Well, the truck came from the lumberyard today with all the tin and the kazillion bits of stuff that you need for a new roof. There's everything from screws with black enamel paint so they'll match the black tin, to special foam you put under the ridge cap to keep water from coming in. I had no idea it was so complicated.

    So Paul's checking off the delivery against his order and he notices this big long very heavy duty cardboard tube about seven inches in diameter and eight feet long. He can't figure out what he might have ordered that would come in a tube like that.

    Even you know what? Sylvie at the lumberyard had remembered that Paul had rescued a similar shipping tube a few months ago that she was going to throw out. He had mentioned to her that I *heart* old Quebec maps, and a tube like that could be cut to length and would make a wonderful storage thingie for my maps.

    She remembered that and saved another tube, sent it on today with our roof stuff.

    Sometimes living in a small place is a big hunk of wonderful.

    We're about a week from the stage of being able to put the tin on the ugly new roof and the weather man has just dumped some upsetting news on us. The long term forecast is for five, count 'em five, days of rain.

    We've had to lift the old tin off the edges of our old roof for the new rafters. There's no way we can block it all off adequately around the new rafters to keep all the rain that might come from running down into our upstairs walls.

    I'm thinking this falls under the category of Not A Good Thing.

    So if any of you have any time on your hands, we could use an anti-rain dance or two sent in our direction. Nothing too elaborate is necessary, and I want you to know that nudity is purely optional.

    Your co-operation in this matter would be greatly appreciated.