My across-the-street neighbor Matthew is a building contractor who specializes in house shingling jobs (he shingled my house and did a beautiful job with many artistic flourishes). But right now he is working on his roof. I’m amazed at his strength and stamina. He was up there all day today, ripping off the old roof and putting up a new layer of wood, then tar paper. I could hear him up there hammering after it was dark.
He is so strong that a few months ago when I stupidly sped backwards out of my driveway right into his massive pickup truck that was parked where it usually isn’t, he fixed the big dent in the back of my car for me by pulling it out with his hands. (I hit his bumper which didn’t even get scratched.)
My sketch doesn’t do him justice–he was just cleaning up on Saturday evening when I sketched him. Today he worked from about 8:00 a.m. until after 8:00 p.m. , with nothing securing him to the roof or protecting him from the sun, wind, cold.
I find it astonishing to see how hard some people work and it makes me grateful for my comfortable desk job (although it’s not without discomfort either, as all that sitting is quite hard on the back). I’m sure Matthew would have trouble sympathizing though.
Jana Bouc, Artist 
11 replies on “Roof work”
Now that’s what I call a good neighbour. Great sketch too. x
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My father is the same way! They make great neighbors; always willing to come to the rescue! Well done!
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I am lucky to have such good neighbors. My next door neighbors are like my second family and we constantly do for each other. They are wonderful and even through a surprise birthday party for my last big one. Jana
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I can relate to backing up into another car in the driveway. I’ve it twice – to my husband’s car! I am in awe of people who can work under all kinds of weather conditions. Like you, I have a desk job, but I complain when it’s too cold to walk out to the car. Sheesh.
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Yep. I could just hear myself explaining the accident to the police (which I didn’t need to do, fortunately) “Well officer, you see, I always zip out of my driveway that way without looking because nobody every parks in that space across the street, so really it wasn’t my fault….” Hah!
And while he was out there working all day yesterday, I don’t think I even went outside once, being such a wimp. Now today I want to go out and take a walk but it’s a little drizzly. I’m going to do it anyway! Jana
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If I can arrange it, I do not back out anywhere anytime anyhow. And you do not want to hear about the times that I could NOT arrange it…
annie
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I have a very long driveway and since my mailman complained that I park in his way (by my front porch) I now park further up the driveway so I have to back out every time I leave. He got got even madder at me when I was backing out, late for work, just as he approached the driveway (wearing earphones so he didn’t hear my car). Boy did he jump and then give me a really dirty look as he came around the corner from the neighbor’s house.
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I love this and I also looked at your new posts on Flckr of Oakland Girls. I was wondering what watercolor paints you like to take with you when you go out to paint on the spot?
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Hi Aron (or is it Arin?), I use a little Winsor and Newton Artist’s Field Kit and a Niji waterbrush to take out sketching with me. I’ve replaced many of the little pans it came with with paint from tubes over the years. Jana
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Hi Jana, thought of you today–my neighbors are having their house painted and as I look out my window while I am working I can see the painter up on the ladder. I thought that might be a nice painting similar to yours here, except he has quite a large “plumber’s butt”. I had to laugh. Not sure that would fly…
Cathy
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Maybe not a painting but it would be a great sketch! (or cartoon). Did you give it a go? I have a dear friend who is a plumber and he always wears overalls on the job for just that reason! Jana
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