September 30, 2002

• Ta daah!

  
  

  Significant progress was made on the roof over the weekend.

  
  

  I couldn’t have done it without the help of

  
  

  

  
  

  Greyfox… who took all the pictures…

  
  

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  Koji, for comic relief…

  
  

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  …and Doug, who kept the tarp from blowing away.

  
  

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  This is how it looked when we started on Saturday…

  
  

  (That’s our shiny new Metalbestos® chimney.  Isn’t it neat… a cap and everything, just like downtown?)

  
  

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  I was almost done nailing down the front edge of the last tarp when a brilliant thought hit me:  I could have weighted down the loose end and let Doug nail across to me!

  
  

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  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, some adjustments had to be made to fit the tarp around the antenna mast.  At least the pole gave me something to tie the tarp to… saved a nail, anyway.

  
  

  The work got done during a rare interval without rain and even the wind cooperated, a little bit, grudgingly, with only a few gusts that threatened to take us away with the tarp before Greyfox got out there with the camera.  When it was all done, the building inspector gave it a sniff of approval.

  
  

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  Our woodpile has grown too large for its tarp. 

  
  

  Three things no Alaskan can live without:

  
  

  Tarps. Visqueen (poly sheeting) and “duck tape” (duct, to the sticklers).

  
  

  We haven’t yet taped the Visqueen over the windows for winter.  It’s really not that cold, yet.  The roof still needs to be tied down and sealed at a couple of seams, but the tricky stuff is done and it sheds water.  Greyfox’s bed hasn’t gotten dripped on for a month or so, since that phase was completed.

  
  

  Yesterday’s weather map showed precipitation over the entire BIG state.  There are definitely more leaves on the ground than on the trees, and tourist season is over.  Today is the last day some of the lodges and seasonal businesses will be open this year.  If we get any more days when the temp is above 30° F and the chance of precip is below 30%, Greyfox will be back at the stand in Talkeetna selling knives, rocks, books and videos to the locals.  Who knows, there might even be a few hardy tourists here in search of the aurora borealis.

  • 12:40 pm
  • 11 Comments