Barn Work…

During this summer we have done a lot of work on our Barndominium to get it ready to accommodate a responsible couple who will appreciate the beauty of rural living.

One of the first things Hubs tackled was the repairing of a leak at the top of the hot water heater which entailed him having to climb atop the barn roof.

Now the barn does not have a very steep roof but I know Hubs doesn’t like heights at all.

I offered to hold his ladder steady, a 17 footer which I’d bought him for a gift, while he prepared to climb.

I stood at my post, one foot on the first rung poised for a quick ascent if needed, and watched as Hubs climbed upwards.  He took with him tape, a knife and a lot of courage.

Once up ontop I could hear him muttering under his breath, and every now and again a clatter – metal roofs are very clattery.

As I waited, looking up, unable to see what was happening but hearing all kinds of startling noises and things rolling around, my imagination started to take flight.

The slant of the roof became steeper and steeper and Hubs was struggling to keep himself from tumbling to the ground, slipping and sliding as he frantically tried to keep his balance.

Finally I had to voice my concerns,

“Are you OK?

“What was that?

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

I shouted up to him.  He didn’t answer and my heart started hammering in my chest.  All I could think was that the next sight of my blue-eyed cowboy would be him tumbling off the edge (the only part I could see) as he sailed past me to the ground below.

Another series of banging, clattering and mutterings and I steeled myself for my own slow, upward climb hoping I wouldn’t pull the ladder down on top of me, but Hubs had thought of that and had tied it securely to one of the metal poles that gives the barn its name.

I had to see for myself that he wasn’t being brave while clinging on by the skin of his teeth risking life and limb for a silly leak.

This is what I found.

BarnLeak

“I wondered how long it would take for you to come and investigate!” he said turning his smile on me.

Relieved that it was all noise and no imminent danger I clambered up next to him and looked down,

BarnLeak2

then I gathered my balance and walked up to the top of the roof and surveyed our house, clad in trees.

BarnHouse

I turned to our favourite view from ground level, the gated paddock its pathway meandering through the junipers leading to Footlights’ entryway from Rigsby Lane.

BarnLeak3

“It’s beautiful up here,” I said breathlessly.

“Stop tramping around, you’re making me nervous!”

“I simply have to take a panoramic, it’s gorgeous, have you even looked down?” I asked.

Of course he hadn’t, his eyes were fixed on his repair job, his brain was denying vertigo.

“Be careful,” was all he could muster as I positioned myself in the best place to make a 360º turn with my camera held aloft.

BarnPano“I knew you’d enjoy it,” he said ripping the final length of tape from the roll.

“When you’re finished you can stand up and we can both take in the view from the top,” I suggested.

And we did!  It was thrilling and not as treacherous as it had sounded.

The roof was almost flat!

 

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ElRay

2021-10-01 19:16:08 Reply

Too High!

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