Extension Ladders

Last weekend it actually stopped raining here in Seattle. Of course, it immediately got insanely cold so that the fruit growers are freaking out and I'm huddling in my winter coat and smartwool socks, but that's another story. The point here is that I actually had a chance to clean out most of our gutters. I always leave this job undone until I look out the windows and see the rain pouring down the side of the house.

So anyways, I got out my trusty extension ladder and started mucking them out. Making my way around the house, a few feet at a time, freezing to death and pulling the nastiest of nasty slimy muck from the gutters, I was feeling pretty Zen (or maybe just a bit woozy).

It occurred to me that a good, solid extension ladder is a really great thing to have around. I've used ours not only for the gutters, but to build a two-story treehouse, break into the house when I was locked out, install my satellite TV and all kinds of other junk. And never once did I wipe out and have to go to the hospital like my dad did (woah dad, is that you shinbone?).

Simple tools but essential tools. Very nice.