What a subject for the senior architect here at The Ford’s Homestead, roofs on houses, but I would first like to pass on some info about a situation I observed yesterday.
Yesterday was Monday, and that means I have been in solitary confinement for almost an entire month. Wait a minute, solitary kind of means a lone, I have not been alone since my spouse of 51 years has been here with me. If she would talk to me once in a while, I would not feel so all alone! I hope she doesn’t see this posting or I will not get any supper.
Let us get to my observation from yesterday. My favorite spouse was getting restless and needed to get out of the house for a while, I mean, she needed to go to the grocery store. I drove her to the store and found a parking space near the front door, which allowed me to observe many of the customers as they entered and left the store. There were many interesting subjects. I noticed that those leaving the store had varying amounts of purchases in their carts, they were not all over loading the carts.
There was this one lady who exited the store with a very full cart. It so happened that she was parked next to me. I was watching her as she pushed her cart in between our vehicles, thinking that she had better not let that cart hit the Ford’s Ole Chevy. She then proceeded to open the back door to her vehicle and the back seat along with the floor was covered with grocery items and there was a large package of TP.
She then began placing all the items from her cart, onto the other items already in the vehicle. When she finished the vehicle was full. Now I see her as someone who was a hoarder, but maybe she just had a big family and needed all those items. What do you think?
Tin Roof by Don Ford
I have another memory from, “Way back in the olden days”, (possibly 67 or so years ago). Our family lived in a house which at that time was way out in the country. This little three room house was near Juden Creek, the ole house sat back off the road a little ways and it was up on a hill side. Now I am not sure if the area on the hill side was natural or if someone had leveled this area out in order to build the house there. Possibly they wanted the house to be high enough above the creek bed to avoid any flooding that might come from the creek. I do have a story about the creek and flash flooding, but I will save that for another time.
This small farm house did have a tin roof and who ever build the house did not see a need for any insulation in the attic. I have no idea what the ceiling was made of but any time it rained we could hear the sound of the rain hitting the roof. At times it was a pleasant sound, but other times it was very noisy.
I do not remember if the house had running water or not, I do know there was an outhouse. There was a cistern just outside the door. I remember my parents getting water from the cistern by cranking the handle on the pump.
This next part for all you wealthy people and or young people might be difficult to believe. The old house had gutters on the side nearest the cistern. The down spout from the gutters had a “Y” with a lever. This would allow the water from the gutters to either drain onto the ground or drain into the cistern. I remember dad explaining that when it rained they would let the water drain onto the ground for a while, allowing the rain to wash the tin roof. After it rained for a while, they would turn the lever which allowed water into the cistern. So the water we use back in the olden days was rain water, collected through a gutter system, and stored in a cistern.
Next I will endeavor to point out how tough it is for ole retired seniors, who are on a fixed income, and confined to their domicile. Would you believe, we have no income other than the $22.50 we get from the Social Security! I assume that you understand the fact that the government will not allow my wife to go out at night and pick up the aluminum cans from the road side, they are afraid she would either spread or get the virus!
That being the situation, and the fact that I wanted to work in the garage on a new project, but I could not because I needed a hammer. Well, I did what I could. When you can’t afford to go to town and buy things you just have to make your own. Photo to follow, donations will be accepted.
Yes, they are made of wood from a tree limb.
May your day be filled with good memories!
Senior observer at the Ford’s homestead, and story teller, Don Ford
No comments:
Post a Comment