THE RETURN OF THE CORDWOOD HOUSE

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Jaki and I devised a method of insulating the mortar between and around the chunks of wood in our stovewood walls similar to the insulating technique used by Mr. Henstridge. Instead of fitting thousands of chunks of styrofoam around the log-ends, however, we cut long strips of fiberglass batts with a skill knife and then wove them in. I believe our idea is faster and easier. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Also more expensive to both the pocketbook and the planet since Jack salvaged his styrofoam for free from a local dump.)

In closing, I'd like to add that we've had a great deal of success in using the following sawdust-mortar mix as a matrix in our stackwood walls: 6 parts of sand, 9 of cedar sawdust, 1 of Portland cement, 1-112 of masonry cement, and 2 of lime. Not only does this mix help to insulate the mortar, but we've found that it dries slowly and shrinks hardly at all. It is a somewhat confusing mix, however, and I believe that a simplified version (3 parts sand, 4 or 5 of sawdust, 1 part portland cement, and 1 part lime) would accomplish the same thing, since masonry cement is essentially nothing but portland cement to which lime has been added.

My thanks to Drake Publishers, Inc., for permission to use the accompanying photographs from How to Build Log-End Houses. The book should be published in August and I hope you'll watch for it are really turned on by the article and here's $7.00 cash for your book" . . . but who signed his letter only "Curley and Family" and included no address! I figured that the guy either had long, wavy hair or was completely bald . . . so I wrote to the postmaster in care of the cancellation on the stamp and asked if he knew of a "Curley and Family". To date I haven't received an answer.

We also got a great laugh from the couple who wrote, "Please send us your book . . . we need all the help we can get" . . but who enclosed the wrong half of their money order! (The right end came in a couple of days later.)

Thank God for the funny letters! It's been rougher than we ever thought it would be getting this book off the press and out to all the good folks who've bought it. I don't think we'd have made it without a few laughs along the way.

Again, MOTHER .. thanks. You know I mean it. Even if you have ruined our lives! Why, you've made us famous! We have no more privacy. No more sleeping in late in the mornings. All we do now is get up and spend the entire day processing mail from your millions of readers. We love it!

Love,

Jack Henstridge

And here's the letter that Jack sent out to the first 600 MOTHER readers who ordered his book ... telling them why they'd had to wait a month or more to receive the guide.

Dear People:

Believe me when I tell you that it is more difficult to put out a book on how to build a cordwood home than it is to build one. I want to thank you all for being so patient. Here is a brief rundown on what has happened:

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