Tuesday afternoon a police officer knocked on the door at work (we are right next to the police station) and nicely asked me to move my truck. The city workers were trimming the trees on the street and they didn’t want to wreck the truck. No problem.
Wednesday evening when I left, I noticed there were signs on the street saying not to park there on Thursday. I park in the off-street parking lot, so I thought I’d be fine.
Nope. Thursday morning at recess they came over to ask me to move my truck because a house was coming.
A HOUSE!
I grabbed my keys, moved the truck and hollered to the kids to LINE UP! WE ARE GOING TO SEE A HOUSE ON A TRUCK!
It was awesome. The truck moved super slowly and the workers were amazing. The children sat safely on the sidewalk and cheered (thanks to my urging) that ‘This is the best parade EVER!’
As it happens, this is Beth and Harold’s old house. It was by the hospital but the hospital bought their property and moved the house one lot over. Then the greedy hospital wanted that property, so this house had to be moved far, far away where it can finally grow roots and be safe. (Sorry. I’m tired and a little punchy.)
It was cool seeing the underside. The workers who were underneath were adjusting things so that…. I don’t know why. They were just walking underneath a moving vehicle and we were busy telling the children that this is something they should never, ever do.
The exciting part came when they needed to raise the house up so it would clear the fire hydrant. Apparently they can’t run both hydraulics at the same time, so that house started tipping toward us, but then it leveled out. Good way to go – smashed by house.
Goodbye, little house. Make someone happy and keep them warm and dry.
Lloyd says
…Smashed by a house… funny, that’s how I always pictured you going.
Lauren says
So you can steal my ruby red slippers? Never, my little pretty!
Brad says
Do you suppose it’s cheaper to move a house than to knock it down? It seems like an awful lot of trouble to move it.
Deborah says
This is the Summer of Moving Houses in Seward. They also moved one off of Concordia’s property.
I wonder about the first person who thought, “Sure, I can move a house. No problem.”
Peggy says
Hehe….really, who was the 1st person to suggest this & did that 1st house make it in one piece I wonder!
That is so cool that that is your old house Beth! “Hey, our house just drove by!” How many people can say that!
Beth says
Aw…my little starter house. I love you little house!
(And while it’s not cheaper to move a house than it is to knock it down, it IS cheaper to move one than to build a whole new house…even a 3 bedroom ranch house.)
I’d like to go on and on about how it was MY idea, 11 years ago, to move that house, and the hospital is just now catching up to me, but I’ll refrain. 😉
Tammy says
It WAS your idea years ago to move that house!!! I remember the hospital scoffing at that idea!
Peggy says
I love that house too! I would like to live in it right now!
Lauren says
Don’t refrain -- tell!