After 86 years of faithful service, our slate roof shingles are lining the bottom of a dumptruck, to be replaced with heavy tarpaper and 30-year asphalt shingle. I’m really, really sad to see it go, but we just can’t afford the crippling cost of replacing it with new slate or faux recycled material.

As they’ve been working their way around the house, the roof guys have found that the fascia on the first floor porch is toast, as well as the fascia behind the second floor in front. The original plan was to have the rear second-floor elevation replaced, but it’s looking like we’re going to wind up with new gutters on almost all of the house. It’s been eight years coming, and it will no doubt wind up being more expensive than I’d anticipated, but I will be relieved to go into the winter with a new roof and modern drainage.