Ida Incoming

[Gale Hawkins]

After 6 months of hard work I finally got most of my repairs from the hurricane done, not counting the 16 very large trees that are down in my pasture.

I work by myself because getting help is very hard to find as all contractors are still backlogged from all the damage done by the strongest hurricane to ever hit Louisiana. Repairing my barn was the hardest part. I built my barn entirely by myself 20 years ago and I have done all the repairs on it by myself. The hardest part of the work was holding up a treated 16 foot 2 x 6 rafter with one hand while standing on a ladder using a nail gun with the other hand. It seems like the lumber is a lot heavier now than it was when I built the barn 20 years ago when I was only 56 years old.

Some before and after photos:
View attachment 739289View attachment 739290View attachment 739291

Great save on your barn. Were all your animals okay?

 

[MossRoad]

...The hardest part of the work was holding up a treated 16 foot 2 x 6 rafter with one hand while standing on a ladder using a nail gun with the other hand. It seems like the lumber is a lot heavier now than it was when I built the barn 20 years ago when I was only 56 years old.
...

Nicely done.

I hear you on the heavier lumber. We build a garage addition 2 summers ago. I figured if my dad could build a house, I could build a garage. About half way through it I realized my dad was 37 when he built his house. I was 59.

As much as we don't want to admit it, 22 years older makes a difference.

I got it done, but had to add the unexpected cost of Aleve to my budget!

 

[Diggin It]

Long time back, I leaned to sling stuff. Set a sling at one end to support the board a few feet off the ground. Set a sling at the other end to do the same, then use the two as hoists to pull the board to within inches of where it needs to be. Then get on the ladder or scaffold with the tools to bring it home and secure it.