NH Homesteader's journal

baymule

Sustainability Master
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
10,755
Reaction score
18,781
Points
413
Location
East Texas
What's so bad about climbing on a roof? I took a job one summer roofing houses because I couldn't find anything else. I thought I'd been hot in my life. There ain't no place hotter than a roof. But I learned a lot. When hurricane Ike dropped an oak tree on our old house, with the help of a guy from work, he and I tore off 35 squares and roofed the house. Saved tons of money! Ya'll know I'll tackle anything, right?
 

frustratedearthmother

Sustainability Master
Joined
Mar 10, 2012
Messages
20,606
Reaction score
22,963
Points
453
Location
USDA 9a
My house is two-story. I painted this house - by myself - on a ladder - with a paintbrush after my divorce. It took a long time....

I have never liked heights, but I climbed an extension ladder with a bucket of paint in one hand. I wrapped my arms around that ladder, shaking like a leaf, and painted a tiny section at a time because I could NOT make myself reach or stretch with my free hand. I shook so hard I was afraid I'd shake the ladder down. But, by dang I did it just to prove I could and by dang I will NEVER do it again. However, just to prove I'm not a total wuss - I will get on the roof of the feed room that comes off the barn. It's only about 10 feet tall and I can do that....but I'm talking about a REAL roof, a REAL BIG roof that I will not do. I'll do a lot of things...I HAVE done a lot of things, but nope - no roofs!
 
Last edited:

NH Homesteader

Sustainability Master
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
7,800
Reaction score
6,665
Points
347
Our life long friend brought his new fiance over one day to butcher chickens. First time we had met her. She was so proud of herself for sticking her hand in a dead chicken and pulling out the guts and she starting jokingly picking on me because I've never butchered a chicken. Well, she's the one standing there covered in chicken guts. I don't do certain things because I don't feel the need to "prove" that I can. And until I'm starving and have no one else to do it, I'm not doing it. Same with climbing on a roof!

Side note- they haven't butchered chickens since, and they paid someone to do their sheep this year so.... They're not all that different from me.
 

treerooted

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
393
Reaction score
430
Points
127
Location
zone 5a
Chances are she was more proud of herself then actually thinking she was "better" then you. Sometimes when people get excited they don't even realize that they may be rubbing someone the wrong way! (at least I hope that's what it was!)


I haven't done much butchering either. I helped with our very first batch, but we had friends watching our toddler that day so we could figure things out. Since then I've been on toddler duty...simply because given the choice I'd rather that then butcher and DH has no problem doing it.
 

NH Homesteader

Sustainability Master
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
7,800
Reaction score
6,665
Points
347
She didn't bother me, I don't think she thought she was better than me. It was just funny to watch.

I help DH cut and wrap pork and venison.... But I don't butcher chickens. Gross. If he wasn't around I wouldn't even eat much chicken.
 

treerooted

Almost Self-Reliant
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
393
Reaction score
430
Points
127
Location
zone 5a
Ah well that's good!

All we have is chicken right now :p And it'll probably be several years before we can add anything else...but someday! Though we discussed we may not want to do large animals ourselves. Though, last year a community abattoir opened up where I think you can do your own at their facilities (or pay to have someone else do it), that may be something we look into.
 
Top