Calla Time

"The calla lilies are in bloom again. Such a strange flower, suitable to any occasion."

Saddness for you all that do not recognize that line. Katherine Hepburn in "Stage Door" says this line. It is an excellent old black and white movie. So many stars in it - Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, to name a few.

But here is a picture of a couple of ladies that were just recently starring in my front yard.

Enjoy.

The Roof - the complete story

So, roofer dudes show up Thursday morning - it's slighty drizzly, but that's good cause they have to rip stuff off - and it's going to clear by the afternoon - they worked and worked and made the mess you see in the last post.

Friday, they roll felt paper. And need more of that. Wife number one shows up. They nail shingles until everytime they step on one, it leaves a swirl on it - they leave.

Saturday, they nail shingles all day - like 6:30 am until mid afternoon - go home - take naps - come back and nail shingles until dark. By this time the dogs believe there is a constant thunderstorm occuring over our house and are about over it all. Wife number two with child shows up.

OH BUT WAIT - Saturday morning - Brent comes into my office and sits and says "I am about to throw up." Apparently, we will be needing $1000 more in shingles.

$1000 more

Okay. So for those of you that do not know, I HATE dealing with money - loans, large amounts, whatever - just hate it - and voila - i am sitting there going - well Brent - give me a minute, and I will go crap a couple of gold bars.

Needless to say we found the money and got the shingles. which going on with the story brings us to SUNDAY.

Sunday - nailing shingles at 6:30 in the morning - yes our neighbors were probably pissed, but at this point, a two day job has become a four day job. A 43 bundle of shingle job has become a 95 bundle of shingle job - a 3400 square feet of shingle job. . .

Wife number one from the time she arrived has been helping the guys - cleaning up stuff - sweeping, orgazinig - she's got OCD or something - but hey - she didn't mind it -

Wife number two brings the baby and sits out in front of the house. They are super nice and all, and eventually everyone leaves. Two o'clock Sunday. Quiet - naptime.

So that night we celebrate - the main guy didn't take as much as we thought he would cause he was so upset about underestimating the number of shingles, so we celebrated with Chinese for dinner. Of course we didn't eat until like eight. And while I was out picking it up, the rain started. Just in time to test out our new roof.

MMMHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

So I am eating my delicious General Tso's chicken with my chopsticks of course, and we're watching something on TV, and I hear it. PLOP PLOP PLOP. That's right. Water dripping into the attic. So I freak and jump up and then it comes down right next to my chair - so i put a bowl under it. By this time we are both up on our feet trying to decide what to do and are scrambling.

I have to climb up in the attic - THE ATTIC - I don't climb that ladder - it has a weight limit - plus - I don't climb that ladder - but anyway - water is coming in by the chimney and running down a rafter to where it is dripping. So we have to cover the chimney.

So I go out and the neighbor is not home - he has ladders - of course he's not home. Then I call Dad. WELLLL, that brought on him fussing and of course i wasn't to go on the roof in the rain and what was I going to do and let's think about this - and this conversation ended abruptly when I said "I'm coming to get the ladder." CLICK

So we got the ladder, I got up on the roof and covered the chimney with a tarp tied on with a rope. By the time I get back down, we find out that Mike has called and is actually on his way (a two hour drive) to find out what the problem is.

He gets here at ten. Goes up top. Finds out that his brother and helper did not caulk the FOURTH SIDE OF THE CHIMNEY. So he does - covers it back up to let the caulk cure, and goes home.

Last night I climbed back up on the roof. I took the tarp off. It has rained off and on since - no leaks - fingers crossed.

And that - she says with a sigh - is the story of Lisa and Brent's roof . . .

Late, but as promised, pictures of the destruction . . .

Here are lovely pictures of flowers covered with shingles . . .

Brent - Bird Lover Extraordinaire

Okay - Brent loves birds, but it's not an obsession - LOL - BUTT - he has given home to a mama and four (maybe five) babies -

It's very hard to tell but in the straw there are little baby birds - the light color on the black lumps is their beaks. When I moved in to take their pictures, they froze, but Brent says they are all fine.

Apparently if you leave something sitting for FOREVER - like a boat motor - well - birds will build nests - Needless to say Mama Bird is not happy that Brent is working under the carport on the ugly A green boat from the previous entry - - - -

Updates on the new babies as they come in . . .

The sound of mighty hammers . . .

Well the massive destruction begins tomorrow. Two friends of Brent's will be here at the crack of dawn to start tearing the roof off of the house. Big kids gotta take care of their house. What a pain in the butt.

So today Brent went to Lowe's and ordered everything and then at 5, we went out to pick it up. Lord God, thank you for Brent's truck, but poor thing almost broke under the weight of just the shingles. Needless to say the Honda was used to pick up the rest of the order. Here's hoping his truck can recover tomorrow once it is unloaded.

(SEPTEMBER - Much love girl - that little trailer is stillllll rolling!)

So what I thought I would post here with the picture of Brent's sagging truck are pictures of my flowers, because no matter how carefully these guys are going to work I just know my beautiful flower beds are going to not be so beautiful tomorrow.

So enjoy - and Todd - I hope you are happy - - -

Oh and THIS is what makes Brent and my Daddy alike - Brent is "fixing" the motor on this boat as part of the payment to the guys for doing the roof - mmhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . .