Aaron and I have had fun working together to build the greenhouse.  It has been fun having some help for once and watching him be an independent young man.  Rarely have I had someone to stand and scratch my head with and wonder the best way to proceed.  It was interesting to see the 20 year old assert his opinion about how things ought to be as we tackled the logistics of putting up the plastic on the greenhouse roof peaks.  He took a year off of school and I got him a job working as a waterproofer on construction sites.  Because some of the greenhouse needs caulking to waterproof the roof he got the nod.  I debated some points with him and, of course – as a dad will – lost.  We needed to make sure it was done correctly because once the roof is on, there really isn’t any way to go back and fix it save taking off all the plastic panels…. which just ain’t happinen’!

We got our system down and got the most difficult part of the roof put on.  The very top peak panels need to be very straight so that the others all fall into place.  Of course this means being at the highest point on the ladder (I hate ladders!) and also trying to make sure everything is aligned.  I think we did pretty well!  It was HOT!! So after each row we went into the air-conditioned house and drank a quart of water.  A third of the roof today and a third Saturday and then Sunday and the roofing will be done.  After that we place and fill the beds, finish the plastic on the side walls, build the ends where the doors will be and get the new drip irrigation in place.  Hopefully we will have some cool weather crops in there for the fall!

“Look old man … I got this, just hold the flippin’ ladder.”

The worst is over… the roof peak is on and straight!

The first third of the roof is in place!  Not bad for a couple of rookies!  The wind made us stop.  The panels are 4 feet by 12 feet and turn into sails when the wind blows.  Considering we were up 12 feet it was time to start conceding that we just weren’t safe anymore.  As it is we probably violated every rule OSHA has ever written!