Minneapolis Woman Obsesses About Backyard Dwelling

I have a secret obsession with putting a little modular dwelling in my backyard. It's ridiculous, I know. First, because my backyard is the size of a can of peanuts and is on a hill, and secondly, because there is plenty of room for me inside my house. But I can't help it. I want it. I want to sit out there in the summer with a glass of wine and my laptop and write stuff. Or read a book. Or whatever. I just want to be in this swell little room in my backyard. OK? It's what I want.

The idea first took root in my obsessive little brain when I went to a poetry reading several years ago. I don't even remember who the poet was. Lucille somebody? Doesn't matter. Anyhoo, she mentioned that she does her writing in a special little cabin in her backyard. At the time I wanted to be a novelist (that dream is not dead), so I was especially taken by the idea of having my own special writing space. And if I remember correctly, I think this is how Isabelle Allende said she writes, too. How truly excellent. So my mind is working through this idea when, a couple of years ago, this DIY modular dwelling turned up in ReadyMade magazine. It's made of plexiglass, plywood and steel, mostly. Swoon.



I ached to build it. But, lacking the estimated $15k for supplies (though I really don't understand how it could cost that much), the skills, and the spousal support, in addition to the fact that it would look ridiculous in my backyard, well, you know the story. I tried to put it out of mind, but there was a little kernel of hope in the back of my brain that someday I could build it. Then I found this on Inhabitat while I was farting around online today:



Love! All yearning for backyard dwelling has been rekindled. Maybe after we get the fence up, we can haul away the garden shed that is in the backyard right now and I can entertain this idea some more. (???) Check back in a few years for developments on this story.