Dave Bonner

Last Saturday of November, and the forecast for the day is cloudy, with a high of 40.

In the coming days, not so good. Temps in the single digits, a sure prescription for a coating of frost on the shingles, maybe snow.

Decision made. Better get up on the roof to get the lighted Christmas wreaths on the dormers. It’s a steep pitch and not a place to be on a frosty day.

The grandsons offer a real boost in this annual Christmas decorating project. But dang it. They’ve grown up (good for them) and moved on.

A look to the bullpen, and it’s not encouraging. Gramma Sue is warming up, but without enthusiasm. With prompting, she did manage to steady the legs of the long, 10-foot ladder as I climbed onto the roof in the rear of the house with my bag of wreaths. Hmmm, the weather forecast didn’t mention the breeze.

But I hobbled on where only roofers feel at home, over the rooftop at its highest point, to descend with the roof line to the dormers over the front porch. Most of my shuffling was attributable to the incline, but my footwear didn’t help.

I had my big hiking boots on, not exactly prime for roof dancing. Never mind, I thought, Sue could help engineer a change.

“Can you get me some tennis shoes out of the closet?” I called down to my “helper,” now standing and observing from the front yard. “All you have to do is throw them up here, and I’ll change.”

It sounded like a simple plan to me. I pulled off my boots and tossed them to the ground, and sure enough, Sue returned with the requested shoes.

I had a sense of dread when she gripped the first of the two shoes like a football and drew back to throw.

The first try was low and outside. Way low and way outside.

Then she threw a cutter, right down the middle, but also low. Neither toss reached the roof. Something of a Christmas miracle was needed, to say nothing of relief for my cold feet.

Sue delivered. Somehow she shrugged off her two errant slings and lifted two shoes to the roof with perfect throws.

I hung the wreaths, and they twinkled on cue. The tennies made for a more measured retreat over the crown of the house to the ladder in back. Mission accomplished.

P.S. If the wreaths are in place long after the holidays, please understand.