Southerly: Bricks and Mortar
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Oops! Forgot to activate the discussion thread -- very sorry about that...
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Wow! Waua! Impressive! Extraordinary!
I mean every vowel of every word! (The constants can go hang 'em-selves.)
I look forward very much, to the next installment... -
David Haywood, in reply to
Thank you! I hope to live-blog the next installment -- starting around 8 am tomorrow (Thursday).
Cellphone connectivity permitting, of course...
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fingers firmly crossed for the smoothest of days
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The removal of the first pair of chimneys
(emphasis added).
A combination of words that has seldom needed to be written, I'd wager!
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Exciting! And tiring! I can't even imagine. I will be sending all positive vibes down South tomorrow, my darlings.
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Gee,
The big move is here! Congrats on all the hard work to get to this point, and good luck for today!
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That is the most awesome to-do list I've ever seen - worthy of framing and displaying prominently in home 2.0.
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A definite high tidemark of suffering was the removal of the remains of our chimneys, in which – very fortunately – I had the able assistance of the lovely Ian Dalziel from Apple Pie Design. Actually ‘assistance’ perhaps undersells his contribution. Saint Dalziel lifted a mind-boggling 75 tonnes of bricks (7.5 tonnes, 10 times). The fact that he hasn’t ended up in a spinal unit is nothing short of a miracle; indeed I plan to use this as evidence in my campaign for official papal recognition of his saintliness.
The prodigious lifting ability you see in Ian today was honed carrying entire PA Systems up the steep, carpeted stairs of Melbourne pubs and RSLs as the roadie for the legendary Toy Love. The saintly nature itself is, I believe, innate.
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David Haywood, in reply to
The prodigious lifting ability you see in Ian today was honed carrying entire PA Systems up the steep, carpeted stairs of Melbourne pubs and RSLs as the roadie for the legendary Toy Love.
I hadn’t looked at it this way before, but I guess maybe I was doing a favour to Dalziel in getting him to volunteer to lift 75 tonnes of bricks.
You know, keeping him in shape for a possible reunion tour...
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This whole process seems to be a triumph of monumental proportions already, and you haven't even moved the house yet. The story of everyone, and Saint Dalziel in particular, going the extra mile is incredibly heart warming.
All the best for the move.
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I hope today goes extraordinarily well for you all, David.
The weather looks good at least.
Here's what I don't understand. With your property being effectively stolen, why is it so necessary to "Fell cabbage tree" before that happens? Poetry? Spite?
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David Haywood, in reply to
why is it so necessary to “Fell cabbage tree” before that happens? Poetry? Spite?
The cabbage tree was blocking the house from being removed. It nearly killed me (psychologically) to cut it down.
Turns out that I'd rather have a house than a cabbage tree...
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Best of luck for today.
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The commencement of work on the second pair of chimneys revealed three hitherto unknown cupboards hidden behind the wallpaper.
Being in the process of demolishing a 1900's era house myself, I was amazed by the nest of cupboards I found constructed around the fireplace, or place where the wood stove would have been. Must have had something to do with drying and airing of clothes, bedding etc.
Hope it goes well. -
Sacha, in reply to
I hope to live-blog the next installment
true to his word, here.
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Lilith __, in reply to
The prodigious lifting ability you see in Ian today was honed carrying entire PA Systems up the steep, carpeted stairs of Melbourne pubs and RSLs
Ian can and does frequently lift the entire Public Address System, to this day. :-)
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David, you write a wonderful story even when exhausted, and long after most people would have lost their sense of humour. Well done to you and Jen and all your helpers! And I hope the move is going swimmingly (but not in the Avon)....
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JLM, in reply to
The cabbage tree was blocking the house from being removed. It nearly killed me (psychologically) to cut it down.
Turns out that I'd rather have a house than a cabbage tree...
Cabbage trees always seem to resprout, so come back in another 10 years...
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Emma Hart, in reply to
Well done to you and Jen and all your helpers!
Somehow (and I suspect it's the result of years of near-pathological niceness) David and Jennifer have produced this effect in our household, and I suspect those of all their friends.
Me: David wants to know if we can-
Karl: Yes. Whatever. Anything we can do to help.I still don't quite feel that we've really evened up the assistance:beer ledger.
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Lilith __, in reply to
Cabbage trees always seem to resprout
You could try digging up what's left and replanting it. I was given a cabbage tree for my garden which had only part of its main root still attached. I stuck it in the ground as an experiment and then when it didn't seem to have done anything after some months I started to dig it up again to throw away, only to find it was busy sprouting roots down there! I hurriedly re-buried them with apologies to the tree, and it went on to grow a magnificent crown.
Only to be chopped down unceremoniously by the subsequent owner of the house who didn't like having to pick up the leaves!
But cabbage trees are good at surviving.
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Sacha, in reply to
Ian can and does frequently lift the entire Public Address System, to this day
gold
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Jolisa, in reply to
The cabbage tree was blocking the house from being removed. It nearly killed me (psychologically) to cut it down.
Turns out that I'd rather have a house than a cabbage tree...
This whole thing is like an epic, architectural case of Shag/Kill/Marry.
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A great story of what is obviously a beautiful house. All the best for its new life (and your, and your family's, new life in it, of course). Congratulations. And thanks.
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Watch this space for breaking news.
Before I begin the liveblog I hope there aren't too many breakages.
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