This morning we completed renovation of Dunstedter Hall, a shed I built with a variety of expert help near our cabin in Greenwood Forest. Jim Ryan, a neighbor and expert carpenter, nailed up the final boards on the south side, which had an insulated window, gifted by David and Deb Dunstedter who also donated a variety of lumber, doors, etc. as their house was being redone.
Couldn’t help but think and appreciate all the other donations and help, which came from:
– Darrell and Jeanine Barni, piece of old gutter and gourmet advice;
– Bob Doerr, Rolla founder of The Nature Conservancy, a sassafras board;
– Sam Gifford, community volunteer, philosophic observations on the Matrix;
– Chuck He, engineering stress variables on roof design and hammering;
– Robb and Anne Jacobson, hydrological advice and 2x4s from their old farm in Rolla, Art Ridden’s old place famous for moonshine and blue tick hounds;
– Jose Kovarik, bending nails and bar-b-q preparation;
– Joe and Janice Maddox, pieces of roofing and wine;
– Cathy Kovarik Primm, mortgage analysis and project management;
– John Stanilou, chain saw demonstration in dropping big tree right where he predicted it would end up, thus saving shed from sure destruction.
As Jim hammered in the last nail, one pane of the insulated glass window crumbled with the stress. It fell into 1000s of tiny pieces like ice crystals. We had nailed several dozen 8 and 16 penny spikes right near this window. Why did it have to wait until the final nail to break?
I couldn’t believe it! That window has been there on half-rotted 2x4s for a decade or more. We have stored all kinds of crap in Dunstedter Hall. All I could do was laugh. The very last nail almost cost a scenic view to the south in this fabulous structure.
But at least the inner pane did not break. I will be cleaning this mess of tiny fragments for another decade, or more. Here’s a photo of my Tuff Sucker cordless shop vacuum, a gift from Cathy long ago. Unfortunately it picks up more leaves and centipedes than glass pieces. Infinite patience required.
All this effort of so many people over the years has helped me think of putting up Dunstedter Hall as an Air B&B weekend rental:
“Charming Ozark rustic cabin, recently restored with Arkansaw craftsmanship throughout. Ample room for sleeping bags amidst an unparalleled natural landscape and array of historic antiques.”
As Jim prepared to leave, I noticed a wolf spider as big as a silver dollar. Also a pack rat scurried away from our racket.
Maybe a hundred a night?