just set the ladder back in its usual position and in the other, he is waiting for me to come take the folding chair he is holding.

  
  

  

  
  

  Most of the work we did up there yesterday was head work, trying to decide the best way to secure the TV antenna mast.  It is a skinny birch tree that Mark (who owns the land and gave us the trailer for staying here and caring for his pets) set up.  Its base rests in one hole of a cement block on the ground, and it is held in place by ropes tied to a cement block on the other side of the trailer and two cement blocks on the roof.

  
  

  Before we can tarp that end of the roof, we have to eliminate the blocks and ropes, and I have no desire to put them back when we are done.  They make shoveling the snow off there more of a chore, and aren’t anything even approaching neat or professional-looking.  I’ve decided to use plumber’s strap to fasten the upper portion of the mast to the side of the trailer.

  
  

  No roofing today:  it is raining and Doug has an online game set for the afternoon.

  • 2:43 pm
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