View from the Top

A friend came over today to help me figure out how much it will cost to replace my roof (to keep my insurance company happy). Naturally, I had to climb up to the roof too. I love being on top of flat roofs. I love being up high, above everything else. I don't love climbing ladders. Makes my legs wobble. So does sticking my head over the edge of the roof to look straight down. I wanted to take a look at my gutter, and had to crawl towards the edge of the roof and lie flat on my stomach to do it. I lasted maybe two minutes before I started to get vertigo. I also needed a few minutes to talk myself into climbing back down the ladder. But other than the few moments like those, it was great being on the roof. Next time I'll bring my better camera.

A discovery: Scooby's been living on my roof!

Another nervous moment for me. For completely irrational reasons, I was afraid the gable would break and Jim would fall.

And here is my bathroom skylight--notice what's wrong with it? I can't afford to have it restored now, but at least some of it is still more-or-less intact. I'm hoping there's still a window under the roofing, but I kind of think there isn't. However, there's a second window, on the other side, that's been painted over (originally it was a clear window, with a chain device to open it for ventilation). Next time I'm on the roof, I'll scrape the paint off the glass to see how much of the rest is intact. Or maybe tomorrow I'll bash a hole in the bathroom ceiling and shine a light up the shaft.

It was very exciting to see the skylight (I know, I'm a house geek). It was even more exciting to see the one on the house next door--that one appears to be original. I've seen photos of the Scovill row houses from 1916, when they were built, but I've never seen photos or diagrams of the skylights before. If it turns out the sloping window is gone, I can take measurements and photographs of the one next door, and then hire someone to make a reproduction for me.