The Comedy of Errors: A Roof, Some Rain, and the Journey of Two Builds
The Roof That Wasn’t
Picture this: a charming ruin nestled in the sun-soaked, lazy, Alentejo countryside, its ancient stones whispering tales of yesteryears.
The ruin as we found it
Enter us, the unsuspecting homeowners, eager to give this relic a second chance.
We splurged, sparing no expense, to protect our ruin with a brand-new roof—a roof that was supposed to be the pièce de résistance.
What we got instead was more like the “piece of resistance” in the form of local regulations!
Yes, our gleaming new roof turned out to be as illegal as creating your own private parking space outside the town hall with spray paint, and as unsafe as a toddler with a toolbox.
The ruin with it’s illegal roof
It had to come down. The financial blow? Significant. The emotional blow? Devastating.
Chapter 2: The Rainy Season of Our Discontent
So we went back to the drawing board and waited two years to get all the proper and legal permits.
As if to punish us for getting the new permissions without incurring any fines, the building work was then scheduled to start during the wettest season on record.
The rain gods, in a fit of cosmic irony, decided that the Alentejo would relive its days as a tropical rainforest.
Work on the roof was set back weeks.
But lo and behold, the sun eventually graced us with its presence, marking the start of what should be a long, hot, dry summer.
Optimism was cautiously reinstated. I took a deep breath and ventured to the site on Friday, expecting to see… well, not much progress given the earlier setbacks.
A Pleasant Surprise (For Once)
Imagine my surprise when I found that the roof removal was well advanced!
It was all there when I checked on Tuesday night but come Friday….
The roof removed
Clearly, the workers had harnessed some kind of superhuman speed or perhaps just a very effective work ethic which would knock the wind out of all the ‘lazy’ jokes the Portuguese tell about the men of the Alentejo;
Why do the men of the Alentejo work sitting down? It is too much effort for them to get up if they work lying down.
If an Alentejo man drops a 10 euro note, he waits for the wind to change rather than run after it.
Another pleasant surprise was the state of the tiles.
One of the reasons the price was so high was that it was uncertain how much it would cost to replace the tiles. It was not known if they be usable or not.
Drumroll, please…
95% of the tiles were salvaged and ready for reuse!
At this point, I was starting to believe in miracles, or at least in the durability of Alentejo roofing tiles.
Digital Roofs and Steep Learning Curves
While the physical roof saga was unfolding, I was simultaneously engaged in another build: constructing a membership site on a new platform for my affiliate marketing work.
This wasn’t just any old platform but the shiny, new Affiliate System platform with all the bells and whistles.
The Affiliate System platform
And by bells and whistles, I mean a learning curve steeper than a rollercoaster ride designed by a sadist.
I dove headfirst into this digital abyss, determined to conquer it.
Every hurdle was met with grit and a fair amount of caffeine.
The goal? To master this platform and save myself around a thousand dollars a year—a sum that suddenly seemed small compared to the roofing debacle, but still significant enough to warrant sleepless nights.
The Moral of the Story
So, what have I learned from this dual-building adventure?
First, always check the legality and safety of your home improvement projects before splurging.
Second, never underestimate the power of good weather and diligent workers.
Third, when life gives you lemons (or rogue roofs and steep learning curves), make lemonade—or at least find a way to save some tiles and some dollars.
And finally, never lose your sense of humour. …. Because when your ruin needs a new roof and your work needs a new platform, and you are struggling to get either to go right, sometimes all you can do is laugh, push through, and keep building—both literally and figuratively.
All the best
Hi Tony,
I love your style of writing, your sense of humour, and your patience. ….
When your ruin needed a new roof and your online work needed a new platform,
Laughter helped you to get through to the next step.
It kept your spirit up to keep on moving and build momentum.
Thank you for teaching us to have strength and resiliency.
Thanks so much for your kind words
I love your sense of humour. It sounds like you definitely needed one to help get you through all these set backs. Wow, how things turn around though. The fact that your workers progressed so quickly and you were able to reuse most of the tiles. I really look forward to hearing how your house is progressing; always makes for a good read. All the best!
Tony, Sometimes the only thing you can do is just laugh. What an appropriate comment! I think there is a little Murphy in there as well. Good luck with the next building steps can’t wait to read more/
“Tony, Sometimes the only thing you can do is just laugh.” That’s EXACTLY what the current Mrs Simms says every time se sees me naked!
Hi Tony,
Wow, what an experience you’ve had 😲 that’s huge! So happy the work was done so well afterward. Still a big blow and so inspiring that you can show humor in it! My family is from the Azores, São Miguel Island, to be exact. It looks like a really laid back culture. I love seeing the pics you share from the Alentejo countryside!
It’s exciting to hear you’re figuring out the membership area! I don’t need it yet but the thought of using it is kind of intimidating. All the best as you continue on the home and the business!
Denny
How ingenious of you to forge ahead with a membership site within the Affiliate System. If you popularize it, it would appear to be a means for you to be getting closer to breaking even on that forty short.
You get a share on my social media channels today. Thanks!
Hi Tony!
It was great to hear about the update on tiktok as well as your blog. Keeping a positive attitude through it all shows how well deserving it was to hear that many of the tiles could be saved! I wish you continued success and look forward to hearing about more updates on your social media platforms!
All the best!
Milissa Neirotti
Tony, It sounds like you’ve been through quite the roofing rollercoaster! Dealing with unexpected legal hurdles and delays during the rainy season must have been challenging. However, salvaging 95% of the tiles is a definite win—talk about a silver lining! Your humor throughout the ordeal, from illegal roofs to digital learning curves, is refreshing. Here’s hoping the sun continues to shine on your renovation journey, both literally and figuratively! Keep pushing through, and soon you’ll have a roof over your head that’s legally sound and digitally savvy. Cheers to brighter days ahead!
What a rollercoaster of a journey! Your story captures the highs and lows of tackling both physical and digital projects perfectly. It’s amazing how, despite the initial setbacks with the weather and the permits, the workers made such impressive progress on the roof. And salvaging 95% of the tiles? That’s definitely a win! From following your journey from the start, I’m looking forward to the pictures of it all complete and you enjoying some well deserved time in there!
Hi Tony,
Wonderful to read this weeks blog!
As you so clearly stated, sometimes the only thing you can do when life serves lemons is to soldier on (and make lemonade of course 🙂
The one thing that is quite clear for me is that you’ve been able to keep a good sense of humour with all these happenings around you; and for that, I definitely commend you!
Can’t wait to read the next update!
I was wondering how you were getting along with you building challenges! A sense of humor is everything. I watch reruns of “Friends” to keep me laughing! I don’t consider that a waste of time because laughter IS the best medicine!
Hi Tony,
What an incredible journey! Your story captures the rollercoaster of emotions that come with home renovations and tackling new digital projects. Your resilience and humor shine through every twist and turn, reminding us that even in the face of setbacks, there’s always a silver lining (or in your case, 95% salvaged tiles!). Here’s to more sunny days, successful builds, and finding joy in the process.🌞🏡
Meredith
Great to see updates on your progress, and interesting to hear what you’re learning through it.
Thanks for the feedback