My Roofin' Roots

I know that your breath is bated while you open this post, hoping that this is another edition of Extreme Home Makeover: Katie's House. Currently room #2 (this time it's RED!) is in such mid-painting chaos, I think you'll have to wait for next week! But here's a fun story.

Last month I got to spend some time with Karen friends, and in the process learn some useful skills; like how to make a roof! It reminded me warmly of several delightful summers spent working for Chase Roofing, although the skill set is pretty different.

Step 1: Gather these long, tough, covered-in-slivers jungle leaves.

Step 2: Break off a piece of the tough, central vain of the leaf. Using that, sew the leaf on to a long stick.

* Step 2 is best performed with an old, smiley, brightly attired Karen woman.

End result? This!

And this. 

If you can't tell, there are hundreds of tiny black slivers in my fingers. Some are easy to get out, some you have to dig out with a safety pin, and the rest will fall out after a few weeks. You can always tell who has been working on the roof by their hands.

Actually getting the new roof on to the roof is a task for another day, and a job that girls are not allowed to participate in, no matter how deep their roofing roots.