Tom, Pat and I were standing around discussing our insulator guy's observation that maybe the overhangs and carport should be insulated to help eliminate moisture which could lead to mold. We stood there for 10 minutes trying to figure out if this was cost effective,etc. I turned to Pat and said, "We're very close to 'rabbiting the lintels, aren't we?"
Anyone who is going to build a house should do one important thing. Before going to the bank,before buying the lot, before picking the builder- one should watch the great, funny and o so true Cary Grant movie Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House.
In that movie, Lex Barker comes up to Cary and asks him if he wants his "lintels rabbited or not." Cary has no idea what the worker is talking about and watching his face while he's trying to figure out what the request means is sheer Cary Comic genius.
We're still framing the bedroom wing, so no new photographs. Although on a health note, I managed to conk my head on a brace hard enough it knocked me to the ground and my clogs flew off my feet.
Here's a picture anyway of one of the most wonderful human beings to walk on earth..
. 
Myrna Loy is in it too.
We lent our copy to Tom, our contractor; mainly so he'll get our jokes.
I'm going to go get an aspirin now. My head hurts.
Just what does it mean to "rabbit the lintels"?? M. and I regularly quote to each other from Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. A great movie. BB
ReplyDeleteThat's the point, no one knows..our builder had never heard of it. He watched it the night we gave it to him and he loved it. Pat is Myrna Loy, he's so ticky. I'm Cary Grant because I'm always getting google eyes over costs.
ReplyDeleteIt would not be difficult to use a router to rabbet (proper spelling) the lintel before fixing it over the doorway. This is a detail frequently found in Welsh houses.
ReplyDeleteYour alternative spelling will perhaps give impetus to a new Christmas tradition:
The rabbits were hung from the lintel with care,
In hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
Try to explain THAT to arriving holiday guests with a straight face.
"Merry Christmas and welcome to our new home. Watch your heads. Mind the rabbits." And suddenly the air is filled with the screams and wails of horrified children,,,Who knew this compression and release business worked emotionally as well? Cary Grant and FLlW...an age of genius.
Spoiler alert: I do hope you enjoyed the cooking pun above.I am enjoying your blog. Thanks.
I was actually doing a Google search to find out what this term means, since I quote it often in my head, and recently quoted it to a friend who is attempting to build a fort for her sons. (She has no construction experience whatsoever--including never even having played with Legos.)
ReplyDeleteAs a graphic designer, I also love the part in the movie where Myrna Loy is carefully explaining to the painters what colors she wants:
--Now the dining room. I'd like yellow.
––Not just yellow. A very gay yellow.
--Something bright and sunshiny.
--I tell you, if you'll send one of your workmen to the grocer...for a pound of their best butter and match that exactly, you can't go wrong.
--Now, the kitchen's to be white.
-- Not a cold, antiseptic, hospital white.
(Painter): -- No.
––A little warmer, but still, not to suggest any other color but white.
And as she walks away, the painter says to his assistant:
-- You got that, Charlie?
-- Red, green, blue, yellow, white.
Because I know fellow designers who get caught up in that type of persnickity color picking, when they are the only ones who will notice if the colors are slightly off.
You are obviously a sibling separated at birth from the rest of us. WE LOVE THOSE LINES!! I am notifying BB, about you. Thank you so much! And, I am a fan of Edward Gorey who would have done a good job of illustrating that somewhat scary scenario above.
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