Hardie Gnomes at Work

Monday of this week dawned sunny and cool. The arrival of our hired man for the Hardie shingles came at about 9. He began with the entryway which was the easiest to do and to reach. While he worked there, we completed the end with board and batt. The Scribbler has become quite the power tool girl, helping to cut using the circular saw and figuring out angles. Moving on, he began the next highest spot on the front of the house-still able to reach with the aid of a VERY high ladder :) When I came home, it was started, but not completed. The next day, he arrived even earlier to work. After completion of the front, Bob the Builder guy :) helped him to set up the scaffolding with THREE levels on the driveway end of the house. We were leaving, but I was reluctant to leave them, watching this transpire. It was so high and so scary. Apparently, they tied it in and he climbed out of the upper window as he went back and forth to cut, measure, nail in place etc. After two full days, it was done and I was greeted with the lovely finished look of our siding--lap, board and batt and shingle.

All that was left, was the full side next to the woods-straight Hardie lap all the way to the top. We had all ready completed up to the windows. We worked all day on it and when the girls and I had to leave for a meeting last night, there were about 6 rows left--the HIGH ones! Bob was all ready single handedly climbing up the ladder, carrying the board by himself since it was so high. He estimates climbing that ladder about 500 times. He would first measure, then often have to move to re-measure or to put the clamps in place. We would cut. He would come down to get it, climb up with it, put it in place, adjust, sometimes re-cut if necessary, nail, come down, move ladder, back up to nail, move ladder to measure and on and on.......HOWEVER, I didn't want him to climb up there all by himself without us at home in case he fell. I didn't make him promise, but assumed he wouldn't do it. When we came home, it was dark so we couldn't see if it was done. The Scribbler asked him, "So, did you finish it?" He answered, "No, I was told not to by your mom." BUT then he mouthed to her, "I finished it" When I heard the pause, I whirled around and asked him, "Did you finish it?" and he replied, with a face full of innocence, "No, the Hardie Gnomes did it. I sat there and watched them." So, you see, as usual, he didn't listen to me! :) Here is the finished wall and we are DONE WITH SIDING!!!

Love, Ellie~