Is this guy

/ Off Grid Islanders

Everyone needs a guy. They even included the concept in a skit on SNL last week. When you move to a new town, first thing you have to do is get a guy…

You know him.. He is the one you call when there is water pouring into your living room through a leak, caused by the rain coming from the storm on the day you expect your daughter’s boyfriend’s parents to come for dinner for the first time.. On this island he is the guy who knows where you can get the best price on lumber from a connection he has, replace your roof, pour concrete, climb fifty foot towers to install solar panels above the trees, pour foundations or mason your stones. If you want to learn to build your own cabin, he will work along side you and teach you how. If you don’t, he will do it all. Everyone needs a guy.

There are maybe eighty cabins on this island. Some built in the eighties, most in the nineties and a few more every year since. Those built originally are now in need of repair and their once spry midlife owners need help with their maintenance. We are an aging population here and although there are lots of new faces in the last few years there is no doubt we depend more and more on our guy. I would be surprised if he hasn’t had a hand in building or fixing each and every cabin at some point.

Fortunately our guy loves this island as much as we all do and he finds it hard to ever turn down any of us in need. If in fact he has any fault at all it is that he is overbooked.. Because he just can’t say no to us.. He knows we need him. When my father in law was dying and turning the property over to us.. He wrote a long list of what he wanted done to the house to put it right before he was gone… When we arrived in the spring, after Papa had passed, there was a new fridge, a new stove and all new windows installed across the front of the house.

In his leisure hours, when he isn’t humping plywood back and forth across the water in his open boat he obtained and roasted a whole pig for the island Thanksgiving BarBque. He stood in the rain all day for the second year in a row cooking our community dinner….

He has our friendship and respect. Everyone needs a guy and ours

Is this guy

14 thoughts on “Is this guy”

  3. He is our builder, carpenter, plumber, chimney sweep, electrician, trouble-shooter angel. He has installed a metal roof, built a generator shed, built raised beds, stairs, installed water tank, solar panels, batteries, etc. etc. all with a smile and always when he can get to it. Moira, this an ode to a marvellous guy.

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    • I thought it was about time I put it in writing.. As I have watched him throwing plywood boards over his head up hills in the pouring rain this month… It occurred to me maybe he didn’t know how much we rely on him 🙂

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      • I hope people don’t mind but he doesn’t use Facebook so I’m going to copy your Facebook comments here so he can see for himself….
        From AS….and what a good gentle should
        From AW .. And it’s all true!!
        From AJ….. Well said, and so very true!
        From AW…..We could not have a better guy. The work he has done for us has been outstanding
        Thanks everyone for commenting…

        Like

  4. He is our builder, carpenter, plumber, chimney sweep, electrician, trouble-shooter angel. He has installed a metal roof, built a generator shed, built raised beds, stairs, installed water tank, solar panels, batteries, etc. etc. all with a smile and always when he can get to it. Moira, this an ode to a marvellous guy.

    Like

    Reply

    • I thought it was about time I put it in writing.. As I have watched him throwing plywood boards over his head up hills in the pouring rain this month… It occurred to me maybe he didn’t know how much we rely on him 🙂

      Like

      Reply

      • I hope people don’t mind but he doesn’t use Facebook so I’m going to copy your Facebook comments here so he can see for himself….

        From AS….and what a good gentle should
        From AW .. And it’s all true!!
        From AJ….. Well said, and so very true!
        From AW…..We could not have a better guy. The work he has done for us has been outstanding

        Thanks everyone for commenting…

        Like

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