The Staples

Each window, and sadly, the entire area of the quilted maple framing had between 60 - 80 staples plunged deeply into the wood.  There were nails, screws and hooks all over the place. On the first day people came to help, we filled a jar with large, industrial staples. Everyone lamented the wood, and how beautiful it is, and how sad. My theory is that with the small, inefficient stove as the only source of heat (after the 1960's boiler gave in), that the former resident sealed off the old wood-framed windows and the upstairs with heavy plastic. That would be fine, but there are better ways to seal off rooms without trashing a house.

We are still working on pulling staples, day by day.