This was quite an eventful week...filled with hair-raising twists and arm scratching debris.
I got home from work on Monday and found Uncle Guido standing on a ladder in the middle of a big hole in the back wall. His head was down and he was shaking it "No" style. This was worrisome. He was chipper and enthusiastic about the other holes he made.
As he heard me coming up behind him from the yard he shouted "Dusty! Whateva' you do...donna toucha dis wall. Itsa' critical. He said critical about seven times in describing the back wall. Apparantly it was only holding up the second and third floors by a narrow column that was teetering near and old coal shute. (The shute used to be where Carl broke that window.)
Plans will have to change a little in regard to the size of the opening going into the addition.
Instead of two big archways...one and maybe a little window.
Lately there is not allot of difference between the inside and the outside of the house. Hhmmmmm.
Luckily it has been a mild Winter thus far.
Uncle Guido fixed all the wall problems by pouring nifty concrete caps next to the troublesome bricks...super strengthening. I still can't believe he did this by himself...including one on the second floor.
We put in a temporary steel lintel and brace and chipped out the moment of truth block...
"Itsa' good...she gonna' stay up!"
Uncle Guido tested my brick heaving skills and bravery.
I got to toss all of the debris off of the scaffolding into the "pile" to prepare for Carl's fear of heights test.
Carl bravely chipped away bricks on the outside to install the exterior lintel.
Grace Jones was really into using Carl's knee pads as a toy. She was sent off to live at Grammy's house until the holes are closed off. She was too keen on escaping and expanding her territory.
We both passed...but Guido won in the fearless competition. The guy is like a monkey or something!
He tried to convince me that going down the ladder was simple...did I? Will I?
This Saturday we knocked down the kitchen wall. This wall/archway was a beastly grease trap that served no purpose other than to suck up light and space and drive me insane.
I had to squish people into the kitchen. Even with the room torn apart...it feels airy and spacious.
The wall was made by the house's previous owner and builder, Mario Melaragni. He obviously thought no one would ever want to tear it down...if they did...too bad! It was made of concrete folks, not plaster!
The struggle lasted about ten hours. Sledge hammers and crowbars did little at first.
Heeeeere's Johnny! Aye Carumba I hated this wall.
Carl's distaste grew hourly and finally the wall could fight no more.
We both have a vague memory of ordering cheese steaks at about 10pm and passing out.
This week...
We wait for Uncle Guido to give us a chore list!
Plumbing and masonary...and more demo.
