Big bad wolf

...and he hoofed, and he poofed, and he blew the house down. All of them, to be exact; every single light-wood-frame constructed house in the USA. It doesn't take much. This particular one succumbed to fire (judging by the burnt upper level floor joists), leaving a handsome skeleton in the fire's wake. Since there are neat piles of construction materials scattered both inside and outside, I believe it will rise like a phoenix from its ashes. I will keep you posted.

My introduction to light wood frame construction came from an architecture professor. Exterior walls of houses are typically framed with two-by-sixes, while the interior partitions are framed with two-by-fours, said he. I looked at him and asked with my then-thick Polish accent: "two OF WHAT by four OF WHAT, exactly???".

I wasn't trying to be cheeky, I have simply never before seen a house that wasn't made of some form of masonry or concrete. I grew up in a 10 story high communist-era concrete panel high rise. Loved it. It felt solid, and safe. My Polish parents now live in a modernist 3-level row house, with almost a meter (3 ft) thick ground floor walls. These walls keep the house cool in the summer, and DEFINITELY don't let any heat out in the winter.

My second lesson in light wood frame construction wonders came from my sister. She was a teenager. She got angry. She kicked a wall in her room. Her foot went right through it.

Now, how the .... is one suppose to feel safe in one's own home, when the walls are such a joke???