SECOND SATURDAY - Down with the Fireplace

On Saturday, Feb 24, the first order of business was to take down the mantel and tear out the rest of the wall and supporting structure. The small sledge was useful for this job. You see it here lying on the horizontal 2x4. Unfortunately, that is the last place I saw it, too, as it fell a moment later into the flue shaft to the right, to lie forever entombed behind the brick wall of the basement fireplace.