Up on the Roof

In what we hope will be the last huge job in this house this year, (fingers crossed) we just had our roof reshingled. The men started it in June but the constant July rains  brought everything to a soggy halt and it was only finished last week.

I could barely watch them because of the height.

These men are not your ‘ordinary’ roofers… if there even is such a thing. One is a sculptor, one a photographer, and the other is a maker of guitars. The multiple skills that people develop here is an astounding aspect of rural living.  For instance, artists who’ve lived here a long time have needed to branch out and develop other skills for making money. It’s interesting how most people in the area have several irons in the fire job-wise in order to make a living. I believe this gives rural people a resilience, a versatility and adaptability that makes it possible to live in a part of the country that has, shall we say, employment challenges.

Some of the garage roof boards looked like Swiss cheese when the old shingles came off.

Back in the city I knew lots of former art school grads who had to find other employment, but usually that translated into a fulltime job just doing one kind of work. When people here do construction jobs or gardening jobs or even tourism centre jobs, it’s short-term, contract, and seasonal. Although it can’t generate the kind of income that a permanent 9-5 job in an urban centre can, it leaves time for making art, socializing, gardening and pursuing creative activities. It also develops an independent spirit. unplugged from the Matrix.

Last week during roofing breaks we watched Ted talks online while we ate stir fried vegetables that I picked fresh from our garden. We watched a fascinating lecture/demonstration from Michael Pritchard who has designed a simple, portable water filtration system. With most residents here on private well water, clean water is a big, big topic here along with heating systems, so the episode was a big hit. Everyone wondered if it would work on salt water.

Zucchini from my garden. (and one cucumber)

After lunch, during the worst heat of the day they left to tend their gardens and to go for a cool dip in the local creek.

While they were working on the roof they found two old clay pipes from Scotland that are more than one hundred years old. Someone had placed them or forgotten about them in the eaves. I’m guessing that the original roof builders left them there as a souvenir. They would have been men who also were building sailing ships down at the wharf here in Bear River.

Clay pipe, made in Glasgow.

When the roof was finished it looked wonderful and waterproof for at least another 20 or so years. Now all we have to do is pick up all the shingles and toss them in the dumpster that’s on its way. It seems that even roof artists can’t help making a mess.