Full Moon over the Valhalla Farm, June 24th 2013

It has been a very long stretch of time since my last update, and the reason being that not so much has happened.  We still do not have a COMPLETE roof...I know, I know, it has been a real source of frustration.  There are so many projects that are on hold because we first need a roof.  That is why I have not posted of late....However, here is a beautiful shot of the house under the full moon of last night.  The shot was take at 11pm.  It is now light all night...sky keep a streak of pink in it until sunrise.  Mark no longer is in bed and asleep by 9pm.....he now goes between 10:30 and 11...Gulp!!

 

 

 

This looks like a "Sun Dog" to me instead of a rainbow, or is it just the way I am looking at it?

A Double Rainbow was Just What Papa and Nana Needed Last Night...Still no Roofer Today.

WOW!  Things are certainly never dull in the Standring family!!What an incident.  So glad Mark was not hurt. Yes, a definite memorial for his gravestone !!!

Contracted a 3'd Roofer...and was stood up today. STLL NO ROOF!! Waaaa

Mark is kind worn out, has a head cold.  We have had our share of that wet stuff that falls from the sky...called rain!  Because we have no roof yet, the rain puddles fill up on the floor boards of the house.  Mark ever so faithfully goes in after ever rain and sweeps and drys it off the floors.

So today he another "light Bulb" moment, and decided to seal the roof with a silicone, since we just do not know what to do about the "no roofer will come" trouble. I do not have a clue wither this is a smart idea or not because I really do not understand what it is he is siliconing.  I did tell him that I did not like it much, seeing him up on that steep roof.  He assured me today that he was going to be using a tether.

After he was working for well over a couple of hours, I heard his voice sounding urgent, calling me.  My heart jumped into my throat, he is in trouble, I knew.  I shouted back that I was coming, slipped on my shoes and ran toward the house.  My eyes viewed the roof, he was not there and then the ground, he was not laying there either.  All the way across the yard, I was saying out loud.  "Lord let him be okay".

"Mark" I shouted..."Around back" came his voice.  "Are you hurt" I called.  "No" said the Voice.  I arrived around back to see my husband dangling from a rope, ladder sprawled across the ground.  I know that your thinking, easy to fix, pick up the ladder, set it against the house and let him climb down, right?  Wrong!!  I have never (until now) tried to lift up a 30 foot ladder, let a lone swing it toward a house.  Soooo, I could barely lift one end....but did manage.  The end that I lifted,I had to  passed to dangling Mark, and while he was hanging by a rope, he had to place it against the house, while I with both feet planted on the ground, stuggled to lift the bottom onto place....after some odd kind of team work, the ladder got in place, but Mark was underneath the ladder and now had no way to swing himself, overtop!

I offered to climb up and try to grab his arm and pull him, but the ladder was not strong enough to hold us both...only thing to be done was Mark had to release himself from the rope and crawl down on the underneath side of the ladder!!  It was at that time that I so wanted to have my camera...but no matter how bad I wanted this on film, just taint right to leave a man dangling from a rope so you can have a photo shoot.  So I grabbed the ladder to steady it as he lowered his feet on the underside of the ladder and released his rope with one hand, hanging onto the ladder with the other.  Finally climbed down to the ground.
He took a break in the trailer, and talked about how it all happened while I made him a light supper.  Now that he is fed and okay, he said to me "Well, many would quit, but not me" as he headed off to climb that roof again...I call after him, saying..."I think that is what I will write on your tomb"  He called back..."OKAY"!!!
That is how June the 12th has gone down in history...our history.

JA

UP, UP, and AWAY!! Shingles are Now Sitting on the Roof, Still No Roofer??

Mark's 60th Birthday happened on the 4th of June.  He and I went to have some East Coast Fish and Chips!  That is right, here in Grande prairie a Newfoundland couple have a small joint, sort of take out , eat in place.  It was as East Coast as any place back home.  We invited any other family to come and join us if they wished, but we realized that they had all already celebrated Dad's birthday at the Retirement party.  It was a delight and a surprise when Kris, Heidi and babies came as well as Joe Corinna and 3 boys, then in walked Dan Vicky and baby.  We  only missed the Flewwelling...and we kind of figured that it was too late for Hadassah, she does not do well at the end of her day, with big crowds in small spaces. In the end we showed those Newfoundlanders that big families still grather for good food!!!

Much more was gained on the 4th as well, because Kristopher, Joseph and Mark F all arrived to help Papa get the shingles on the top of the roof....  The photos will tell the story.  You will note that the  "young men" are safety conscience and have all the right equipment.  I have no explaination why Papa/Dad did not, and he was like a squirrel, darting up and down the roof.  My grey hair turned even whiter as I watched him....and truth be known, I could barely take the photos of the work because I was scared I was going to watch him fall to his death....then I could not think of any reason to finish this house without him!  And you would have wasted your time reading this whole blog!!

I am exceedly glad to report that he "Papa" is no worst for the wear and tear, and he did an excellent job. I also included a few interior (what there is of it) photos too!

Heidi's girls were here for the day and they enjoyed some "Gate rides" at the old barn!  Weeeeee!!!

The last photos of the sky, was taken at 1AM..imagine there is still light in the sky at that time, and a 3 AM the sky is starting to break dawn...we are truly in the land of the "midnight sun", I will over the next week or two take more photos at 2Am and the at 3Am..just to share with you.

Prep Work in Progress

Okay, let me explain.  The roof to the house is very very steep
as you cansee.  Soooo, Mark came up with an great idea, a way
to transport the shingle up to the roof top.  He first made a platform
over the windows and the door.  He the made mini platforms on the
roof itself to hold the shingle bundles!  Retirement has not affected
those creative, ploblem solving, smarts that he has!!!
WAY TO GO MARK!!!

It is our hope that our Builder will be back on Thursday and being
to add our roof....we sooooo need the roof so we can store the fixtures
beds and etc...????!!!!  No rain please from Thursday until Tuesday.