Gimme (a Real) Shelter!

Over the winter, Susan convinced her brother Jerry and his wife Barb to come out and stay with us for a couple of weeks in the spring of 2010. She casually mentioned that if he could help me build a little enclosure over the oven it would really be great. Little did he know that the “little enclosure” would involve building a 16' x 16' roofed structure with French Doors, directing and supervising a total novice at building (me), no pickup to transport material, and needing a few tools that were pertinent to the task (note that purchasing a few tools would eventually mean helping the Roseburg Home Depot turn an unexpected and tidy profit for the month).

Fortunately, with the prompting and promise of good beer and great food, Jerry agreed to the task Susan had set before him. (Historical Note: If you have limited experience with the skills needed to construct a wood fired oven entertainment area, make sure you have access to a wide variety of adult beverages and a fabulous relationship with someone who is wonderful cook with brothers skilled in masonry and construction work who will travel across country to visit!)

After getting over the stunning revelation that the oven enclosure was going to be quite large, Jerry settled in to figuring out what we’d need to build it. First we had to buy a table saw and a large variety of various sized tools needed to accomplish the construction. Next I borrowed a 10" chop saw from my friend Dean. Adding up the basic structure’s wood requirements, we rented a truck and headed to Home Depot. Posts, 2x6 boards, and sheets of plywood were piled in the truck and brought home. Next came the staking out and locating where the posts would be set for the den. Digging, cursing, placing/bracing, and finally using post hole "RapidSet" cement got us to the point where it looked like we’d actually accomplished something other than spending money and drinking beer...not that those are bad things...