Up On The Roof

The day the Christmas lights went up was always an exciting day when I was a kid. I grew up in a two-story house and the fact that my dad got to go on the roof blew my mind. Two stories was SO TALL. He was practically in the clouds. My brother and I always wanted to go on the roof with him, and we were never allowed to – except for one time. My mom let us join my dad on the roof over the garage…she clearly didn’t think that decision through, because every time after that when we’d ask if we could go on the roof she’d reply, “no it’s too dangerous,” and we’d say back, “but it wasn’t dangerous that one time!” She probably wanted to stab us. Anyway. I swore that when I had my own house, I would go on the roof whenever I wanted! And I’d eat dessert for breakfast!

Yesterday was the day I made good on that childhood promise.

Obviously I’m referring to going on my roof, I think it’s pretty clear I’ve had dessert for breakfast…too many times.

My dad came over to help me hang Christmas lights, and he suggested about 87 different ways to accomplish hanging them that did NOT include, “going on the roof.” I’m pretty sure he was in cahoots with my mom. Finally I just said, “It would be really super easy to just go on the roof, lean over, and hang the lights. It would probably take like ten minutes.” He was like, “But I have a sheet of plywood! And also some nails!” For a minute I considered scrapping the whole project in favor of a treehouse, but I kept my eye on the prize.

At one point Mike came out and took these pictures. Mike doesn’t “do” heights. He doesn’t understand that it’s less about being up high and more about doing something our parents always said we couldn’t do because they were mean and cared about our safety! My mom wandered out at one point and was immediately displeased that my dad and I were on the roof at all. “What are you doing? How did you get up there? I don’t want to know!” Her tone suggested we’d shanked someone to get on the roof.

It was cool up there. The view was nice. It was louder than I expected it would be, because I could hear Annabel hollering about not wanting to nap. So much for the roof being my quiet place. I also discovered an abandoned DirecTV satellite dish! I wonder if I can give it to someone for Christmas.

When we were done, we climbed down…the whole thing took ten minutes, exactly as I predicted. We walked back into the house and I announced that I deserved a prize for not falling off the roof. Mike replied, “Your prize is….no broken limbs. Yay.” No vision, I tell you.

I think the house looks cute. I still have a few more light-related things I want to do to the front. I’m not going full-Grizwold, but a few things are incomplete. That roof is just begging for an animatronic Santa that sings five different songs on repeat, dontcha think?

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