CARPENTERS

Two carpenters have made our house the home we enjoy. In October of 1966, when Ken became a Winnebago County deputy, we needed a new place to live. We wanted to raise our family in Durand but there were no ‘for sale’ signs. Through the grapevine, we learned that Ernie and his wife, Audrey, friends of my parents, had bought the place at the corner of Howard and Fremont Streets to remodel and resell. We talked to them and obtained the Durand State Bank’s commitment to a mortgage so we could purchase one of the oldest, two-story houses in the village. The three-bedroom residence was ideally located–two blocks from the school, two blocks from our church and two blocks from the downtown. Ken would drive our car to Rockford for work every day so our three kids and I would be walking to do our activities. We moved in the day before Ken started his new job.

A few years later, Ken wanted a two-car garage. We talked to Ernie about the project. I asked if he could include a family room in between our residence and the new structure making it about nine feet wide like the kitchen. He said it wouldn’t cost a lot more to make it the same dimension as the garage length, twenty-four feet. Through the years, we’ve appreciated the larger room.

From time to time, we needed small, remodeling projects and hired various carpenters who were available.

In 2011, we needed a big update. We engaged Jim, who had grown up in our neighborhood and recently completed an addition for our son. He worked alone and Ken, who was retired, sometimes helped him. The two men figured out that our washer and dryer, which had always sat in the basement, would fit on a remodeled, back porch. I argued against the move but the fellows reminded me, “You’re not getting any younger.” They were right–with the machines on the main floor, it doesn’t take much effort to do our laundry. I’m glad they insisted on the change,

Jim also made one of my long-term ideas an actuality. After our family room was completed, I used a paint-by-number outline to add a western mural to one wall. I had always envisioned Ken’s toy train from his childhood added to the backdrop, but I needed an elevated, wooden, railroad bridge to hold it. I talked to Jim about the project and he made just what I wanted.

Have you ever had a carpenter’s skills turn your dreams into reality?