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A roof for the shed

One of my long-running projects has been the firewood shed. Last spring I hoped to get the shed completed before mid-summer. But that didn't happen as I spent the entire summer doing a lot of other things. And in the autumn I was hit with the realisation that it would be wise to renovate the main room floor before the winter gets cold. After that I resumed building the firewood shed. A log by log, working every now and then when I could find time. Just before Christmas I got the walls completed. Building the structure for the roof took a few days of work. The days have slowly been growing longer, but that doesn't yet help so very much. Already after 4 pm it is the evening twilight.

Two weeks ago I had the roof skeleton ready, and I had bought boards to make the actual roof. For several days I spent a few hours building the rood before noon, and then left to work for money. I was happy to notice that despite working long days, despite there being very little of sunlight, I still felt lively and energetic enough to do all the things I was hoping to do. In addition to vitamin-D I have started to take a daily dose of multi-vitamin pills. I don't know if it helps, but at least it won't hurt, yes? Also, I've somewhat regularly enjoyed the company of my friends, which I believe helps to stay in good mood. So I was working through those days, looking forward to the weekend; for Friday night it would be rock concert at Tampere, and the a few free days to continue building the roof.

It was that Friday morning - a free day at home and a good concert for the night. I woke up feeling lousy, slow and uncertain. Uh oh. So, probably I had been a little bit overworking the days before, and finally when I had a free day the strain hit me in the face, making me remember that when exhausted I need rest. I didn't do much that Friday. I tried to completely drop the feeling of 'Oh now I just need to work hard to get the roof completed as soon as possible'. I told myself that a day or two won't matter that much - the roof will be completed when it will be completed, no earlier. So better not impose unnecessary pressure on myself. I drove to Tampere to see my son, and then to a friend's place.

Together with the friend I went to the club where we met a third friend. It was going to be three bands, for it was a two years birthday party of a small indie booking agency. The first band was Kynnet playing plain good rock. They got me dancing, which I liked. Only that after dancing wildly for a few pieces I felt rather tired with early sings of a head-ache. I decided to drink water instead of beer, and to spend a while chatting with my friends. The next band was Risto, playing alone without a band. Risto has been making music for years, gaining some main-stream recognition and winning awards for his personal lyrics which are often a rather honest description of the lives of people having all kinds of problems with mental health. While the lyrics might describe a feeling of the world falling apart, the music carries on with a dance beat - it's an interesting combination. (Also, I like the fact that despite having gained some mainstream publicity Risto still prefers to work with a small indie booking agency.) Risto was great, so great, conjuring some musical magic with his set of synths and keyboards.

Then it was the time for the third and the last band of the night. It was MÄSÄ, most of the band members wearing funny costumes, and Litku opening the show by asking the audience "Shall we go to Iisalmi?" - it felt like a magnetic force pulling us to the dance floor, so we leapt there to jump and to bounce to "Iisalmen serkku". (It translates as 'the cousin from Iisalmi', the lyrics describe how some time in the past they wrestled in the snow with the cousin, how those were good times. "I want to experience it again, I will buy a ticket to Iisalmi!"). MÄSÄ rocked the night. I'd guess they don't have any strict choreography for their shows, it all appears rather spontaneous, Litku wandering on and off the stage, dancing with the audience, jumping up and down, rolling on the floor. We danced, singing (and shouting) along, just letting the energy of the show to flow through us. After the show we went to the merchandise booth. A few members from Kynnet and MÄSÄ were there selling stuff. I bought two LPs. Litku was also hanging around - or, rather half sitting, half laying collapsed on a chair, eyes closed and all exhausted. Apparently, she had poured all of her energy into the show, and that's the way I like it.

On Saturday I returned back home. Sure, once again a rock concert worked like a few days of proper holiday. All the strain and pressure was gone. The row of long days of work felt like a distant past, and I could start afresh. That weekend I got the roof half completed. This week it has been back to the routine - building a few hours before the noon, then working the rest of the day to earn some money. I didn't have any customers for Friday, so again it was a completely free day. Luckily enough, this Friday I woke up feeling good. I got the roof almost completed, but then I had to stop for it got too dark. Today it is Saturday. After my morning coffee I installed the last few missing boards, and declared the roof completed. Time for a can of beer, hooray!

To make the roof properly rainproof I think I'll install rolled asphalt roofing. That requires temperatures above freezing, so that has to wait until the spring. For a winter the shed will do just fine as it is now. As I look at the almost-completed shed it makes me feel satisfied. I remember all those moments of doubt and uncertainty, back when they heavy logs were still laying the nearby forest and I wasn't sure if I can get them transported to my yard. And here they are, forming a nice little shed which will hold my firewood to keep my house heated for so many winters to come. This project has been an exercise in how-not-to-give-up and how-to-resume-a-project-after-an-unplanned-hiatus. I hope I've learned a bit more on both of those skills =)

MÄSÄ rocks
MÄSÄ rocks
Building the roof
Building the roof
The evening twilight after 4 pm.
The evening twilight after 4 pm.
Hooray !
Hooray !
tags: 
diary
homesteading
music
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