We’d put it off long enough. The part of the framing our contractor decided NOT to do because it was decorative. Honestly, I think what happened was the house was more complex and took longer than they had expected. Five weeks, we were told. Two and a half month later, they left us with a lot of scary high work that they deemed was not their responsibility. Can you tell I’m still struggling to let go of it?
We have two very high gable ends that they framed but didn’t cover with plywood. They had the gear, they had the knowledge, now we had to figure out how to do the work with neither. Thank goodness, Jer isn’t afraid of heights, so I’m afraid enough for both of us.
This weekend was gable number one. I told a co-worker it would be a miracle if we got it done. Guess what? Miracles still happen!
Those tall adjustable ladders that start at sixteen feet in the picture, yeah, I climbed them. I was okay usually until about twenty feet off the ground. Jer actually did most of the work. I helped calculate, problem solve, and run errands for him.
Jer is a beast. He carried full pieces of plywood up those ladders. I’d help hold one end while he got at least one nail secured. We even got the moister barrier up the same day and our first row of siding. I was exhausted and suggested it wasn’t smart to continue at heights like these when we were feeling so tired. Jer, on the other hand, wanted to continue but conceded.
We finished the siding the next day. Just before the last tippy-top row, which I couldn’t help with because of the height, the siding nail gun fell to the ground. Yep, it’s broke, but I was happy we were able to finish something that felt impossible.
I wondered if we could also get the decorative front portion on too? On the day we leave, we have only four hours to work and pack up to be on the road in time to get home to go back to our week jobs. I felt guilty asking Jer to do something so hard, something we weren’t exactly sure how to do, to have to go up so high again, and at a weird angle. His courage and tenacity shocks me sometimes, even if his perfectionism in building can be a little annoying.
Jer did it! I’m so proud of the work we were able to do together.