Replies

1. 
   Shep | Jul 31, 2007 05:48pm | #1

   And here I was thinkin' you were in the police report

   or the obits <G>

   Nice article, from what I see.

   Where's the rest of it?

2. 
   plantlust | Jul 31, 2007 05:56pm | #2

   And you didn't murder anyone or steal anything<g>!!

   Those pictures look STUNNING, you should be proud...and bragging.

   Received & read Book 7! And a VERY satisfying read it was. For some reason, I now want the Series in the original language.

3. 
   JohnT8 | Jul 31, 2007 06:01pm | #3

   OK, so where's the rest of it?

    

   jt8

   "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."   -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. 
   McDesign | Jul 31, 2007 07:12pm | #8

   Here's the text of the article -

   They are my heroes - the dynamic duo of Forrest and Laura McCanless - as they restore their circa 1886 Oxford home. When the couple bought the house in 1990, it had been vacant for years. Nothing had been updated for almost three quarters of a century by the home’s two elderly former residents, sisters, with the maiden names of Paine.

   Amazingly, the McCanlesses considered the lack of maintenance good news, because there were no layers of paint to strip from the home’s trim work, transoms and pocket doors. Of the last 16 years of careful and diligent labor, Laura McCanless said, "It has taken an exciting long time. It is fun for us."

   The McCanless duo have nurtured the home’s magnificent heart pine millwork back to health and brilliance. They have managed to find the time to replace the roof of the expansive, two-and-a-half story, multi-porch home; update the ancient plumbing and wiring; refurbish antique sinks and claw-foot tubs; and re-brick and re-flue 12 fireplaces."We were literally camping out, without water and electricity at first," said Forrest McCanless. "But, back then, it was just Laura, me and the dog."

   "A serious leak in the center of the house had caused much of the plaster on the walls to deteriorate," said Laura McCanless. "The place was in horrific disrepair at the time of purchase. The bad leaks did amazing things to the plaster. So, I learned to plaster."

   The couple repaired the plaster and then painted it to resemble period designs. Today, the interior walls and ceilings will make you gasp for breath with their grand stenciling and trompe l’oeil.

   There was a fire in the house about 1913. Charred beams suggest the fire started in the old kitchen. Repair of that damage between 1913 and 1916 included the addition of four inside bathrooms, and three bedrooms at the rear of the house to accommodate student boarders. The majority of older homes in Oxford belonged to faculty of Oxford College. Boarding students, or "taking in a few boys," as it was referred to, was the perfect supplement to a professor’s salary. The McCanlesses have preserved some of the graffiti former college students etched or wrote onto the bedroom walls.

   Laura McCanless calls herself an "Army brat," while Forrest McCanless is almost an Oxford native. His parents, Stuart and Carol McCanless, moved to Oxford in the 1960s, when he was three. The couple met while Forrest and Laura were both attending Georgia Tech. They lived in Washington, DC, for a while and traveled a lot.Forrest McCanless worked as an engineer during the first 10 years of the Oxford house renovation, but his job required travel, so eight years ago, he made a career change.

   "An engineer is expected to advance into management," he said. "The supervisory role just wasn’t as satisfying as the hands-on building role. I began McCanless Design Inc. eight years ago, intending to make homes and businesses handicap-assessable. I have more job requests today for restoration and sensitive additions than handicap requests."

   Laura McCanless’s artistic talent, evidenced in the stenciling and trompe l’oeil in her home, along with Forrest McCanless’s skill of building custom additions that match the character of the house, make them a dynamic duo. Today, they have three children, Madeline, 9; Cameron, 6; and Evelyn, 3. The McCanless children enjoy a fantasy backyard playground, including a castle their father constructed from recycled lumber; they nestle in a secret room, accessed by secret steps above the adult library, to read books of their own; and eat in a kitchen that resembles an Italian portico. The McCanless children and the McCanless home are each a beautiful work-in-progress.Linda Reynolds is a columnist for the Citizen. She is interested in stories about historical landmarks in Rockdale and Newton counties. If you know of a special story, place or event, e-mail her at [email protected] or call her at 770-483-7108, ext. 252.

1. 
   JohnT8 | Jul 31, 2007 07:55pm | #9

   Cool.  not only a good story, but FREE advertising!

    jt8

   "Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."   -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. 
   McDesign | Jul 31, 2007 07:59pm | #10

   < free advertising>

   Yep!

   Forrest

2. 
   Gunner | Aug 01, 2007 04:38am | #12

     Good on ya. Get a frosty beverage for you and the wife.

    

   .

    

   You can't judge me man! You've never even kissed me!

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPONTneuaF4

3. 
   Hudson Valley Carpenter | Aug 01, 2007 04:48am | #13

   Laura McCanless’s artistic talent, evidenced in the stenciling and trompe l’oeil in her home...

   What else has she misled you about, mon ami?  ;-)

4. 
   davidhawks | Aug 02, 2007 04:46am | #16

   Bravo Forrest!

   When's the movie coming out.  At the least, you deserve a segment on one of HGTV's shows like "If These Walls Could Talk".

    Live in the solution, not the problem.

4. 
   BossHog | Jul 31, 2007 06:06pm | #4

   Do we get to see the rest of the article too ???

   Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. It doesn't permanently solve any problems, but it makes thing more acceptable for awhile.

1. 
   McDesign | Jul 31, 2007 06:44pm | #6

   <rest of the article???>

   I'll get the text from the editor, and post it. 

   Forrest

    

1. 
   stevent1 | Jul 31, 2007 07:10pm | #7

   Forrest,

   That's great. Look forward to reading the rest of it.

    

   Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood

5. 
   JAlden | Jul 31, 2007 06:38pm | #5

   "16 years of careful and diligent labor"

   You and your wife have every reason to be proud.

1. 
   JMadson | Aug 01, 2007 05:11am | #14

   "16 years of careful and diligent labor"

   I'd be in the obits by then ;) 

6. 
   gzajac | Aug 01, 2007 04:17am | #11

   Great article about a great couple- enough said

    

   Greg in Connecticut

7. 
   DavidxDoud | Aug 01, 2007 05:29am | #15

   16 years, eh?

   ya done yet?

   congrats on the article and the job it profiled -

   D

    

    

    

   "there's enough for everyone"