Furr. Or, is that fur?

-----Original Message-----
From: Philip McPherson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 1999 10:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Help!


          Dear Bullamanka-Pinheads:

          My cousins and I have inherited our grandmother's house.

          The house is seventy-two years old and showing its age.
          My cousin Estelle is living there while we decide what
          to do with it.

          My cousin Linda wants to install drywall ceilings in the
          basement.

          But there is a problem.

          Between the joists in the basement ceiling are diagonal
          bridging pieces.
          The bridging pieces are mitred top and bottom and nailed
          into the respective joists.
          A few of the bottom edges of the bridging pieces extend
          below the bottoms of the joists.
          Some of them extend down half an inch or more.
          So there is not a flat surface to install drywall to.

          What to do?

          Linda says we should tear out those bridging pieces and
          throw them away.
          She says if necessary we could get new bridging pieces,
          but she doubts it would be necessary.

          Estelle says that the bridging pieces are part of the
          historic fabric and part of the strength of the structure.
          She says we should make dents in the drywall to accommodate
          the bridging pieces that stick down.
          Better yet, she says, we should leave the ceiling as it is,
          and not hide it with drywall.

          I thought maybe we could compromise by cutting off the parts
          of the bridging that stick down.
          But Estelle said that would weaken them by cutting too close
          to the nails.
          Besides, she says, that would still be a loss of historic
          material.
          She says, future generations will hold us accountable.

          So I thought we could take down those pieces, and trim them a
          little.
          Then nail them back up so that they don't stick down below
          the joists.
          But Linda said, if you're taking them down, why use that
          rotten old wood if you can use new wood instead?
          Besides, she says, when the drywall is in place, nobody will
          be able to see the bridging anyway.
          She says, it's not like tourists will be visiting.

          I asked around, and people said we should take this to the
          experts.
          A fellow I know at work found your address for me.
          He is modest and asked that his name not be used.

          What should we do?

                                Very truly yours,

                                Philip McPherson
                                Toledo, Ohio