Why We Love Our Coach House Garage
We love our Coach House because a real garage has been our life long wish. Well at least Joe's dream. When we moved to our farm 49 1/2 years ago, an open sided tin roofed pole shed was on the property and since it was next to the house, it became our garage. And remained our garage until October 2010. Open to the air and animals, we shoveled out snow many a time, battled birds and varmints, and litters of kittens with their little messes, with Mama Cat's muddy footprints from front to back on each vehicle as she battled those birds, dust and dirt, clutter and catch-all, vehicles that barely started in cold weather, freezy cold seats, stiff frozen doors. Once many years ago we went through deep snow drifts to battle our way home. Next time we went to drive the car the engine was a solid block of frozen snow! Took awhile to thaw that out! Joe spent a lot of hours in that garage in the heat and cold fixing our many vehicles. And, of course, the tools were always somewhere else.
We endured year after year mostly due to the fact that the only place to put a new garage was on my prime garden area. (Wonderful soil, next to the water hydrant, safe from those pesky varmints, close to the house). Finally the years told me it was time to slow down and I made ONE off-hand remark that I was ready to give up part of the garden. Within two days, Joe had surfed the internet and found Coach House Garage, among others. A couple of estimates later and we had plans for a custom planned 3 bay building with 2 small entry doors, 3 windows, an extra space in the front of the vehicles, a real overhead door that opened and closed by pushing a button! Almost as if by magic, a crew showed up, moved the dirt around, built forms, here came the cement truck and there was the floor!
An interval to cure the cement and the big day arrived. The crew showed up very early in the morning with the pre-built sections and equipment to build that garage. It was a marvel to watch as the guys put that building together in an 8 hour day! Each one knew his job and did it so well and each section went up like clock-work. By 3 pm they were cleaning up the little spots on the siding and sweeping up and carrying away the odds and ends.
What a change last winter was! All that snow just blew around outside and our vehicles were warm and dry out of the weather. And Joe as his "Man-Cave" to enjoy. He moved in all his tools and equipment he needs to fix things. After almost 50 years of repairing in the heat and cold and dust and dirt, he has a clean, heated work area. Did I mention he has his stereo sound system and easy chair in there, too? If I want him, I know where he is.
We would not have waited 50 years if we had known how much enjoyment our new Coach House garage has given us.
Rosemary & Joe Toohill
LeRoy, IL
