The first of the four roof tins is in place. It took me a while. First of all, I realized I needed additional lumber for the rafters. More feels better and secure. Then I had to overcome an earlier mistake which came about because I got ahead of myself. That’s OK. I am an amateur and mistakes are expected. Plus, this is a country pump house put together from scraps by a guy making do.

This morning, I will go about the business of putting on the rest of the roof tin. One sheet at a time. Taking my time. Trying to dot ‘i’s” and cross “t’s”. Because, in addition to being inexperienced, haste also makes waste, and the Lord knows I’ve made enough mistakes in this project. But often times beauty is in the eye of the beholder and right now my son and I think the shed looks pretty fine, and we’ve got plans to tart it up and make it look even better.

At the moment, this has the hallmarks of a relatively successful project and for that I am pleased. It also gives me hope for other projects I’d like to do. I need to complete my fence replacement, and there’s the matter of a deck I’d like to build just off the back porch in the side yard closest to the park, to make an evening place beneath the Burr oak. Navigating through life one project at a time seems a good way to live, building and creating as I go. Because making a mark, even a small one, like an old tin shed, feels a good use of one’s time.