A few years back I heard Frank Gehry talk about his buildings being
made out of "stuff", and that in making his study models, "I piled up
the stuff on this end and pushed down the stuff on the other."  I was
just shown some drawings by McKim, Mead & White from 1911 identifying
interior walls of "PLASTER & STUFF".  The accompanying MM&W  letter
states "The use of stuff on the walls would permit of the other
folding door and the service door being concealed doors."
(apparently a reference to making the wall surface thin to leave
space behind for the doors)

Trade terms for lime plasters include "course stuff" and "setting
stuff", not necessarily what Gehry had in mind, but amusing that both
generations speak of the materials of building in such a wonderfully
essential term.

Or as Shakespeare said, "We are such stuff/As dreams are made on"

P.S.:  Is anyone in this forum going to the American Lime Conference
2002?  Pardon me if I missed past conversations, but for those of you
still interested, please note:

"A conference on lime mortars in building conservation, restoration
and new construction.  The aim of this conference is to provide
delegates with ANSWERS. - WHY - HOW & WHEN.  All too often
conferences seek to illustrate the problems: few set out to consider
the solutions."  January 26-27, 2002 at the Sweet Briar College's
Babcock Auditorium and the Florence Elston Inn & Conference Center,
Amherst, Virginia.  c/o Virginia Lime Works, P.O. Box 516, Monroe, VA
24574, Phone (434)929-8113, Fax (434)929-8114.

I am particularly interested in getting lime to fill exterior stone
cracks...the smaller the better.  Anyone here know how to use a grout
pump for this?

Sign me: The allusive & illusive Rev. Jim