Demolition Derby: She's A Brick House...Or Used To Be

I'm speechless...well, almost. I was tempted to post only pictures for this one because, as they say, they're worth a thousand words. However, my affection for the written word cannot be suppressed. While the photos throughout will tell almost all of the tale, I'll obligingly provide the embellishments.

We're three weeks into our deconstruction extravaganza. Since taking up the first planks of floor we've broken out interior walls, removed doors and windows, hauled all the flooring for storage, and chiseled all the tile we care to. I say "we" rather loosely because Weldon holds the lion's share of hours on the project. Yesterday, however, we called in the big guns -- and they did a bang up job giving our dear old Kentucky home a major makeover. What was a brick house at 7:30 a.m. was transformed into a weathered, white clapboard shell by 5:30 p.m. when our crew finally called it quits. Anyone who knows me well can attest that this gal doesn't shy away from physical labor, but sometimes it pays to have a handful of able-bodied men around!

I'll just stay out of the way

Weldon shows the wall who's boss

"Alph & Ralph" taking no survivors!

While I could lace this post with gritty stories about my scraped knuckles and rippled biceps, the truth is I spent most of the day taking snapshots, warning the younger (foolish) ones to be cautious, doing go-fer work, and feeding the ravenous bunch a massive lunch. All of that was fine with me. It seemed we all had our part to play. Weldon was the brains of the operation...naturally. My father-in-law skillfully did the tractor work and hauled the loaded dump trailer to and from our barn 15 minutes away. My two teenage nephews made themselves ever-so useful on any number of tasks while their father (my husband's brother) along with our seventeen-year-old neighbor were some kind of tandem incarnation of Wreck-It Ralph. Their brawny feats were a quirky one-up-manship that doubled as uncanny teamwork. With a digging iron, pry bars, wrecking bars, and a lot of sweat this group took off trim, vinyl, porches, gutters, and every last brick in one decent day's work. Even the chimney came crashing...

     

T-I-M-

B-E-R!

Now if we can only swing a Mortar-Chipping and Nail-Removal Party with as many eager attendants next winter! I'll start making a menu...

Like a facial...

in reverse!