I hate stripping wood BUT....

If there is one thing that I hate more than stripping paint, it is roofing!

I have just spent the last three days putting a new roof on the garage of one of the in-laws' properties. The weather was great for it but I still hate roofing. The total cost in materials, should anyone consider doing this themselves was less than $350. It took me a day and a half to remove two layers of shingles and another day and a half to put on the new layer. The concept is simple and straight forward, in fact I would even say that almost anyone could install a roof. In fact, I think everyone should do it at least once in their lifetime. Just like everyone should be a department store cashier for one Christmas season just to know what it is like. However, it is not easy work. It is physically gruelling and I ache everywhere right now. Just like I did 4 years ago when I did our roof. ( And swore I would NEVER do this again.)

You know what else, just when I was almost done. Down to the last few feet of the ridge capping in fact. Yeah, that's when I did it. I smacked the index finger of my left hand with the roofing hammer....

Now, if you feel inspired to know what this feels like then you need to grab a meat tenderizing hammer, add a pound to it's weight, put your finger on a counter and smack it with the finer of the two surfaces. If you want it to look like mine then the finger nail has to go red and the underside has to swell up like a hardened plum and even retain that plum color. Can you say Ouch? I must have been a sight, straddled across the roof ridge shaking my hand violently and with tears in my eyes as I muttered (whimpered more like) ooch, ooch, ooch. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Cussing and blowing, knowing full well that no roof job is complete until you have smacked your finger and christened the new shingle with blood....

I think I will take some aspirin and go to bed....

Did I mention I really hate roofing?