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As sort of a continuation of my June 21 column, where my suggestion for getting rid of swamp water from behind our new house next to the water tower on Genesee Avenue actually worked, I thought I could tell you about another little idea or two I had for our new home. Remember, I was 5.
Mom and Dad originally decided they would be happy with a frame home to be constructed just in the same manner as the one we left on York Avenue.
Soon, the foundation for that new home on Genesee was completed. Mom was looking at samples of various materials for the house when she came across a beautiful pinky-orange brick sample that really caught her eye. She told Dad she wanted that brick on the exterior of our new home.
Oh, my! What would that entail, with so much work already done? Dad talked to Bill Gibson, the contractor, about how we could change the exterior of our new home from clapboard to that beautiful brick. Bill said it could be done, and it would be a technique called brick veneer. The only big problem was that the house would lose 4 inches around the entire interior perimeter, including the attached two-car garage.
So, the house was completed with a pinkish-orange brick veneer exterior all around.
As sort of a celebration, Dad bought a brand new Buick Special sedan. Dad also had a little 1934 Ford business coupe as a company car.
We moved into the house.
Dad parked the new Buick in the garage and tried to park the Ford in the garage next to it.
Fine.
Well, almost. The two cars just about touched each other side to side, and Dad had to wriggle out of the Ford. The only way he could get into the Buick was to back the Ford out first. Even if he kept the Ford out of the garage, the overhead door hit the back bumper of the Buick and the garage door wouldn't close.
The problem was that the veneer job stole 4 inches side to side and 8 inches front to rear.
What to do? It was decided that the Ford could stay outside in the driveway. The Buick could be by itself in the garage. The overhead door still ran into the Buick's back bumper.
Like most overhead doors, there are several galvanized steel longitudinal braces on the inside of the door. The lower one would hit the back bumper as the door came down. I suggested that we remove the lower brace and put it on the outside of the door. Voila! It worked. The Buick finally fit. I could have more room for bikes, scooters, and all my stuff -- plus Dad's stuff. Did I hear that little Ford weeping?
All went pretty well until after World War II when Dad brought home a new, bigger Buick. It was longer. What to do? How about putting that Buick in the garage kitty-korner? That worked too!!
All's right with the world...
Mumford of Warren can be reached at donmumford@
aol.com