And I'll huff and I'll puff...

No bulldozers were used in the demolition of this house.

There was, however, a really big claw. 

No thoughts of asking to drive this monster! 

Pat, the claw artiste, started with a bang.  Maybe showing off a bit.  Or maybe just to reassure us that he knew exactly what he was doing. 

First thing he did was reach in (through the roof) and pluck out a fan I had mentioned hating, and plopped it onto the lawn.  Then he ripped up a palm tree and dropped it through the roof, just for emphasis.

Once the opening act was over, it was all business for the rest of the day.  Really, I couldn't believe how much time it took.  There's more to it than just knocking down walls.  Who knew?

Sorting out the scrap metals and the stuff the crew thought worth keeping took much more time than simply knocking down walls and scooping up the rubble.

Two men sifted relentlessly through the wreckage as the claw did it's work overhead.  No hard hats in sight.

The fan was just the start of an impressive pile of scrap metal that grew slowly but surely over the course of the day.

Separating the scrap metal.

BTW, that 50's turquoise was my favorite part of the kitchen.

Extracted intact.  Somebody else likes turquoise too, I guess.  

Pat also wanted the carport roof,

which he dropped neatly in one piece.

It will be reincarnated as a shelter for his goats.

Plucking re bar from the wreckage.

Of course the neighbors turned out for the show...

Flanked by Jose (our builder) and Popeye,

Lou and Karen, representatives from across the street...

Frank, from the house to the east...

Me, with Kathy, from the house to the west.

I lost the best picture ever, though. 

Debbie, Jose's wife brought some burgers for the crew.  It was the only moment all day the crew took a break.  Debbie, surrounded by the demolition crew, with Pat the goat herder and claw artiste wearing the biggest smile of all.  (Must be nice to love your work.)  

It was such a great picture I couldn't wait to send it to her.  

I love my IPhone, but....  the screen does a flip turn every time you move.  Flip!  The little trash can landed under where send should be and schwoop! 

There it was, gone.  (To quote Gilligan.)

Speaking of vintage words...

Look what else the crew found - wrapped around some spare jealousy glass in the tool shed.

Sept 27, 1963

Popeye would have been 2 weeks old.

Presidents actually stood by the space program.

And who needed Wal-Mart Prices?

The 1963 paper didn't fare too well once we started turning the pages.  It's still in the trash with the burger wrappers though, if someone really really wants it. 

I think it's OK to discard old stuff, as long as you can take what it has to teach along with you into the future.

I think again about the new design.  I've kept a few of those 50's ideas, and changed a lot of them too. 

The old house has taught us well.  There's no substitute for good plumbing.  The side with the view should have windows, not walls.   And turquoise kitchens rule.

All over but the terrazzo.

Not a thing in the pool but a little dust.

So, it's the end of a long, dusty day. 

And one of my oldest wishes has been granted.

(Minus the bulldozer.)