Friday, May 16, 2008

Demolition

I had the day off today. I spent it, all of it, breaking up a sidewalk at the duplex we own. My arms, despite quite a few advil and tylenol, are achy, and my hands don't really want to grip things. They're not so keen on typing, come to that - it's like they're permanently closed around a 10# sledgehammer. The cement the city laid in 1960 was the worst - it's full of little pieces of red rock - hard as hell, and it rung, absorbing the force of the blows. Evil.

Some people, like Tall Brad, recommended a jackhammer. But by the time I got going, I didn't want to waste any time going to look for one. And this just points out that my back is still in great shape, unlike all of my friends. Not only did I break it all out of the 40' or so of front yard sidewalk and curb area, but I barreled it all around to the back and the dumpster as well.

So I drank about 12 bottles of water and a soda, and got a good tan, but we'll see if I can move tomorrow. For dinner, I ate my burrito outside so I wouldn't offend any sensibilities, but afterwards, at the liquor store, I noticed I was getting the once over a couple of times. And all flirty, not like I smelled horrible. Sure, the Parrot Bay samples lady probably just thought if she smiled I'd try her new Smirnoff's drink, and she was probably pleased that I only looked at her chest long enough to read "Parrot Bay" (that's what memory is for), but then on the way out the store, a pretty woman caught me smiling at her daughter and almost tripped over herself saying "hi" and trying to open my door for me. I credit the fact that I was so sweaty I'd ruined the Home Depot receipt in my pocket. I no doubt smelled of virility and good baby potential. Maybe it's obvious my back is in good working order and I could wrestle an antelope were it necessary. Christy once told me I smelled nice after working out, so maybe I'm still shedding a healthy odor.

Unlike on 66th as I left the duplex. I told Jen it smelled like someone had dumped a dirty diaper genie on the car after it had been sitting out in the sun for a day or four. She thought perhaps with all that construction, they'd manage to puncture a sewage pipe, which makes perfect sense. I almost gagged as I switched to recycled air and prayed it would recycle fast enough to get rid of the odor.

Here I am taking a lunch break. Pooteewheet was nice enough to bring me some lunch. Down by the curb, I took out sidewalk to the left and right as well. That's the city junk from the 60's. We're the only house in the neighborhood still to have it. The neighbor across the street put his piece in himself for a wheelchair drop. I had to rake and scoop up all that leftover stuff as well.


The 10 yard dumpster, pre about 3 slabs and the post-raking material. At the end, I was having trouble getting the shovel up there to dump it out and kept spilling on the ground when I hit the side of the dumpster. It was pretty obvious it was time to quit.

7 comments:

She says said...

I'm tired just reading that. Ooof, where is my heating pad?

But, what are you going to put down to replace it? And why did you decide now that it hadda go, after 40-something years?

Anonymous said...

I thought you had two trees in the front yard do not see them in the picture.

Scooter said...

The trees are no more - the city took them away. Their roots remain, which is part of the problem with the sidewalk.

Anonymous said...

The time you spent arranging to get a jackhammer would have been offset by the time saved using it.

Not too mention it sounds like you spent as much on tylenol and advil.

Plus you would have felt much better.

TallBrad

Scooter said...

Naw...it was spread out over two days because my brother was in charge of the back pieces I didn't feel like finishing up. Besides, I feel pretty good today, and the exercise helped develop some upper body strength to prepare me for the MS 150.

Anonymous said...

I just dug a hole and put all my concrete in it. It is where the car parks. Used the fill so water would not stand on the paver bricks and footings for the retaining wall would stay dry.

Anonymous said...

If you want to borrow it I bought a Demolition Hammer today! It works great. Got it to take up old tile and thin set. Was tired of doing it by hand. I looked at renting one but it cost me $40 more to buy it than to rent.