Black Beauty
There were men everywhere, poking their heads through rough openings, scrambling up and down ladders in their steel-toed boots and Paul at the controls in the CAT. Some of these men were familiar to me and others were strangers. Chuck had brought extra manpower to the job so that all 29 windows could be installed in one day.
Each window was secured in cardboard and heavy plastic corners and my job was to round it all up for easier recycling. I was also supposed to stay outside the work perimeter because there was so much going on. The speed with which these windows were installed was truly incredible. Within ten minutes the first window was in place on the south side of the house. The other 2 double mullioned windows soon followed and Chris and I got the first look at our new black sash. We thought it was stunning and everyone else agreed. The window installation continued at a break neck speed. The most difficult one to get into place was the single 3 mullioned window because it was big, wide and heavy. But the CAT raised it to the second floor and a crew of men maneuvered it into the opening. By lunchtime all the windows were nailed in place and the process of measuring and applying the trim started.
Our roofer Robbie has been doing a herculean job of getting the roof shingled. There are steep pitches and blinding sun to contend with besides trying to move heavy material and hang onto a nail gun. But when lunchtime comes around he’s in the garage firing up the Weber grill. Robbie maintains a few lobster pots and when I heard him tell Paul he’d better go get the butter I could only imagine what he was cooking up. He generously grilled lobsters for everyone including us. Chris and I sat in our Adirondack chairs cracking open the shells with large pliers, dipping the succulent pieces in butter and licking our fingers.
It just doesn’t get any better than this on Cape Cod.
At the end of the day when Chris, Paul and I were closing all the new windows Paul remarked that we should all get a good night’s sleep tonight because for the first time we wouldn’t have to worry about rain. The house was buttoned up tight.
