Taking The Back Bit Down

For years we tried to use the back bit of the house. It had no foundation and was falling off. It was 3 old pieces of house or porch or cold storage plan with 12 inch walls filled with saw dust. The ceilings were filled with sawdust as well, and it was always dirty…what a surprise.

This weekend it came down. Bit by bit, wall by wall.

We did it ourselves with a few new tools. A crow bar for him, a respirator for me, as I am allergic to sawdust.

Sawdust was everywhere, every time we opened a new wall or board or ceiling….it was in our hair, our ears, our eyes and blowing across the valley, with thanks to our winds.

I was sad as I pulled out cut/square nails, all very old indeed. I was not sad when I pulled on a rotten wall, that came apart easily….sawdust flowing out of boards which were beyond use.

We gazed at where the new kitchen sink will be.

There was no shortage of nails.

With each wall we took out, we thought…is this it? Will this be the one where the roof finally falls, (away from the house…we hope). We were cautious and careful. We broke some rope, and we broke some chain. We smashed a knuckle or two, but for the most part…we came through the ordeal unscathed.

Our first roll off box for debris is full…we’re waiting for the second.

Thrilled to have the wind blow as much of the sawdust across the valley as possible. We still have a tad of clean up to do.

….and what did we find in our 100 year old walls besides sawdust?

a skirt…

A flannel shirt….

An old pepper can…

A few burlap bags, an handful of old overalls and rags… a bird’s nest.

A wasp’s nest…

It is fascinating how they are built….

We find how the old house was put together…. an older roof hidden under our metal roof, as we see how one bit was added on to another. We’re a teeny bit tired, a teeny bit overwhelmed, a great bit excited.

Lucky and blessed indeed.